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The 30 Day Fasting Challenge

Discussion in 'Self Improvement' started by TakingTheSteps, Feb 16, 2016.

  1. So a few years ago, in college, we participated in a 30 Day Fasting Challenge (not fasting from food for 30 days... I'll explain in a moment, but if you want to skip to paragraph four, you can see what the challenge is about) in preparation for our upcoming mission trips (most of our teams were headed to fairly impoverished countries). I saved the booklet we used for the challenge because it was an incredible experience that I knew I would want to do again someday, and that day has come! Since it is such a unique, self-improving journey, I wanted to share it with yall and invite you to join me on the journey. Before I explain how the challenge works, I have a few notes....

    First, this is a Biblically based challenge. While I believe anyone can benefit from the experience, the booklet definitely draws a lot on Jesus and other Biblical examples, so if any of that is going to bother you, perhaps this isn't for you. But if you can dismiss the things you disagree with, I think there is still a lot to be learned from this. Though one of the purposes is to grow closer to God and learn your dependence on Him, there are certainly plenty of other ways to grow through this, as a person! It definitely helps to get you out of yourself and see the world in a different way, mostly focusing on how much we have and how little others have. It puts life into a new perspective.

    Secondly, I want to encourage anyone who chooses to participate to modify when necessary. Keep in mind... this is called a "challenge" for a reason. It's supposed to be challenging. But at times there might be things that are literally not possible for you at the moment, so if you need to modify things, feel free to do so. I wouldn't want one day's challenge to make you miss out on all the rest. (For example... one of the days calls you to fast from shoes. I, and I'm sure many others here, cannot fast from shoes on a day that I have to go to work, so if that day happens to fall on a week day, I will just have to swap it with a weekend challenge instead. You can still grow from the experience without having to go so far as to cancel work because you can't wear shoes. Feel free to choose your own level of committment to the challenges, and I hope and expect no judgment if some people take it more seriously than others.)

    Alright, so all that being said, here's how the challenge works: for thirty days, you will be fasting from a new thing each day (I'll post a list below, so you can prepare yourselves and decide if you're up for the task). Each day comes with a short paragraph and a quote to kind of "explain" the day's challenge and what you are supposed to be learning from the experience. The 30 Days end with a 30 hour fast from all food (more on that later... we'll talk about disclaimers and being cautious and modifying as necessary, etc., when we get to that point). I think that's all you really need to know about the challenge, aside from the daily fasts, so I'll list them here. Keep in mind that these all have explanations that I will post daily, so if something seems confusing, like "How exactly do I fast from independence??" don't worry, it will be explained.

    Day 1: Fast from comfort.
    Day 2: Fast from the internet (I'll post this day's explantion at the end of day one, so we can start fresh.)
    Day 3: Fast from independence.
    Day 4: Fast from electricity.
    Day 5: Fast from running water.
    Day 6: Fast from possessions.
    Day 7: Fast from options.
    Day 8: Fast from friends.
    Day 9: Fast from warmth.
    Day 10: Fast from speech.
    Day 11: Fast from vanity.
    Day 12: Fast from hurry.
    Day 13: Fast from sleep.
    Day 14: Fast from cell phones.
    Day 15: Fast from shoes.
    Day 16: Fast from money.
    Day 17: Fast from fear.
    Day 18: Fast from people.
    Day 19: Fast from necessities.
    Day 20: Fast from noise.
    Day 21: Fast from "clean."
    Day 22: Fast from entertainment.
    Day 23: Fast from yourself.
    Day 24: Fast from waste.
    Days 25-29: Fast from overconsumption.
    (These days lead up to the 30 hour fast from food.)
    Day 25: Fast from luxury drinks. (continues to day 30)
    Day 26: Fast from sweets. (continues to day 30)
    Day 27: Fast from snacks. (continues to day 30)
    Day 28: Fast from meat. (continues to day 30)
    Day 29: Fast from carbohydrates. (continues to day 30)
    Day 30: Fast from food.

    So there you have it! This is the challenge I am embarking on, and I hope some of you will choose to join me. I know it is a rewarding experience. I will be starting the challenge on Thursday. This is purposeful, because for me, I would like to end my 30 hour fast from food by taking communion at church, so I would like Day 31, for me, to be a Sunday (because of that, I also won't be doing a full 30 hours... it will be more like 26, which is another example of modifying as you see fit). You can start with me on Thursday, or later if you choose, but I wish you well if you choose to join!

    I'll be posting daily, in the morning, whatever the booklet says about the day's challenge, and if I have any particularly interesting experiences, I'll keep yall updated. My first official post will be Thursday morning, Fast from Comfort, so until then, I give yall time to consider if you might want to experience this with me. :)
     
  2. Wonderful challenge! I actually just gave up watching tv shows. Indefinitely. Only films in moderation as I am still attached to entertainment. I am also a vegan so I suppose I have 'renounced' animal products already.

    I would partake of the challenge but I am already on a path of reliquinshment if you will. One step at a time.
     
  3. That's great, man! I've definitely been trying to not spend so much time in front of the TV. I love film/television, so I wouldn't want to give it up completely, but I certainly need to be doing some more important things with my time.

    I've been learning a lot about discipline lately. People like you and many others here have inspired me greatly. :)
     
    yoyo1 likes this.
  4. IGY

    IGY Guest

    We are all here because we are addicted to porn and masturbation right? That means 'fasting' from these behaviours.

    I can't see how depriving ourselves of a bunch of other stuff is conducive to that outcome. Surely we're challenged enough!
     
  5. Valiant

    Valiant Fapstronaut

    9
    29
    13
    I'm in brother!
     
  6. Well nobody is forcing you to participate, but I would like to grow in other areas of my life aside from not touching myself and watching porn.



    Sister, actually. ;) lol but great! Welcome aboard!
     
    yoyo1 likes this.
  7. live.good.die.anyway.

    live.good.die.anyway. Fapstronaut

    21
    18
    3
    Now that's something I was looking for!
    I'm in.
    Btw 'Fast from possessions' would be a tough challenge for me.
     
  8. Awesome! It'll be a great journey.

    And don't worry, there are more specifications provided later. Some of these don't seem as scary as you would think :) but you will grow, for sure.
     
    live.good.die.anyway. likes this.
  9. I feel like, in reading that again, I said the opposite of what I meant... Haha what I mean is... Some of these sound crazy, but they're not as crazy or hard as they seem.
     
    live.good.die.anyway. likes this.
  10. live.good.die.anyway.

    live.good.die.anyway. Fapstronaut

    21
    18
    3
    :);)
     
  11. Today's the day! Time to post the first challenge. Before I do so, I would like to recognize the author of the booklet we will be using, the lovely Sarah Bourns.

    Day One: Fast from Comfort

    "Around 11 million children live on the streets in India, according to UNICEF estimates."

    A typical bed for some of the poor in our world might be a thin piece of foam or simply a light blanket on a hard floor or dirt ground. Millions of Children grow up on impoverished city streets never knowing the shelter of a roof over their head and the comfort of a soft bed. But in their distress, many will cry out to God as their Comforter and place of Refuge. Feel what many of our global brothers and sisters feel every night and choose to sleep on the floor beside your bed just for tonight... maybe even without a blanket or pillow. Practice finding your true comfort in the shelter of God's arms.

    How might years of sleeping on the hard ground affect your daily life?

    Matthew 8:19-20
     
    Deleted Account likes this.
  12. Also, since tomorrow's challenge is fasting from the internet, I will post that one tonight rather than in the morning.
     
  13. It's awe-inspiring to see you post about other people's uncomfortable lives. I almost see the people living under harsh conditions here daily.It's great to see someone sabotaging their comfort and understanding the problems of our impoverished brothers and sisters.Keep the good work going.
    You're an inspiration for everyone. \O/
     
  14. Aw, thank you dear! I thought of you when I was typing that up. :)
     
    Deleted Account likes this.
  15. dandausa

    dandausa Fapstronaut

    I'm going to do my best to do this challenge as well. (Nevermind my previous question, I didn't read your post fully.. lol)

    Thanks for organizing this. :-D
     
  16. Valiant

    Valiant Fapstronaut

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    Just for reference, what time zone are you in? Im EST but I wake up early for work, so maybe I'll have to start the challenges a day after you
     
  17. Welcome aboard, friend! :)

    That's a good question. I am on the west coast, pacific time zone. It's 7:40pm here at the moment. I will probably be posting most of the challenges at around 7am, my time, because that's when I'm usually up for work. But on weekends it will probably be later than that. But feel free to do them the day after if that works better for you!
     
  18. Update on fasting from comfort today:

    Today was probably one of the top 5 longest work days of my entire life. I'm beyond exhausted! And while I would love to sleep in a warm cozy bed tonight, I feel like this is the absolutely best day for me to experience this challenge. Because rather than looking ahead to bed time, I find myself being so incredibly grateful for the comfort I DO have today. I got to come home from work (driving in a pretty nice and comfortable car, by the way), take a long warm shower, put on clean cozy pajamas, lay on my couch with a blanket and my space heater, and watch TV with my husband. Though exhausted, I am also immensely comfortable in this moment and that makes me feel oh so spoiled!

    I can't imagine, after a day like today, not having a shower, a change of clothes, shelter from the cold and rain outside. My eyes are already so open to how much I have and how often I take it for granted. And it's only the first day! This is gonna be cool, folks.
     
  19. Since tomorrow is fasting from the internet, I'm going to post this now, so I can adhere to that and not get swept up checking all my notifications in the morning. lol

    Day Two: Fast from the Internet

    "Today we live in a media-saturated, Internet-connected, cell-phone-equipped world in which everything that happens anywhere is available everywhere." - Richard Stearns, The Hole in Our Gospel

    The Internet allows us incredible access to information, communication, and entertainment, usually for our own personal benefit, but it also allows us to learn about and be involved in different issues of global need. Lack of information is not the problem. The question is: does our increased awareness influence the way we care for our neighbors, or does it cause us to become detached and indifferent to the frequent images we see of human suffering? Today, give up your Internet access (on your phone, too!) and instead use another resource (newspaper, book, new magazine) to educate and engage yourself in the plight of our worldwide family.

    Has the easy access to images and information about global concerns moved you into action or instead cause "compassion fatigue"?

    Job 30:24-25
     
  20. dandausa

    dandausa Fapstronaut

    My report: Day 1, I slept on the floor for 4 1/2 hours then I woke up at 2:30 and had this mental battle that I lost... So, failed at that. And then on the internet, I only used it for business stuff but still couldn't stay away completely. Fasting is tough.. But on to getting better. :-D
     

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