Sole Purpose 9
What Giving Up Coffee for Lent Taught Me

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In this life, I cherish many things: sunshine, my plants, my family, and my sweet boyfriend (not necessarily in that order). However, one of my greatest loves is that first cup of black coffee I have as soon as I wake up. Three years ago, my boyfriend and I embarked on a backpacking trip in Yosemite. Being a non-coffee drinker, he (or rather, I) forgot to pack any coffee. The result? Each morning was misery without my beloved cup of Joe. Despite enduring headaches, fatigue, and a dramatic lack of will to continue (yes, I admit, it was VERY dramatic), I managed to survive the trip just fine. Since then, I've had at least one cup of coffee daily.

Although I'm not a strict Catholic, I usually observe Lent. Lent spans 40 days of fasting, praying, and sacrificing something meaningful. This tradition begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes the night before Good Friday. Supposedly, you're not supposed to disclose what you're giving up for Lent because it undermines the act of sacrifice... but as I mentioned, I'm not exactly a devout Catholic. There's more to Lent, but I'll spare you the religious intricacies. Despite most of my 40 days being occupied by my orthopedic surgery rotation, I still thought it wise to abstain from coffee and energy drinks entirely as my lent sacrifice. But here's what I discovered!

Go to Bed Earlier
Discovering that I didn't need coffee came as quite a surprise. Amidst my orthopedic rotation, which demanded 5:30 am rounds and an early commute to the hospital, I stumbled upon a simple remedy: hitting the sack earlier. While it may seem rudimentary, the impact was truly transformative. Typically, I relish staying up late, snuggling up with my computer, and efficiently tackling tasks in the quiet hours of the night. I take pride in my ability to accomplish so much from 8 pm to midnight and “thrive” on minimal sleep. However, sans my customary caffeine boost, I found myself utterly drained by day's end, prompting an immediate retreat to bed. To my amazement, I discovered that adequate sleep rendered me less irritable in the mornings and bestowed upon me clearer thinking, free from the clutches of brain fog. This practice even led to me trying to maximize the quality of sleep. I employed methods such as making my room as dark as possible, not going on my phone or laptop 30 minutes before bed and listening to soft soothing music before bed to help ready my mind for sleep.

Eating an Actual Breakfast
This also falls into the realm of the obvious. However, without my morning cup of coffee, I found myself ravenously hungry once I arrived at the hospital. Now, I always ensure I eat something in the morning due to ya know… my diabetes. But without my coffee, I had to wake up a little bit earlier to prepare a proper meal. Having a protein-rich breakfast before starting work, followed by a second snack in the morning, helped me manage my blood sugar levels much more effectively than my usual routine of a protein bar and black coffee, followed by another protein bar near lunchtime. I also observed that by waking up and cooking breakfast, I felt more alert during my commute, and it set a more positive tone for my overall morning.

Improved Ability to Retract and Suture
During one of my externships, an intern confided in me that she had stopped drinking coffee before surgeries because it made her hands shaky. Initially, I thought she was CRAZY, but once I decided to give up coffee myself, I was intrigued to see how it might affect my surgical skills. My orthopedic rotation involved 1-2 full days in the operating room per week. While I usually had no trouble assisting in podiatry cases and actively participating, I noticed that in other surgical specialties, I sometimes found myself zoning out while retracting or feeling shaky when suturing unfamiliar body parts with their GIANT needles. Giving up coffee resulted in less brain fog, which helped me stay more focused, even if I wasn't as excited about certain procedures like hip replacements compared to total ankle replacements. Moreover, I noticed that my hands were steadier during suturing, despite dealing with thick, unfamiliar tissue and large needles. My clinical evaluation even noted my excitement and engagement in the OR.

Mindset Matters
I'm smitten with a man who appears to possess unwavering resilience and stoicism. He is deeply involved in a “classified” government job (he isn’t that cool) that entails intense training and perpetual alertness. Throughout our time together, I've marveled at how he manages to function without a drop of caffeine. He's always studying, exercising, and barely sleeps, making my stamina pale in comparison. When I shared the results of my 40 days without caffeine with him, he simply remarked, "You never needed it to begin with. Coffee doesn't sustain life; it's merely a crutch you've come to rely on." Normally, I'd challenge him on this, but deep down, I know he's onto something. I've long believed that coffee was indispensable for navigating my day, but his words made me reconsider. By shifting my mindset to one of self-sufficiency—acknowledging that I can thrive without coffee—I've noticed significant improvements. I sleep better, I'm more pleasant to be around in the early morning, I eat healthier meals with fewer protein bars, and the insatiable cravings have diminished. Remarkably, I only experienced caffeine headaches for a couple of days, indicating that my body and I swiftly adapted to our new normal.

In the end, I eagerly anticipate treating myself to a lavender latte once Lent wraps up. Coffee remains a delightful indulgence that I genuinely enjoy. Nevertheless, I've shed my dependence on it (though residency may put that to the test). I take pride in making a meaningful sacrifice and am grateful for staying true to it without giving in to temptation. I wholeheartedly recommend this experience to anyone seeking to delve deeper into self-discovery and unearth their true capabilities over 40 days.