A Story of Freedom: Brenden Sweeney

the radical transformation in my mindset for 90 days of giving up all of these things, alcohol, social media, unnecessary phone usage, spending an hour in silence with God each morning has presented me with a compound effect that has

I was raised Catholic, but fell away from the church for a little while in college, and throughout most of my 20s. I came back when I was 29.  I had  fallen into a bunch of erratic patterns of behavior that really took a toll on my life. I was drinking too much, really not looking out for my mental health, and I got really caught up in internet politics.

My priorities were all out of whack. When I first heard about Exodus 90, I was subtly interested in perhaps giving up alcohol for 90 days, giving up social media for 90 days. But all of these things at once, along with the cold showers, seemed so intense. I thought I was never going to do that, but my life was in a bad place and I knew that a lot of these disciplines, giving all of them up, committing to all of them, would greatly enhance my life.

So I went out of my way to start a group at my parish.  When I started Exodus, some of the graces I noticed right off the bat were that I was no longer getting upset over things that in retrospect were entirely trivial. What surprised me the most about my first Exodus journey was how much peace of mind I was able to attain by cutting out social media for 90 days, spending an hour in silence with God each day for 90 days, the cold showers, how much those are able to just help my work from home routine each day.

I’d say my relationship with God changed the most. Throughout Exodus, the relationships with the men at my parish, many of whom are going through Exodus, also strengthened as well.  If you’re on the fence about taking up Exodus, I would say this to you, the radical transformation in my mindset for 90 days of giving up all of these things, alcohol, social media, unnecessary phone usage, spending an hour in silence with God each morning has presented me with a compound effect that has brought about measurable, quantifiable changes in my life.

 I’m now in a better place in all areas: spiritually, with relationships, financially, career success. All of those changes are attributed to the 90 days of consistently upholding those disciplines. 

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