We Are Perfectly Imperfect. Day 45 of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

We Are Perfectly Imperfect.

Day 45 of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

The 90s was the greatest decade in recorded human history, and a timeline of some of the biggest moments in entertainment and culture for every individual year.  There was a hit song Tubthumping by Chumbawamba that went “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” the motto chanted during my high school when things weren’t going our way during a game was “Rock Don’t Quit,” but more importantly there seemed to be a sitcom-like concept of family togetherness and support where there appeared to be a beauty in life that helped lift up those in need as we all experienced that decade together.  Throughout all our differences, successes or failures, we were still one.  This Exodus 90 journey has been one of growth, challenges, and moments of deep reflection. While the commitment to prayer, asceticism, and discipline has been transformative, there have been a few “bumps in the road” over the past 45 days that reminded me that setbacks are part of the process.  For those keeping score at home, let’s take a look at how things are going as we break down every one of the disciplines.  I also challenge each of you to take a look at The Exodus 90 checklist (or perform an Examen if you will) and rank how you are doing.  These are scores out of 10:

🙏 Prayer

• Read Exodus Reading & Reflection = 10/10

• Make a Holy Hour each Day = Get to about 40 mins because I have something to do (Rosary, etc), but still struggling.

• Make a Morning Offering = 5/10 say a morning prayer, does that count?  This should be easy right?

• Make a Nightly Examen = 5/10 as a Jesuit boy, this should be executed like clockwork, but still isn’t. 

• Celebrate the Lord’s Day on Sundays = 5 of 6 + a few weekday masses

🚿 Asceticism

• Get a Full Night’s Sleep (8 hours is recommended) = hogwash

• Take Cold Showers = 0/10. But have tried to take cooler than normal.

• Exercise 3x per Week = 10/10

• Avoid Unnecessary Smartphone and Computer Use = 8/10 – I work in marketing, so sometimes I wander, but have made a case not to go deeper than news headlines.

• Give Up Video Games = 10/10 

• Give Up TV = 7/10

• Give Up Alcohol = 9/10 

• No Soda or Sweet Drinks = 10/10

• No Snacking between Meals = 7/10

• No Desserts or Sweets = 8/10 DOH Katie has been test baking cookies for a possible business, so couldn’t say no to being a taste-tester

• Listen only to Music that Lifts the Soul to God = 10/10

• No Unnecessary Purchases =10/10

• Fast on Wednesdays & Fridays = 9/10

• No Meat on Wednesdays & Fridays = 9/10 – slipped once

✌️ Fraternity

• Daily Anchor Check-in = 10/10 I feel like Sean and I are clicking on all levels.

• Exodus Brotherhood  = 10/10 I fthink that we are all killing it and the best supporters of each other.  So fun being part of this group,

• Weekly Fraternity Meeting = YES, this is the best day of the week, but have had two conflicts where I haven’t been able to make it.

I have been proud of myself and my Exodus brothers with how things have gone so far.  This said, I feel disappointed in myself with I slip and frustrated that I have let distractions pull me away from the habits I had been working so hard to build.

But as time progressed, something has shifted. I realized that even in my failure, there was an important lesson: this journey is not about perfection—it’s about perseverance and becoming better than we used to be. Every misstep is an opportunity to reflect, learn, and realign with the purpose of this challenge.

Rather than dwell on the failure, I focused on what I had already built, dusted myself off and realized that the discipline was still within me—I just needed to refocus.

These first 45 days of Exodus 90 have helped me to learn something new about myself, my faith, and the resilience that comes from embracing both victories and failures.

Failure during this process, in relationships, with our jobs, and throughout life is a humbling experience.  I mean it sucks, it really does, but it also reinforces an important truth: setbacks do not define us—our response to them does. Even when we fall short, there is always grace, always room for growth, and always a path forward.

We are halfway there, only 45 more days to go.  Don’t Give Up.