Think Like a Monk

I am in awe of this book. It is truly beautiful and left me a better person. I annotated the heck out of this book and marked pages that I will come back to again. Out of all the personal development/self-help books I have read, Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty has far surpassed them all. Since I started reading this, I have consumed anything Jay Shetty. His podcast, On Purpose, has amazing episodes across various topics related to mental health and betterment. Consider me a Jay Shetty STAN account.

Jay Shetty grew up in a family where his life was mapped out for him. He could become one of three things: doctor, lawyer or a failure. Jay was in a place in his life where he needed to do some soul searching when he headed to India and became a monk. Living as a monk for three years, Jay learned valuable life lessons that he took back with him to the modern world to share with others. His intention was to take what he learned living as a monk and teach practical steps so anyone can live every day less anxious and more present.

Think Like a Monk is broken up into three sections: Let Go, Grow and Give. I found myself drawn to the chapters in the Let Go section, as that is an area I am working through. Chapters that stood out the most to me include:

• Negativity

• Purpose

• Ego

• Gratitude

What most resonated with me is that in order to live a life of love, happiness and purpose, you need to do self-reflection to identify what means the most to you. It made me reflect on choices I have made in my life, relationships I nurture and maybe shouldn't and vice versa, as well as how to make peace and live my life in the present. There are few books out there where I can definitively say have changed my outlook on life and this is one of them.

Full disclosure: I am not a huge fan of personal development books where the author puts their face on the cover. I'm not sure what it is about it that irks me. Because of that, I never gave this one a second look until my good friend raved about it. This was one of those cases where I am glad I set my preconceived notions aside because the pages of this book hold something truly life changing.

Favorite Quotes:

"Our identity is wrapped up in what others think of us - or, more accurately, what we think others think of us."

"When you're present in gratitude, you can't be anywhere else."

"Service is the direct path to a meaningful life."

"Cancers of the Mind: Comparing, Complaining, Criticizing."