Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Everyday

by Jay Shetty

Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

“The one constant through your life is breath. All your friends, your family, the country you live in, all of that can change. Breath is with you always.”

When you learn to navigate and manage your breath, you can navigate any situation in life.”

It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection. —Bhagavad Gita 3.35

In 1902, the sociologist Charles Horton Cooley wrote: “I am not what I think I am, and I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am.”

When you try to live your most authentic life, some of your relationships will be put in jeopardy. Losing them is a risk worth bearing; finding a way to keep them in your life is a challenge worth taking on.

“Your identity is a mirror covered with dust. When you first look in the mirror, the truth of who you are and what you value is obscured. Clearing it may not be pleasant, but only when that dust is gone can you see your true reflection.”

When we tune out the opinions, expectations, and obligations of the world around us, we begin to hear ourselves.

First, on a daily basis I recommend you sit down to reflect on how the day went and what emotions you’re feeling. Second, once a month you can approximate the change that I found at the ashram by going someplace you’ve never been before to explore yourself in a different environment. This can be anything from visiting a park or library you’ve never been to before to taking a trip. Finally, get involved in something that’s meaningful to you—a hobby, a charity, a political cause.

It is impossible to build one’s own happiness on the unhappiness of others. —Daisaku Ikeda

“Cancers of the Mind: Comparing, Complaining, Criticizing.”

Buddha advised, “Do not give your attention to what others do or fail to do; give it to what you do or fail to do.”

Don’t judge someone with a different disease. Don’t expect anyone to be perfect. Don’t think you are perfect.

Dalai Lama says, “If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.”

“Don’t count the teeth in someone else’s mouth.” Similarly, don’t attempt to fix a problem unless you have the necessary skills.

The more we define ourselves in relation to the people around us, the more lost we are.

Dalai Lama said, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”

First, we become aware of a feeling or issue—we spot it. Then we pause to address what the feeling is and where it comes from—we stop to consider it. And last, we amend our behavior—we swap in a new way of processing the moment. SPOT, STOP, SWAP.

Remember, saying whatever we want, whenever we want, however we want, is not freedom. Real freedom is not feeling the need to say these things.