For as long as I can remember I have been intrigued by the way people think. That search for understanding subsequently led me to investigating how I think. A journey I now understand to have been inevitable. While searching for knowledge to help others explore their way of thinking, I have found many people/teachers I look to for guidance and wisdom. One such person is Jay Shetty. Years ago, my husband introduced me to Jay Shetty through a YouTube video.

In 2020, Jay published a book, Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day. Jay initially shares about his upbringing to his college years. He explains why he chose to head to India to become a monk, where he devoted the next three years of his life. As Jay takes the reader through each of the concepts, he explains how he learned the concept during his time as a monk. He also makes each concept very relatable regardless of a person’s demographics or spiritual beliefs.

This is more than a self-help book. Jay shares his personal experiences while offering tangible suggestions for the reader to try. He often writes, “Try this” as he allows the reader time to explore a concept in writing, a meditation, or through breath work. Jay makes each suggestion doable. For instance, in the chapter Routine, he talks about how we can adjust our routines so that we have more time in the morning to start our day peacefully and productive. He offers a method to do this gradually and not in a way that would be drastic or overwhelming. My favorite chapters were Ego, Gratitude, Relationships, and Service.

I recognized while reading this book, I was not open-minded to everything he offered in the chapter on Purpose. Jay seemed to be talking to a younger generation that has not yet found their purpose in a career. I understand my purpose and have been living it for a few decades. Then, I realized my purpose will be changing in the near future and if I reframe his concept to my situation, I just might learn something! I’m grateful for Jay Shetty sharing his experiences and wisdom. This book has been a great addition to my personal growth and very helpful. I love how he repeatedly talked about The Monkey Mind and the Monk Mind. My mind feels like a monkey quite often, and I definitely prefer a monk mind.

I was able to purchase a signed copy of the book from Barnes and Noble. There is an audiobook available that Jay narrates.

Jay Shetty also has a podcast, On Purpose, I highly recommend.

I have photos, videos, and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog ( )

Usually, I wouldn't say I like to read books that propagate "positive vibes" all through their pages, but I liked this one. I guess I will read it next year too. Just to revise the concepts and lessons shared in this one. It is not easy to implement all of them in one go, but it is worth it to do so. ( )

I’m conflicted. This was a good, well written book with a lot of good ideas and practices. My problem is that I read Chatter right before this one, and since they are pretty similar, the inevitable comparisons pop up. And I definitely connected better with Chatter than I did with this book. That’s not to say this one was inferior, just that my personal preference was just for Chatter. I wonder how I’d feel about it had I read this one first…or years apart. Guess I’ll never know. ( )

Very concrete information and ideas from the author following his three years of living as monk in an ashram. I think this would be great for a young adult "finding" themself, but even as a retiree I was able to find some suggestions and ideas. A good graduation gift! ( )

An awesome self improvement/self development book for everyday life based on the principles the author, Jay Shetty learned during his time as a monk in India.

Every lesson may not be earth shattering, but no matter what your spiritual or religious beliefs, I think there is something that everyone can learn or take away. I also love that throughout the book Jay adds simple and effective exercises to practice the principles being discussed.

Some key principles/takeaways for me were:
1) The eternal student - Always be willing to learn and grow, from others and experiences
2) Introspection - Looking inward is important for self improvement, even if it's scary and uncomfortable
3) Service - Life gains meaning when we stop focusing on ourselves and look to help others

I also recommend the listening to the audiobook. Jay is very passionate and energetic and this brings his lessons and anecdotes to life. ( )