Think Like A Monk Summary

This article covers Think Like A Monk summary and the simple, doable things we can all do daily to reduce stress and enrich our lives. The author, Jay Shetty, shared anecdotes from his life as a former monk to help us find the keys to unlocking our potential and understanding who we are.

Is Think Like a Monk a Good Book?

Yes. This book combines ancient wisdom with modern insights to show how you achieve success. Reading this book will help broaden your perspective, strengthen your spirit, reframe your definition of success, and establish a connection to your greater life purpose.

Think Like A Monk Summary

When people feel threatened, they may act out of character or do negative things to others. It can be related to emotional needs such as love, peace, and understanding.

Negativity can make you feel unhappy, judge others without realizing it, try to control others, or blame your problems on other people. If you want to be successful, avoid getting into a negative mindset.

Every Day We Are Assaulted By Negativity. No Wonder We Can’t Help But Dish It Out As Well As Receive It..

It’s common for people to take on a victim attitude and then extend their misery to those around them. That mindset then spreads and destabilizes an environment as everyone in it may start to feel that way.

For example, if you complain about your day, you might trigger other people to also complain about bad things happening to them. It is human nature to agree and conform with those around us, which can lead to a development called ‘groupthink,’ where people adopt one another’s negativity.

Negative thoughts can lead to stress, anxiety, and increased aggression in your everyday life. Long-term, it can shrink the hippocampus – an essential brain structure for logic and memory. Also, your brain releases the stress hormone called cortisol in response to negativity, which can weaken your immune system.

Every time something bad happens, take some time to think about it. What were you thinking and feeling? Try writing about these things, which might make you feel better.

The More We Define Ourselves In Relation To The People Around Us, The More Lost We Are.

It’s important not to judge people or worry about them – the energy you spend on those things will come back to haunt you. It’s better to avoid these situations and make yourself a calm, rational observer. Give negative energies no space for growth.

Ditch the desire to cling to negative thoughts and emotions. Instead of spending time with people who make you feel worse about yourself, try hanging out with those who make you feel better.

Reflect on your true self-worth. Everyone is on their path; don’t compare your progress to others. Comparison only stimulates thoughts of envy, greed, anger, and jealousy that affect your mood.

It’s essential to make a distinction between giving and focusing on others. If someone asks for help, instead of emphasizing what you can give them, kindly remind them that taking care of themselves is essential to get the most out of any discussion. It’s not about what you can do for the other person but how they can benefit from your input.

Steps To Focus On Positive Things And Block Out Negative Ones

  • Find the people and things that are bringing you down. Write down a few of your most negative thoughts and reflect on what might have triggered them. For example, you may react to someone’s appearance because it affects your insecurity.
  • Put your negative thoughts on hold. Freedom doesn’t just mean being able to complain when you want to. Freedom means freeing yourself from the limitations of desires – whether it be a desire to complain or indulge in something.
  • Label your emotions. Instead of making unhelpful statements about your feelings like “I’m angry,” take a moment to focus on how you feel and describe it in as much detail as possible. When you’re angry, it’s usually because something or someone has hurt or offended you.
  • Forgive. When people in relationships can forgive one another, it reduces emotional tension within the partnership and improves the well-being of all involved. Most importantly, forgive yourself, and you will achieve peace.

Fear Motivates Us. Sometimes It Motivates Us Toward What We Want, But Sometimes, If We Aren’t Careful, It Limits Us With What We Think Will Keep Us Safe.

Turn your relationship to fear from a negative one into a positive one. For example, most people fear change rather than the opportunities it presents. The way you look at fear needs to change. As a defense mechanism, people often go into a state of paralysis, panic, avoidance, or emotional suppression when they are afraid.

But if you can work with your fear instead of fighting it, you’ll be surprised at how well you can handle adversities. Face your fear head-on by examining your attachments and learning to let go.

Learn to let go of your need to control your surroundings. Detach yourself from situations and remember that everything is temporary. Become aware of what triggers your fear and work through those issues.

Embrace this yogic philosophy called Sankalpa, which means consciously choosing to act on a deep-seated aspiration, goal, or commitment. It is comparable to a resolution, except that it originates even deeper within oneself.

If, for instance, you’re driven mostly by fear, you might make it your mission in life to shield your loved ones from harm. Ask yourself if your objectives align with what you want to bring into the world, dig deep to uncover your true motivations, and question everything you’ve ever done.

Stop trying to measure your success by the standards of others, and start filling your life with the things that matter. Learn to focus your attention on your breathing using the ancient technique called pranayama and meditative relaxation techniques to examine your inner state of mind introspectively.

Dharma Isn’t Just Passion And Skills. Dharma Is Passion In The Service Of Others.

Dharma is a Sanskrit word that means your life’s purpose. You should take your skills and use them to help others. If you need help deciding what skills you want to use, identify the things that make you feel most excited or fulfilled.

Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you must do it. The monks believe it is worse to be perfectly in line with someone else’s dharma than to be imperfectly in line with one’s own. Make sure you are pursuing something that excites you, working on things you enjoy and can do well.

It can be frustrating when others seem to find their purpose early in life while you’re still struggling. But, many people only see their dharma once they develop self-awareness and identify their strengths.

What’s Your Varna?

Varnas are different personality types that shape your dharma or life’s purpose. There are four general types, and see which one you belong to.

  • Guides. They enjoy learning and want to share their knowledge about it.
  • Creators. They love brainstorming, connecting with others, and finding solutions to help people.
  • Leaders. They take pleasure in being a guiding force and a source of support for others.
  • Markers. They have an innate knack for coming up with, advocating for, and implementing novel approaches that help others.

Rules And Routines Ease Our Cognitive Burden, So We Have The Bandwidth For Creativity. Structure Enhances Spontaneity. And Discovery Reinvigorates The Routine.

Get your day off to a good start by developing a morning ritual. Find motivation in the routines that monks follow, such as getting up an hour earlier than you usually would and going to bed at a time that will allow you to get a full night’s sleep.

Take some time to enjoy a cup of coffee or meditate on your blessings. Establishing routines frees up time during the day for undivided attention on activities that genuinely interest you.

Set a bedtime ritual that helps you get ready for the next day. Identify what you want to take on first, then prepare yourself mentally. To avoid making unnecessary decisions, pick your version of monastic clothing, such as a robe, and wear it every morning.

Thoughts are critical. Before you sleep, say three positive sentences to keep your mind on track. Establishing routines and schedules gives your brain space for creativity.

Our Thoughts Are Like Clouds Passing By. The Self, Like The Sun, Is Always There. We Are Not Our Minds.

It’s super easy to get caught up in your ego, but it’s worth remembering that you are not perfect and need to embrace humility. It’s a great way to get to know your capabilities and limitations.

Ego and self-respect are two different things. Arrogant people believe they are superior to others and crave acceptance. Those with healthy self-esteem understand they can learn from others and that it’s not uncommon for someone to dislike them. They know that small wins help to build up their confidence.

Seeing The Purpose Of Life To Be Sense Gratification – Making Ourselves Feel Good – Leads To Pain And Dissatisfaction. Seeing It As A Service Leads To Fulfillment.

Realize the importance of the law of karma. Whatever you do comes back to you, and when you show love, love will come back to you in many ways. Remember that the more negativity you harbor, the less good you can do in the world.

The finest way to live your life is to be thoughtful and intentional with your decisions. Remember that you can’t always have everything, so invest your energy in the right places.

Choose your friends carefully and cultivate deep emotional connections with them. These relationships last longer than ones formed because of appearances or material items. Moreover, these relationships act as a stabilizing force in our lives and encourage us to grow.

Maintain a consistent effort to build and strengthen trust. Keep your word, give sincere compliments and encouragement to the people you care about, and stand by your friends while they’re going through tough times or feeling the impacts of bad choices.

Practicing gratitude is an important habit that can positively impact our lives. Focusing on what you already have and other people’s generosity can help to improve your sense of worth.

Serving others is the highest calling one can have. Think about how you can best help others, and focus your efforts there. Service does not impose a debt on the recipient; service is reciprocal.

Monks know that serving others can have a significant impact on your happiness. There are many ways in which giving and doing for someone else can have a positive effect on your state of mind. For example, helping others has been shown to lower stress levels among many people.

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