Think Like a Monk
“Swap ‘Why is this happening to me?’ to ‘What is this trying to teach me?’. It will change everything.” – Jay Shetty
In order to live a happy and fulfilled life there is so much to learn from the monks who live calm and fully aligned lives true to their purpose.
There are useful lessons coupled with the practical strategies that if adopted can lead to a more present, aligned and happier life that can be summed up in three steps:
1. Embrace who you really are and cease seeking external approval and acknowledgement.
2. Decide what you want and take the necessary steps to get there.
3. Lead by example and share your gift with the world.
We need to make conscious efforts to learn and grow and lead more happier and fulfilled lives. And we can do that by adopting the following important strategies:
Stay true to yourself
We ae overwhelmed with the information each and every moment so much so that it is almost impossible for us know what is in our best interest. There is no need for social media to shape our lives. We are able to decide what is best for us. But we need to come from a place of stillness to find that place.
Recognise and transform negativity
Negativity can stop us in our tracks and undermine our purpose for happy and fulfilled life. But when we go through negative experiences it is important that we are able to learn lessons and move on. There is no point on dwelling on it and feeling sorry for yourself. We also need to recognise when there is a recurring negativity around us, have courage to raise above it and walk in different direction.
Understand and overcome your fears
One of the main causes of fears is our need to control everything that is happening around us. What is even more, we feel as though we need to have certain things in our life in order to be happy. To move forward we need to detach and let go of your need to control what you have and how your life will look like. But this does not mean that we are ignorant. We still need to be aware of what is stopping us and can then take proactive steps to overcome our need for control. We will understand that when there is no need to control something, our fears will dissipate, disappear and even transform.
Discover and live purpose
Your happiness and success in life is very dependent on finding and pursuing your true purpose. It is important to take time and find out what it is that you really enjoy doing and what you have natural talent for. Then pursue your purpose as you will not only benefit yourself but the world.
Improve your routines and habits
You can build a better life by implementing small and simple steps to have better routines and better habits. Start small. Make it simple and easy. And above all be consistent.
Master your mind
Finding an inner peace is not only important for our physical health, but also our mental health. It is important for our mind to find its own calm and nurturing place where we can go to unwind and recharge.
Have a healthy self-esteem
Understanding that you are as deserving as anyone else is one of the key premises of a happy and fulfilled life. But our egos can get in the way. It is important to recognise when our ego is leading the way and raise above it as quickly as we can.
Embrace gratitude
Live a more grateful way of life. Appreciate where you are and how far you’ve come. Be truly grateful every day. Start and end your day with a grateful heart.
Treasure your relationships
We all need an inner circle. These are the people that naturally bring joy to us. But there are also those people that test out patience. It is important to understand that everyone comes into our life for a reason where we need to learn a lesson that will take our lives to another level.
Be of service
To really live your best life, you need to pursue higher values such as compassion and being of service to others. You can make a difference not only to another person but also to yourself.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness helps us appreciate where we are and what we are all about. It also helps us to live in the now. Being aware, slowing down and enjoying small things in life can make a big difference to our overall health and wellbeing.
Learn from your mistakes
We all make mistakes. But there is no point of on what we did wrong. What is important is that we learn and use these lessons to improve our lives. Having compassion and learning the lessons from past experiences will improve our resilience and make us a better person in the process.
Aim to be aligned rather than to achieve at all costs
It is important to have the right intentions as otherwise our lives can quickly disintegrate down the wrong path. Being aligned where we prioritise doing the right thing with the right intention is more important than achieving something just for the sake of feeling accomplished.
We can develop a mindset of a monk that will elevate your life to another level and bring a greater happiness and sense of fulfillment. But you need to understand and embrace who you are at the core, make decisions aligned with your sense of purpose and do what is right no matter what.