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

Shetty advises his readers to give and receive gratitude every day and in every moment possible. Gratitude not only enhances psychological wellbeing but also physical health: “Gratitude has been linked to better mental health, self-awareness, better relationships, and a sense of fulfillment” (206). Gratitude also improves self-esteem: if other people’s gratitude is recognized, then it signals that the recipient is worth the effort.

In particular, Shetty emphasizes that monks practice “everyday gratitude” (208). It is also important to practice gratitude actively and with self-awareness: “I want you to be grateful in all times and circumstances. Even if your life isn’t perfect, build your gratitude like a muscle. If you train it now, it will only strengthen over time” (211). This strength is built through expressing gratitude in specific, concrete terms, as well as practicing kindness—even toward total strangers. Gratitude can be cultivated through service, which “giv[es] us perspective” (218). All circumstances are opportunities for gratitude. As Shetty puts it, “if you ask a monk what he has been given, the answer is everything” (221). Giving and receiving gratitude only increases the understanding that life itself is a gift.