(Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart or TuneIn)

Want more meaning, mindfulness and purpose in your life? Then who better to learn from than a former monk?!

Today’s podcast guest is Jay Shetty. You may have encountered Jay before, perhaps through his epic podcast, his incredible ‘viral wisdom’ videos (which have been viewed over 5 billion times), or his #1 New York Times bestselling book, Think Like a Monk. He’s here today to share the secrets of cultivating a ‘monk mindset’ — something he says is achievable for everyone, no matter how full their life or schedule may be, along with his best strategies for completely transforming our thoughts, our success and our life.

Jay Shetty grew up in a family where you could become one of three things: a doctor, a lawyer, or a failure. His family was convinced he was on the fast-track to ‘failure’ when instead of attending his college graduation ceremony, he headed to India to become a monk, meditate every day for 4-8 hours, and devote his life to helping others.

Fast forward to today, and Jay has left monkhood in order to share the life-changing lessons he learned, impact as many people as possible, and help them live a more meaningful life. He’s since amassed a following of over 32 million people on social media, and his podcast, On Purpose, is the #1 Health Podcast in the world with over 1 million downloads per week (with guests including everyone from Khloe Kardashian, to Kobe Bryant, Gisele, and Russell Brand… impressive, right?!)

I know I say this a lot, but holy ravioli I loved this conversation. Jay has an incredible gift for turning ancient wisdom into actionable insights for modern life. He explains things so simply, yet so powerfully, you can *feel* the puzzle pieces clicking into place in your head… I dare you not to feel outrageously inspired after you hear what he has to say!

So if you want to learn a former monk’s secrets for accessing your inner calm on demand, finding freedom from the things holding you hostage (hello, smartphone!), and living your most meaningful life ever, then pop in those earbuds… this one’s for you.

In this episode we chat about:

• Jay’s incredible story and the crazy path that led him to become a monk, then a social media superstar and New York Times bestselling author (05:11)
• Why discipline is the secret key to achieve true freedom (and how to cultivate more of it) (10:23)
• The best way to process feedback (and how to distinguish a valid observation from a harmful judgment) (12:32)
• The “Spot, Stop & Swap” principle that will help you transform your negative judgment of others into compassion and kindness. (15:48)
• Why checking in with our future selves is crucial for living life to the fullest (21:19)
• The game-changing “TIME” acronym and how it will set you up for success in all areas of your life (25:59)
• How to stop being held hostage by your phone and liberate yourself from digital addiction (34:59)
• How to transform your relationship with social media, so that it doesn’t impact your mood or productivity (37:20)
• Simple, high impact techniques to radically reduce your anxiety and embody instant calm (42:49)

Episode resources:

• Follow Jay on Instagram (Instagram)
• Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty (Amazon)
• On Purpose Podcast with Jay Shetty (podcast)
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (Amazon)
• My Side by David Beckham (Amazon)
• The Rock Says by Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson (Amazon)
• The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware (Amazon)
• Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address (YouTube)
• Matthew McConaughey winning Best Actor  (YouTube)
• The Social Dilemma (website)
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb (Amazon)
• Living A Regret Free Life With Bronnie Ware (podcast episode)

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honored that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review in iTunes or on your podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

P.S. Please seek advice from a qualified holistic practitioner before starting any new health practice.

P.P.S. If you’re looking for a high-impact marketing opportunity for your business and are interested in becoming a sponsor for The Melissa Ambrosini Show podcast, please email pr@melissaambrosini.com for more information.