Hello my friend,

A lot of people think they need to quit their job, move to the mountains, and live in an ashram or monastery if they are ever going to find peace and happiness. But let me tell you, monk life still has stress. They still stub their toes, they still have health scares, and they still go through loss.

Trust me, I used to be one of those people. I spent 9 years living in monasteries and ashrams around the world. I searched for hidden knowledge and ancient wisdom that couldn’t be found in books. What I discovered after all that time was that the answers lie within each of us. The retreat we all need to go on is to the deepest parts of ourselves. This is where we take refuge. This is where our happiness and peace can be found.

In the mountains, you still bring your mindset with you. You’re still the same person you were in the city. If you found problems in your old life, you will find them in your new life.

The truth is, you can find peace and happiness anywhere, anytime. The more challenges and obstacles the better. The place doesn’t matter. All that matters is transforming our mind.

If we’re going to transform our mind, we have to do one simple thing: recognize what we are doing that creates unhappiness, and do the opposite.

Are we seeking pleasure to feel better, but the happiness never lasts very long? 

Do the opposite. 

Are we always busy, always doing and going? 

Slow down and be more conscientious.

Are we comparing, craving, and competing? 

Try connection, gratitude, and helping. 

Are we thinking negatively of ourselves or others? 

Rejoice and celebrate ourselves and others. 

Do we fear and resist pain, failure and mistakes? 

Accept and embrace the worst possible outcome so that whatever happens feels like a blessing, and so that our efforts can be made with ease, courage and confidence.

This is all it takes to walk the path of peace. Take mini retreats everyday — little moments throughout the day for inner stillness, reflection and contemplation. Life is the meditation. The monastery is the here and now. 

If you go somewhere like an ashram where you are forced to meditate because all distractions are removed, you will find that when you return to daily life, all the distractions will still be there and you will quickly slide back into old habits and patterns.

Instead, use the distractions as if they were weights at the gym — challenging obstacles that build greater spiritual strength.

Spirituality isn’t about withdrawing from our stressful world. It’s about making the stressful world stress-free. You got this.

P.S. Here are some other topics that I covered this week:

1. Does God Make Mistakes? (Watch Here)
2. The Cure for a Restless Mind?  (Listen Here)

Much love,
Todd