I found that when I was a monk I had a great support system. Even though I was pursuing a life of peace I still experienced anxiety. It's not that monks live a life without anxiety but they have the tools to cope and deal with it. Part of the support system was having a spiritual director and a psychologist to talk to on a regular basis. I had this idealistic view that monks never get anxious and that just being in the monastery it would take care of my anxiety. Let me just tell you that I didn't learn how to cope with anxiety until I got to the monastery. The most important time for me to manage my anxiety was when I woke up and worked out in the mornings. I would wake up and run 3 miles every day. I would just go slow until I hit my 3-mile mark, I wouldn't go hard every day and I was never sore. Exercise in moderation and you will be able to exercise every day. The most important thing too is to remember that we are not all cookie-cutter humans so do what works best for you in coping with anxiety and stress.  https://MonkMindset.com

When I was a monk there would be many instances with one particular monk that had no self-awareness. He had no idea about how much trouble he caused for other people and would just be oblivious to the world. It would be instances of him just being in the way at the wrong moment or not saying the right things in front of superiors. I too am guilty of at times being oblivious and not being aware of those around me in how I speak or act. Now being back in the real world I see how people are when they are at the grocery store. Most people are not even aware of others and don't care if they are in the way, if they are rude, they just need to get their groceries and leave. It takes a lot more energy to be rude and inconsiderate than it does to be nice to people. Let us all be more considerate of others and spread self-awareness. https://MonkMindset.com

I didn't know how to start really loving until I became a monk. I had unrealistic expectations of others when it came to showing love. I thought love was a concept that however much I gave I was supposed to get in return. I learned as a monk that I should love my brothers and guests without ever expecting anything in return. It was a hard concept because in a lot of ways I left myself vulnerable to be hurt. I realized if I became a beacon of love for others I was doing exactly what I was being called to do. Start loving your friends, family, and strangers without expecting anything in return and see what happens. Loving someone by looking out for their wellbeing, doing something nice for someone, or complimenting them. Love can be shown in small forms of little acts of kindness.  https://MonkMindset.com

Exorcisms have been sensationalized by Hollywood but I can tell you that it is a very real thing. Over the years of being in formation and being a monk I got to meet a couple of exorcists. They are usually older more humble priests that do their work in quiet. The Church takes all precautions before doing any sort of exorcism on anyone. They run extensive psychological tests over an extended period of time to make sure the cause is not some sort of mental illness. I've experienced some very strange happenings in my life as a monk that I could never explain. The desert monks wrote that where evil is most active is in a monastery because monks are making an active pursuit to do good in this world. People can get mixed up with manifestations of evil and oppression if they indulge in new age spiritual practices that seem attractive. Do not be afraid because perfect love drives out fear. https://MonkMindset.com

One of the biggest practices for monks in a monastery is humility. Surrendering to your superiors, your brothers, and ultimately God. I remember I would get so frustrated that I had to ask for permission for virtually everything. Or if I broke a dish I would have to go ask for forgiveness. In Latin, the term is called mea culpa, which means my fault. The practice of humility is the exact opposite of pride and relying on oneself for everything. Humility is being able to rely on others for your needs, and if you're a monk then you're relying only on God. The practice of humility has made me not speak as much or prove that I'm right in a certain situation. It's helped me to be more understanding, patient, and not take myself too seriously. Humility they say is a way to defeat many evils in this world. But don't mistake humility with passivity. There is a way to be humble but also assertive. https://MonkMindset.com

There has been a saying that has been passed around monasteries I'm sure for a very long time. The saying goes like this, "You're only a real monk once you have made it into the cemetery." That may seem very dark but in a lot of ways, it's true. You only really are a monk when you've completed this life on earth and lived it out as a monk. I've seen many monks pass away in the monastery. I've always been afraid of death and dying but the way these monks died were some of the most beautiful moments I will remember. They were surrounded by their brother monks that prayed them into the next life. It's something we don't see very often in the real world. If we surround ourselves with good people in our lives, hopefully, we will be surrounded by them as we go into the next life. https://MonkMindset.com

Before I joined the monastery I was never an artistically talented person. Growing up I'd always be outside playing sports shooting basketballs or playing football. I never got into the intellectual part of art. I even went to the Vatican to see some of the best statues, frescos, and paintings in the world. It was almost too much for me to take in, I could stand there all day and appreciate the little details of the art. I went into an old wise monk's office one time and made a snarky comment about his favorite painting. I said it was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen. Then he laughed and explained the symbolism of the painting, the colors, the shapes, and then I started to see the painting in a different way. I didn't start to appreciate art until he pointed out how detailed that specific painting was. All I needed at that moment was the perfect teacher to help me see the world through a different lens.  https://MonkMindset.com

When I was a monk I could name all the material possessions I owned on less than two hands. It consisted of my: habit (robe), computer, workout clothes, books, toiletries, and a few pieces of art. I had all my basic material needs met and didn't feel the urge to have anything else. I can tell you that when I was becoming a monk, getting rid of my car, and all of my material possessions was very liberating. It was nice to get rid of things that I felt were holding me down, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. If I had to I felt like I could move at any time because I only had a suitcase full of clothes. Sometimes it's freeing to get rid of some material possessions and be careful not to be having Amazon packages arrive at our houses daily. https://MonkMindset.com

When I first became a monk I became very discouraged about embarking on a new lifestyle. I had an idealistic view of what being a monk would be like. I thought that I would be deep in ecstasy and maybe floating on a cloud, like an angel in prayer. When my idealist views of the monastery were no longer there it's what I like to call, "when the rubber meets the road". It was hard because I wasn't floating on a cloud and I wasn't praying all day, I was pulling weeds, and cleaning toilets. Obviously, you can see how I was conflicted. I became tired of working constantly and didn't understand. So I asked an old wise monk and he just said give it another month, I came back a month later still frustrated and he said, just give it 6 more months. After that, I became more and more comfortable with the community and ended up staying for many years. Learn from me, when you start out on a new path or relationship don't give up in the beginning, stay around a little longer to see what happens, you might be surprised. https://MonkMindset.com

The monastery is the perfect place to be if you want to exemplify your personal strengths. Monks wouldn't function well and the monastery would be a miserable place if they were not able to use their strengths for the better of the community. All of the monk's talents and strengths come together to create a wonderful community with different types of personalities. I would envy the other monks that were musically talented. I would also envy the monks that loved to read so much. My brother monks made me strive to do better when it came to learning and using my strengths for the better of the community. I've always surrounded myself with friends whom I thought were more successful than me. As the saying goes, always surround yourself with good people you want to be like.  https://MonkMindset.com