Every year in the monastery, we took a five or eight day silent retreat at the end of year. This was often the time I’d’ reflect on the past year – how I’d grown, where I saw gaps, and how I wanted to grow in the next year. 

In the monastic life, there are four key areas of life architected into each day, which can provide a helpful framework for living well. In fact, they are so important for each of us, that we have built the Monk Mindset framework around these principles: 

Monk Mindset #1: Meditation & Prayer
Monk Mindset #2: Family & Community
Monk Mindset #3: Work & Study
Monk Mindset #4: Personal Wellness

Monastic wisdom doesn’t pretend to offer a silver bullet to life; instead it's about living a harmonious integration of each of these dimensions. 

Many of the people we’re serving at Monk Mindset want to go deeper in building these practices into their lives. So, for the past six months we’ve been hard at work designing a tool to help you build a personalized journey of growth and transformation rooted in the wisdom of monks and nuns. 

I’m excited that in time for the new year, to help you to more radically live a monk mindset, we’ll be launching the New Year’s Challenge — see below!

Hoping and praying that 2025 is your best year yet!

30 Days to Monk-Level Peace & Discipline – starts January 5, 2026

Guided by Dominican Friar Fr. Gregory Pine, Benedictine Monk Fr. Paul, and Carmelite Friar Fr. Matthias, in 30 days, you’ll grow in prayer, work focus, relationships, and personal wellness through the same 4 principles monks and nuns live daily.

In addition to the New Year’s Challenge, you’ll also access:

The Monk Mindset New Year’s Challenge and app are currently available in iOS in the Apple App Store! Access it now:

Hope to see you there!

John & the Monk Mindset team