Jay Shetty

In a world that has become completely bombarded with every type of self-help guru imaginable, it is difficult to know who is telling the truth, or at least speaking their truth. How do we know if their intentions are genuine or if someone is jumping on the mindfulness bandwagon just to make a buck? Selling a brand or a product to people who are seeking hope and inspiration, is a very lucrative industry, today more than ever. People want change, and they will look high and low for someone to give them guidance and a chance for a better tomorrow.

So, what makes one YouTuber stand out more than the others? Is it their message and what they stand for? Is it their captivating life experiences? Their wisdom? Is it their way with words or the delivery of those words? Perhaps it’s their charisma? Could it be their compassion and authenticity? Is it their looks? Is it their accent? Maybe it is simply good timing? What if it is a combination of all the above? A rare individual where everything they touch seems to turn to gold? And does such a person even exist?

I believe the answer is yes… Jay Shetty.

For someone like myself, who has been studying personal development for over twenty years, I am always looking for new ways to enhance my spiritual journey. This usually involves finding a mentor. Someone who I believe is an impactful thought leader and a positive voice in the world. Someone who resonates with me. It is usually someone whose values and beliefs are aligned with mine. Once I feel as though they speak my language (but are able to articulate their words and share this knowledge much better than I can) I’m in!

I first heard of Jay Shetty in 2017. I had seen some of his motivational videos pop up on social media. I remember thinking he had such a way with words, an intriguing presence, and was wise beyond his years. I discovered that, like me, he had walked away from the corporate world in search of a more authentic existence, I could certainly relate to that part of his story. As I began to do further research, I learned that he had spent three years living as a Monk. That immediately got my attention. I have always been interested in meditation, but in 2015 I delved into it a little deeper and spent some time with a Buddhist community in my local city. This gave me a wonderful insight into the world of Monks and I got to experience first hand some of their teachings, meditations and their remarkable character. Their discipline, calmness, joy, humor, wisdom and peaceful nature was inspiring. These were some the traits I could see in Jay Shetty and it was then that I realised he knew what he was talking about and this was a man whose journey I would continue to follow.

At the same time that I was discovering Jay Shetty, I was also going through a very difficult chapter in my life, so the timing could not have been more perfect. Two years prior, I had decided that instead of moving into the Buddhist residence where I was volunteering, I would move to a new city and start a new life; a life filled with happiness and surrounded by my love for the ocean.

It would be fair to say that life certainly did not disappoint. The magic I had hoped to find, found me. As cliché as it may sound, within three weeks of arriving in my new city, I unexpectedly met the man of my dreams. We fell madly in love and sailed off into the sunset. That’s actually for real, we literally sailed off into the sunset. For the next couple of years, I lived on a beautiful sailboat with a man that I loved and for the longest time, there was nowhere else on earth I wanted to be.

Okay, it’s time to snap out of the happy bubble now because life is not always a fairy-tale folks. And as much as the highs are magical, the lows can be mayhem. And that was the chapter I was heading into in 2017 when I first heard of Jay. The end of that relationship and the life I had become familiar with was not an easy adjustment. I had no family or friends in my new city, nowhere to live, no job and no money. They say you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket…. lesson learnt! I went from living a life of luxury to a Women’s Transition House.

I will always be grateful for that time. Being in the transition house allowed me to use some of the skills I had learned from my interest in personal development and mindfulness. I started to put things into practice that I had learned and I spent time encouraging the other women in the house to stay positive and to never give up. I have always been a believer that the best is yet to come, no matter how bad things may appear. Trying to be a voice of inspiration to the other women in the house actually made me stronger every single day. I started to really believe in myself again. This was the same time I discovered that Jay Shetty had just launched a new program. I saw an advertisement for Jay’s Genius Community; offering coaching from Jay Shetty himself, as well as weekly live sessions and access to a worldwide community of like minded people. That’s was it! I have found my people! Sign me up!

Joining Jay’s Genius Community was the best decision I have ever made for my personal growth. The group came along at a time in my life where I didn’t have people in my real-life world. I was alone. But Jay and the online community of people from around the world had my back through some really tough times.

With their support, encouragement and Jay’s weekly check-ins every Sunday morning, this community has been there every step of the way and seen me through everything. I went from the Women’s Transition house to my own little apartment. It didn’t take me too long to realise that my little apartment was too expensive for me. I was living paycheck to paycheck and even a few dollars on the credit card.

And that’s when the J-Man changed my life! Each month we focus on a different theme in the Genius sessions. This particular month was finance month. The way Jay explained finances and broke down a good budget and what percentage should go to savings, rent, food, etc.….I knew I was in financial trouble and this was a huge wake up call. I couldn’t survive like this anymore. Everything in the rental market was $1100-$1300 a month for a one-room dog box with a hot plate! I could barely afford $700 a month.

And that’s when it dawned on me! Maybe I am not thinking BIG enough! Straight away I began to look at the rental market for large homes. Mansions! I figured if I rented out all the rooms, it would be worth all the hard work.

And that’s when I found it! A huge property with ocean views. The main house had 6 bedrooms, and attached to the house was a separate studio suite and a 2-bedroom suite. I told the owner I was interested in the main house. He said they were only interested in renting out the entire property.

Well, I did say maybe I wasn’t thinking big enough, but I didn’t think I’d go that big. I said to the owner, if he gave me some time to rent out the suites, I’d take it!

And the rest is history. With every bit of braveness I had in me, I took on a property ten times more than I could afford in the hope that I would fill it in time. If I didn’t pull this off, I would have been homeless. So, I posted an ad and did the best I could, to sell a dream....and fast!

After hundreds of emails, texts and at least fifty face to face interviews, I almost fell into a heap of exhaustion. There were many times when I was going to back out of the deal. What was I doing? Am I crazy? Well, it’s amazing what you will do for a little more freedom. It took a month or so, but in the end, I did it! I rented out the suites, and found myself five roommates to live in the main house with me. And for the first time in a long time, I’m not only surviving, I am thriving.

This life I have now found myself in, is a direct result of the positive impact Jay Shetty has had on my life. He doesn't even know this story. I hope to tell him some day and I'll always be grateful for what he brings to my life and the lives of many others around the world. He’s the real deal alright!

I always look forward to my weekly sessions with him every Sunday morning. He always shows up and continues to inspire me and so many others in the community that have now become my friends.

What I am most thankful for is that he reminded me that I am brave.

Being brave is one of the most crucial things we will ever do in our lifetime. The reason it is so important is because it doesn’t only benefit us. When we are about to embark on something out of our comfort zone that excites us to our very core, but scares the living crap out of us, two things happen. Something within ourselves gets healed and something within others gets ignited. Our bravery inspires others to be brave; it becomes contagious. When we take that leap into the unknown, even though we’re a little scared, if we follow that intuition that comes from such an honest place, magic always follows.