The #1 Lesson I Learned from My Monk Friends

I don’t know what you’re doing right now, but I hope there’s joy, love, and maybe a chessboard nearby, as you prepare for the magic of Christmas Eve.

I want to share something unexpected I learned about life. A lesson that struck me like lightning out of nowhere.

You may already know from my articles that I dive deep into spiritual growth—monk friends, stacks of books, and silent retreats where the Wi-Fi password is “ZenModeOn.” And I’ve learned a ton.

But the #1 lesson? It wasn’t what I expected.

Early on, I thought the key to life was giving, focusing on others, and living without ego, with selfless sacrifice as the natural next step.

And sure, that’s part of it. But here’s the twist:

It starts with you.

The first person who deserves your attention and care is YOU!

Not in a selfish way. Not in an “I’m the center of the universe” way.

But by filling your own glass first before giving to others.

The more you grow, the greater your impact.
The bigger your heart, the more love it can hold—and the more love you can share with the world.

Taking care of yourself first is where taking care of others begins.

This was a big aha moment for me.

So yes, I give to others—it’s still my top priority. My wife, my family, my baby Yakko, ChessMood family, my team, my friends.

But I make it a priority to nurture myself—body, mind, soul, and creativity—so I can show up as my best self.

I invest in myself. Every single day.

As the Holiday season approached, I found myself brainstorming gifts for my loved ones—and for the greatest gift in my life, my wife.

But here’s the thing: I didn’t forget about myself. I treated myself to something special! (I’ll tell you about it later!)

If this resonates with you, take a moment to think about what you can do for yourself. (Unless, of course, you’ve already bought a stack of chess books—lol.)

It can be something extravagant, or it can be something simple.

It might be an hour spent on gratitude meditation.

Or tickets to that concert you’ve been eager to attend.
It could be a toy (they say men never grow up—I can vouch for that with my Ducati motorbike) or a cool new gadget to make life more fun.

Or maybe it’s taking a step to master a skill you’ve always dreamed of learning.

What’s one thing you can do for yourself this Christmas?
It’s not selfish—it’s foundational.

Wishing you a magical Christmas Eve!

With best wishes and love,
For your growth and fun journey,
GM Avetik (or Avo, as my friends call me)

#Start_with_you

P. S.
If you agree with me, I’d love to hear what you’ve done for yourself.
Feel free to share it here.