The burden of heavy thoughts

Thank you for the feedback on December’s post on the impact of gratitude journaling. It’s been lovely hearing about your reflections, and I had another insight which I want to share:

During a recent yoga class, the instructor talked about the impact of worry, and how these thoughts can be like a heavy burden that we carry around with us. She asked us to imagine what our life would be like if we were able to set down some of our “heavy” thoughts. She also asked us to reflect on the stories we tell ourselves and how they contribute to worry.

When I reflected on these questions in the context of the gratitude journal, I realized that the practice of noticing things we are grateful for connects us with thoughts that are uplifting and “light”. While we might still struggle with “heavy thoughts”, we can counter-act that heaviness through gratitude. Uplifting thoughts can lighten some of the burden of worry and hopefully help us reframe our perspective.

I hope you’ve had a good start to 2024 and wish you health and vitality during this coming year!