Why Your Thoughts Matter, and How to Change Them

We are such creatures of memory and anticipation, continually storing the memories of our experiences in the Hippocampus for later access. These stored memories inform our expectations, which in turn shape the nature of our thoughts. Our thoughts impact our actions, which ultimately colour our experiences of living in the world. We store those experiences as memories and begin the whole cycle again, constantly reinforcing our existing belief systems.

This ongoing cycle of psychological impressions (called "Samskaras" in Buddhism) is the very nature of the human mind, and believed to be the root of all suffering. Unless we're aware of this self-fulfilling prophecy, the older we get, the less new experiences we have. This is nature's way of conserving energy; if you have had this experience before, your nervous system doesn't have to figure out a new way to react to it. Not all repetition is bad; in fact, brushing your teeth every morning is an example of a healthy cycle. But living entirely within your memory-anticipation groove can lead to cognitive decline, or feeling stuck in a rut.

The work of breaking, or at least limiting the impact of, this cycle is the most important work we can do. Yoga and meditation practices were conceived in order to help us identify and break these patterns, so that we can continue to evolve, and fulfill our highest potential. Together, they invite us to refine our sense of self-awareness, and identify how we respond to challenges. Often, we find that we've figured out a way to bypass discomfort (another energy saver), but by taking the path of least resistance, we've missed important opportunities or fallen short of our potential.

The new year sadly doesn't wipe the slate clean, but it is considered a "sandhya" in yoga philosophy. Sandhyas are sacred junctions in time, pivotal moments where we would do well to pause and reflect on who and how we are, and who and how we want to be. It's an opportunity to reposition, reprioritize, and begin again.

Being at the beginning again can be daunting, but these simple steps make it easy:

1. Begin a meditation or journalling practice to observe your thoughts

2. Start to identify self-limiting belief systems (without awakening your inner self-critic)

3. Consider whether there are different thoughts, or behaviours, that you can establish to replace those patterns you want to release

4. Surround yourself with like-minded people who will support you in your endeavours

Remember: yours is a story still being written. Just make sure you are the one holding the pen.