I received a message from a friend recently that made me laugh. It was a cartoon showing several people moving the large neolithic Stonehenge monument in Amesbury, England as we moved our clocks forward an hour.
While I do notice the extra daylight in the evening, it doesn’t really feel like much has changed. What made the image funny was the idea that people were physically moving those massive stones to make it happen.
Sometimes I think that’s how we approach life.
We can unknowingly take on responsibility for things that are either too heavy or not necessary. I’ve noticed that in my own life, especially in seasons when things feel full and demanding.
What if spring gives us a different reminder? Not to force change, but to receive it. To accept it and breathe again.
As the days grow longer and life begins to reappear around us, many of us feel the desire for a reset. Not just in our homes or schedules, but internally a chance to feel a little lighter and more at peace.
But if we’re honest, many people are carrying more than they were meant to carry. Responsibilities grow, expectations increase, and we try to stay present for our families, faithful in our work, and available to others. Somewhere along the way, it becomes easy to take on more than we can sustain.
And over time, carrying too much doesn’t just wear us out, it burns us out, we can quietly drain our joy and our sense of direction.
What often gets overlooked is this: not everything is yours to carry.
In his work on personal and emotional health, Dr. Henry Cloud talks about the importance of understanding what is yours to carry and what isn’t. That’s not about becoming distant or uncaring; it’s about learning to live with wisdom.
This idea has been around for longer than we might think. One ancient proverb from the Book of Proverbs puts it this way: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Guarding your heart means paying attention to what you carry emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and recognizing that your inner life needs care, not constantly being overloaded.
Even Jesus modeled this kind of wisdom. There were moments when people were looking for Him, needing Him, and even demanding His time. Yet He stepped away to rest, to pray, and to remain aligned with His purpose. He didn’t meet every expectation, but He remained faithful to what He was called to do.
There’s something liberating in this truth. It means many of us feel the pressure to say yes, fix everything or carry the burden. Learning what is yours to carry and what isn’t yours to carry is the key to living a healthy, purposeful and meaningful life. It protects your energy, guards what matters most, and allows you to be fully present where it counts.
Often, this begins with simple decisions, saying no when you would normally say yes, letting go of what you cannot control, and being honest about your limitations. These are not dramatic changes, but they are meaningful ones that shape your life without regrets or overwhelm.
This time of year, also leads us toward Easter. For many, it’s a time to reflect more deeply on life, faith, and what truly matters. We all carry things like pressure, regret, or the feeling that we’re not quite enough.
The message of Easter is that Jesus stepped in to carry what we could not and be freed from the burdens of this life.
While we are called to love others, we were never meant to carry the weight of everything. There are burdens that were never meant to rest on our shoulders.
If this season finds you feeling stretched thin, it may be worth asking what you are holding onto that isn’t yours. You don’t have to carry everything, and sometimes the beginning of something new is simply learning what to set down.
And if this season stirs something deeper in you, Easter can be a meaningful time to explore that hope. Many in our Northland community take that step each spring, and you’re always welcome to come and explore it at your own pace.
