When the Whole Picture Feels Overwhelming

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." -Vincent van Gogh

Last week, I was became frustrated trying to put together a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. It's picture was filled with multiple flowers in shades of pink, orange, and red. As I got started, the task felt more daunting than I had anticipated.

The pieces weren't as distinct as they appeared on the box; instead, the colors seemed to blend into one another. The task in front of me suddenly felt completely overwhelming.

Maybe, I should just quit and put all of the pieces back into the box.

That's when it dawned on me. This is exactly how life can feel when it becomes unmanageable.

When you lose a job.

When a marriage ends.

When the house gets quiet after the kids leave.

When a parent needs care.

When you're facing a health issue.

When you realize the life you once had no longer exists in the same way.

Facing this new reality can feel overwhelming.

So many pieces.

So many decisions to make.

So many unknowns.

And when we try to see the entire task at once, we freeze--just as I did with that puzzle.

Rather than ditching the entire project, I began to focus on one small section at a time.

Life works the same way.

When big or unexpected changes occur in you life, the way forward isn't by solving everything at once. It's by breaking the big picture down into small, manageable tasks, one step at a time.

When the whole picture feels overwhelming, focus on one small section--and take one brave step.

Try This:

Where in your life are you feeling overwhelmed right now?

Perhaps it's your career.

A relationship.

Your health.

Your finances.

Or simply the weight of too many decisions and tasks at once.

When everything feels tangled together, it's easy to spin in circles--or shut down completely. That's not weakness. It's overload.

Take a few minutes this week and do a Brain Dump. Write down every task that needs to be done. Keep writing until everything in your head gets written on that paper.

Then ask yourself:

• What is one small part of these tasks can I focus on?

• What is one manageable step I could take right away.

Sometimes, it's difficult to sort out our own overload and it's helpful to talk it through with someone you trust--a friend, a coach, a counselor. Clarity often comes through conversation.

You don't have to solve the whole picture.

Just choose one piece--and begin there.

You don't have to solve the whole picture at once.