Don't Get Caught Up in the Weeds - Gain Perspective

Charlie Chaplin, although I don't know him personally, apparently once said, "Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot."

It's one of my all-time favourite quotes and as you may have guessed, ultimately means when we are stuck in the middle of our problems, they seem huge and overwhelming. But when we look back at them from a distance, we can often see the humour and growth that came from those challenging times.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

We are all inevitably going to end up in a tough spot once in a while. Sometimes it can even feel as if your whole world is crashing down which then has knock on effects, further making every little problem seems like a big deal. It's not healthy and we need to train our minds to zoom out.

Another way to frame it would be, it's like focusing on a single weed in an otherwise beautiful garden. But if you step back and look at the whole garden, you realise that the weed is just a small part of a bigger, beautiful picture.

Or in our world, we say take the 80k View ;-).

Another complete random observation here is for the horse riders, cyclists, and motorcyclists among us. When learning to 'ride' you are taught to look at where you want to be going and not at the roundabout, or the curb, or the wall, or the fence that you are in close proximity to. The reason for this is if you look at the 'hedge' you will end up in the 'hedge' whereas if you look further down the road you will end up down the road.

Once you're locked in on a destination of where you want to go, it's as if your body knows exactly how to move, adapt, lean, and amend itself to get you there.

I recently experimented with this further riding "no-hands" with my bicycle. I could never do it because I was always looking down at the wheels, or the potholes right in front of me. It gave my body no time to react to the incoming situations and I'd end up failing.

As soon as I started looking down the road, sure I could feel the bumps, the ramps, the potholes, and my bike getting thrown about... but what changed is that my body held itself with balance because the imminent rarely wasn't big enough to throw me off course.

Understanding Unseen Unhappiness

Seeing as I have a knack for quotes another one that speak true is from Ferris Bueller's Day Off: "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it."

Although this is spoken from an opportunist mindset, as a high school kid planning to have the best day off ever - it can also swing the other way. If we don't take the time to refelct and really understand where we are now and what course we're heading in, before you know it you end up entangled in a situation you don't want to be in.

Think about times when you were in a bad relationship or living situation. While you were in it, maybe it seemed okay or you didn't realize how bad it was because it was familiar. But once you moved on—ended the relationship or moved out of your parent's house—you likely saw how much happier you were without that situation holding you back.

For example, moving out of your mum's house into a smaller, less nice room might seem like a step down at first. But this new space can give you a sense of independence and freedom. It's a step towards making your own decisions and finding your own happiness.

Learning from Hindsight

It's often after we get through tough times that we understand how much we learned and grew. The problems that seemed impossible to solve now look like steps that led us to where we are.

When you're stuck in the weeds, remember that this tough time is just a small part of your life. Better days are ahead, even if you can't see them right now.

Believing in a Better Future

It's important to believe that things will get better. No matter how bad things seem now, life changes all the time. It has ups and downs, and often the hardest times lead to the best changes.

I'd like to take the time to acknowledge my friends and support network that I have around me too, it really does help to have people you can lean to for advice. If you're looking to build out your own support network spend at least 30mins a day for the next 14 days reaching out to people to check-in to see how they are. If you're looking something more formal, perhaps like a mentor, you can find one at Uroutine.com or maybe try reaching out to the CEO, Ed Johnson himself...

Embracing Change and Growth

Change can be scary, but it's also necessary for growth. Getting out of a bad relationship or moving to a new place might be hard, but it can also be freeing. Focus on where you want to be, not where you are now.

When you're in a tough spot, try to think about how you'll look back on this time in the future. Imagine what your future self would say about how you handled this challenge.

Some parting words...

The big dog's quote (Charlie Chaplin's) reminds us that life has both sad and funny moments, often mixed together. By not getting caught up in the weeds, we can see the bigger picture and appreciate our journey.

Next time you're overwhelmed by problems, take a moment to step back. Remember that every problem is temporary and that every small step forward is progress. Believe in yourself and trust that things will get better. Life is a mix of good and bad times, and sometimes the hardest parts lead to the best outcomes.

Forwards ever backwards never,

Sam

Co-founder

80k View