Zoom Out: Will This Matter in a Year?
Thirty-two easy ways to zoom out and ask “Will this matter in a year?”, so big worries feel the right size.
Zoom out and the problem shrinks. Time is on your side.
40 tips that really help
These ideas come from Chatter (Ethan Kross), Don’t Believe Everything You Think (Joseph Nguyen), The Untethered Soul (Michael Singer), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.
Zoom out and the problem shrinks
Close up, a problem fills your whole view. Zoom out to a year, ten years or the whole planet and it often becomes a small part of life. This “time-travel” view is a common technique in cognitive therapy, and it is free.
Ask: “Will this matter in a year?”
Ask: in a week?
Short horizons shrink many worries fast.
Ask it.
Ask: in a month?
Most problems change by then.
Ask it.
Ask: in a year?
Few things still matter.
Ask it.
Ask: in five years?
Think about your life then.
Picture it.
Ask: at the end of my life?
Gives a deep sense of priority.
Reflect.
Try 10-10-10
Ten minutes, ten months, ten years.
Answer all three.
Picture the aerial view
Imagine a drone rising above your town.
Visualise.
Picture the Earth from space
Your worry is tiny.
Imagine.
Picture the timeline
Draw your life line and place this event.
Sketch.
Ask: what will I remember?
Often you’ll remember people, not problems.
Think.
Ask: who will care?
Most people won’t.
List them.
Ask: what's the cost if it goes wrong?
Many costs are small.
Rate.
Ask: is it reversible?
Most things can be repaired.
Check.
Ask: what matters more?
Health, love, values.
List three.
Ask a wiser self
What would 90-year-old you say?
Write their advice.
Ask a child
Children cut to simple truths.
Imagine.
Ask a friend
They give a wider view.
Call.
Keep big things big
Some things matter a lot. Zooming out helps you know which.
Sort.
Respect real problems
Zooming out isn’t denial.
Act where needed.
Scene: an embarrassing moment
In a year no one remembers.
Let go.
Scene: a rude email
Soon forgotten.
Reply calmly or not.
Scene: a bad grade
One data point in a long learning path.
Learn.
Scene: a small argument
Repair and move on.
Apologise.
Scene: a delayed flight
A story for later.
Smile.
Scene: a spilled drink
Tiny.
Laugh.
Scene: a job rejection
Painful, yet often a turning point.
Look ahead.
Scene: a breakup
Hurts, heals, teaches.
Be gentle.
Scene: a financial setback
Plan and recover.
Make steps.
Scene: a health scare
Seek care, then focus on what you can do.
Call a doctor.
Scene: a social slip
Others forget quickly.
Move on.
Scene: a missed deadline
Communicate and fix.
Send a note.
Make it a habit
Ask the question daily.
Set a cue.
Write the answer
Seeing it helps.
Jot.
Share it
Tell a friend.
Mention.
Use a sticky note
“Will this matter in a year?”
Place it.
Be kind
Feelings are still valid.
Allow them.
Seek help
If everything feels huge, speak to a professional.
Reach out.
Celebrate perspective
It’s a skill.
Mark it.
Close with space
Say, “Zoom out, breathe in.”
Write it.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many everyday situations.
“Will this matter in a year?”
“Let me look at the bigger picture.”
“What mattered a year ago?”
“Let me breathe and look wider.”
“I will spend my energy wisely.”
“It feels smaller now.”
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
Ask the year question
Ask the week question
Ask the five-year question
Picture the future you
Look back at old worries
Pick what matters
Let the small stuff go
Further reading
- Chatter (Ethan Kross)
- Don’t Believe Everything You Think (Joseph Nguyen)
- The Untethered Soul (Michael Singer)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
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Start freeThese lessons share general learning and everyday ideas. They are not medical or mental health advice. If you feel very anxious, low or unwell, please talk to a doctor or a qualified professional.
More lessons in “Stopping Overthinking”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Keep a Worry Notebook by Your BedNext: Share a Worry With a Friend →
- What Overthinking Really Is
- Problem Solving or Spinning? The Test
- Know Your Personal Triggers
- The Late-Night Thinking Trap
- Why Your Brain Replays Bad Moments
- The Cost of Too Much Thinking
- Notice the Body Signs of a Spiral
- Name Your Inner Critic
- Ask "Is It True?"
- Spot the Thinking Traps
- Talk to Yourself Like a Friend
- Use Your Own Name in Self-Talk
- Write a Kinder Version of the Thought
- Stop Mind-Reading What Others Think
- Name Five Things You Can See
- Cold Water on Your Face
- Say "Stop" and Change the Channel
- The Long-Exhale Breath
- Stand Up and Move
- Count Back From One Hundred by Sevens
- Listen to One Song
- The Five-Minute Worry Window
- Write It Down and Close the Book
- Sort Worries: Can I Act on This?
- Make a Small Plan, Then Let Go
- Keep a Worry Notebook by Your Bed
- Zoom Out: Will This Matter in a Year?
- Share a Worry With a Friend
- Stop Replaying Embarrassing Moments
- Forgive Your Past Self
- Stop Rehearsing Arguments
- Decide Faster on Small Things
- Done Beats Perfect
- Make Peace With Not Knowing
- Ten Minutes of Quiet Each Day
- Move Your Body, Quiet Your Mind
- Protect Your Sleep
- Limit News and Scrolling
- Spend Time in Nature
- Be Here Now: Simple Mindfulness
