Related to taking different perspectives, is remembering to view the whole picture. Helpful even if you still only manage to look at things from a single, narrow perspective.

The car broke down again. A frustrating sign that nothing goes right for you? The whole picture shows simply that you prioritised. You invested in developing skills instead of servicing the car. You could live without the car, you reckoned – it was worth the risk to change direction.

You have a poor credit rating; this means you’ll never catch up with your peers? That might be true, but it also means you’re now insulated from the credit-based risks of changing circumstances. The lifestyle change and lessons the shock has offered you are positive.

Work feels unexciting and you’re trapped in a dead-end? It’s getting clearer what you value, what you must work towards and where you can grow. There are many paths if you will take them – this discomfort is highlighting the choices you have in what you tolerate.

The whole picture might not be rosy, but it can show you how to move through, around, or over what ails you in the moment.