When The Big Things Break, The Small Things Save You

Big change can make even simple tasks feel impossible, but there’s a quieter path that actually holds: small, steady actions that bring your footing back. We kick off a four‑week series called The Little Things Matter by laying out six daily anchors that help you move through divorce, retirement, empty nest, loss, or a major identity shift without burning out or shutting down.

First, we get practical about momentum: why a 20‑minute walk, a stretch on the living room floor, or a few minutes on the porch can loosen fear’s grip and reset your nervous system. Then we discuss feeding your mind with intention—curating inputs such as uplifting podcasts, worship, and a grounding verse—so fear doesn’t dictate the narrative. From there, we build a tiny routine that signals safety, reduces decision fatigue, and keeps your day stitched together with small, predictable cues. We also name the power of connection with one or two safe people who can handle the truth without rushing to fix it, because comeback stories are built in a community.

We explore creativity as therapy—through writing, cooking, gardening, or rearranging a room—to process pain and prove that beauty still exists. And we close with a gratitude practice that’s realistic on the hardest nights, shifting your brain toward hope with one specific thanks. Along the way, you’ll hear personal stories, simple examples, and a clear preview of what’s ahead: celebrating small wins, the tiny habits that build big faith, and the little choices that rebuild identity one layer at a time.

Take the 7‑day challenge: choose three small actions you’ll do daily, keep them consistent, and remind yourself, this little thing matters. If this helped, follow, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review so more people can start their comeback. DM me on Instagram @ToniThrash—there’s still time left on the clock.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Series Kickoff
• 0:45 Why Little Things Matter
• 2:32 Anchor 1: Move Your Body
• 3:30 Anchor 2: Feed Your Mind
• 4:23 Anchor 3: Build A Simple Routine
• 5:29 Anchor 4: Find Safe People
• 6:29 Anchor 5: Make Something Creative
• 7:13 Anchor 6: End With Gratitude
• 7:54 What’s Ahead In The Series
• 9:05 Weekly Challenge And Closing

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:00

Is there a major life transition pinching you? I know you may be asking, what's next? What's my purpose? What if? Because I've asked those two. Welcome to the Start Your Comeback Podcast. I'm Tony Thrash, a certified life coach, and I want to share the tools and practical steps to help you create a winning game plan to move into your new adventure. And we're kicking off a brand new four-week series I'm calling The Little Things Matter. Because when you're in the middle of a major life transition, divorce, retirement, emptiness, loss, or just plain figuring out who you are now, the big stuff can feel overwhelming. But the little things, that's your lifeline. You see, the big shifts are loud, but the little things whisper you through. When life knocks you off your feet, it's rarely the big heroic moments that pull you out of the pit. It's the tiny, consistent, almost forgettable habits that keep you standing when everything else is shaking. We tend to underestimate those small choices. Little ones like making your bed, lighting a candle, getting dressed and not staying in your pajamas, taking a walk, calling a friend, maybe reading one verse of scripture, or writing one line in your journal. When you're in transition, everything feels unstable. Your routines, your relationships, your finances, even your emotions. Nothing looks the same, and your instinct is to look for the big fix. The one big grand move that makes everything all better. But the truth is you rebuild your life one small brick at a time. If I were in the middle of a transition, and I have been more than once, here are the most basic life-anchoring things that help me get through it. Number one, get up and move. I mean move your body. Even just a little. Walk the dog. Stretch in your living room. Sit outside on the porch with your coffee. Because you see, movement creates momentum, and momentum is what your soul needs when everything feels stuck. It's hard to stay in despair when you're in motion. I learned that during my own seasons of loss. I didn't always want to go to the gym, which, by the way, I didn't go to the gym, but I could take a walk. And for me, that meant I would walk literally four to five miles a day because I needed that time outside of my house to clear my head. I could move just enough to remind my body that I was still breathing. Just don't underestimate the healing power of a 20-minute walk. Number two, feed your mind something good. During transitions, your thoughts will run wild if you don't guide them. This is where many people get lost. They let fear or regret take over the narrative. So choose what you feed your mind. Podcasts that lift you up, worship music that grounds you, scripture that steadies your faith. For me, Philippians 4 8 has been a big compass. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, think about these things. You can't always control your circumstances, but you can't control what you dwell on. Starve your fear and feed your faith. Number three, create a small routine that's yours. Because when life falls apart, you crave control. You want something predictable. That's why a simple routine can be your greatest comfort. I'm not talking about a 5 a.m. miracle morning unless at your jam. Mine's 4 30. I'm just being honest. But I'm talking about something small that tells your nervous system we're safe, we're okay. As a six on the Enneagram, trust me, this is key for all of us. It could be making your bed every morning. It could be sitting in the same chair for prayer or for journaling. Maybe it's your nightly Epsom salt bath. Ask me how I know. The point is consistency, not complexity. Because your body will start to associate that small act with peace. And peace is what you're fighting for. Routines aren't rigid, they're rescue lines. Number four, stay connected to one or two safe people. In transition, isolation is the enemy. It tricks you into thinking you're alone when you're not. You don't need a crowd, you need a few people who can handle your real. I have five such friends. They are there in my disappointments, my joys, and everything in between. They're the people that I can text and say, today was hard. They're friends who will sit with me without trying to fix it. The world preaches independence, but comeback stories are always built in community. Even Jesus didn't go it alone. He had twelve and then three that were really close. If the Son of God needed a circle, so do we. Healing happens in the presence of saved people. No greater truth than this. Number five, do something creative. When you create, you remind your soul that beauty still exists. Write or journal, paint, cook, rearrange a room, plant flowers. It doesn't matter what, just make something. When I was walking through my divorce, creativity became my therapy. I wrote pages and pages. I never intended anyone to read, but it helped me breathe again. I've given strict instructions to my people to confiscate them and burn them when the time comes. Creation helps you process the destruction going on around you. And finally, number six, end the day with gratitude. Even if it's just one thing. See, gratitude rewires your mind to see hope where it's been hidden. Some nights your gratitude might be as small as I made it through the day. My coffee was hot. Hey, my kid texted me back. You see, that's okay. Gratitude isn't about pretending life's perfect, it's about remembering they're still good even when life's messy. Gratitude turns surviving into thriving one small things at a time. Now, over the next four weeks, we're going to break this idea down even more. So here's what's coming. Today we talked about the movement, mindset, routine, connection, creativity, and gratitude. Those are the six little anchors for getting through the storm. Next week, we're going to talk about the power of small wins. We'll talk about celebrating small victories. We'll talk about how celebrating small victories rebuilds confidence and how keeping a personal win list can change your motivation completely. In week three, we'll talk about the little habits that build your big faith. This one will dive straight into your spiritual side, how the smallest spiritual practices, one verse, one prayer, one pause, become your greatest lifeline in transition. And then finally, in week four, we'll talk about the little things that help us rebuild our identity. We'll finish it with a look at rediscovery, how the small choices that we make every day start shaping our next chapter one layer at a time. So today I've got one final thought for you. If you're listening right now and thinking, Tony, my life feels like a mess, and I get it. But you don't rebuild a house by staring at the wreckage. You pick up one little brick, you do one small thing that matters, and then you do it again tomorrow. The little things are not little, they're sacred. They're the scaffolding that holds you up until you can stand on your own again. So this week, I want to give you a challenge. I want you to write down three small things that you can do every day for the next seven days. They don't have to be big, just consistent. Maybe it's journaling one line, maybe it's drinking more water, maybe it's taking a 20-minute walk. Maybe it's just saying one little prayer. And when you do them, remind yourself, this little thing matters. It's part of my comeback. Because you deserve to not just survive this season, but I really want you to start your comeback. Thanks for being here. I'll see you next time. Hey, thanks for listening. I don't take it for granted that you're here. You didn't listen by mistake. If you want to reach out, you can DM me on Instagram at Tony Thrash. Until next week, remember, there's still time left on the clock. Let's get you off the bench to start your comeback. I want to give a special shout out to Country Club for the original music. You can find them on Instagram at Country Club.