You may think that the big problems in life probably need big answers.

Unfortunately, that might put you off trying to answer them. You might want to try to find some solutions for the big questions for the world or just for your own life. So big world questions might be: dealing with climate change, world hunger, or the cost-of-living crisis. Big life questions might be: career changes, moving home, settling debts, starting to study again, and so on.

But don’t be put off by the size of these issues because, for any of them, there is not one big answer that is too big for you to work on. No, for any of these issues, there are many smaller answers to the question. When all of these answers are stitched together, then you might deal with the big issue. Each single answer takes us closer to a solution.

You might have even been avoiding the questions completely because they were so big. So I now offer you an opportunity to get out those big questions and look at them. Walk around them and realise that you have the power to make just a small dent in their previously unassailable surface. If your big question is “What can I do to be happier?” then just write it down and observe it for a while. Then think about all the small answers that might help you on the way.

The big questions have been there for a while, so they don’t need to be answered fully today. Just chip away at them with small answers and it may be surprising how quickly they will shrivel.

What’s your big question today? What small answers will move you forward? What other big things can you whittle away in small chunks?