I’ve never really shied away from a hard truth, so here’s one for today. If you’re constantly weighed down by petty drama, meaningless debates, and other people’s chaos, it’s not because life is hard—it’s because your life is too small.

When you’re living small, every little thing feels like a crisis. Someone looked at you funny? You stew over it for days. A co-worker got credit for your idea? You’re ready to quit. A friend didn’t text back? Obviously, it’s the end of the relationship. Someone is busy and misses a meeting that you feel is important? You go WWIII on them.

But the problem isn’t them. It’s you. Or more specifically, the scope of your life.

It’s like this. When you’re focused on building something bigger—living for a purpose, chasing a mission, or pouring yourself out for something that matters—you don’t have time for small worries. Your energy is spent on creating, growing, and changing the world around you.

You can’t live a big life while sweating over small stuff. That math doesn’t math.

The Curse of the Small Life

Small living is self-centered living. Don’t take this the wrong way, but if your world revolves around you—your preferences, your image, your comfort—then every little inconvenience feels like a personal attack. Why? Because small people make themselves the center of the universe.

That’s exhausting. And honestly? It’s unbiblical.

Proverbs 19:11 says, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” When your life is big—when you’re focused on God’s purpose and others’ needs—offenses lose their sting. You don’t get rattled by someone cutting you off in traffic or throwing shade on social media because your eyes are fixed on something (or someone) bigger.

But if your world is small, every offense feels monumental. You’re a ship tossed by every wave. You’re fragile. And let’s be real: Nobody wants to live like that.

Get Over Yourself and Get to Work

Living a big life starts with letting go of the need to be right, admired, or even comfortable. It’s not about you. It never was.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” That’s big living. It’s gritty, uncomfortable, and requires sacrifice. But it’s also the most fulfilling way to live.

Want a big life? Start focusing on what God has called you to do. How about try feeding the hungry. Mentoring a young person. Or just love your neighbor (even the obnoxious ones). Intentionally invest in your family. Step into your church. Go after that dream God planted in your heart.

When you’re busy doing big things, the little things don’t have room to take root. You’ll stop sweating over someone’s tone in an email because you’re too busy planning that next ministry, mission trip, or career step.

Big lives are marked by action, not reaction.

Here’s another punch to the gut: If you’re waiting for life to be perfect before you live big, you’re going to wait forever. The enemy of a big life isn’t failure—it’s fear. Fear of making mistakes, fear of looking stupid, fear of getting hurt.

Newsflash Princess! You’re going to fail. You’ll mess up. People will hurt you. So what?

Living big is messy, but it’s better than the alternative: wasting your life worrying about what doesn’t matter – or meddling in other people’s business!

Start now. Step out. Don’t let the size of your life be dictated by your fears.

The Payoff

When you live big, your worries shrink. Why? Because your perspective changes. You’re not bogged down by trivial things when you’re laser-focused on eternal things.

You’ll notice that small people criticize while big people create. Small people complain while big people serve. Small people cling to their comfort zones while big people break barriers and shatter ceilings.

The choice is yours: Big life, small worries—or small life, big drama.

Jesus didn’t come so you could survive in the shallow end. He came to give you life to the full (see John 10). A big life. A God-sized life. A life that drowns out small worries because it’s consumed with a mission that matters.

So, what’s it going to be? Stay small, or step into something big?