"It's important to see the big picture!" This common saying applies to understanding many types of problems, but not necessarily to coping with change. When you are suddenly faced with stressful change, focusing on the "big picture" can feed your anxiety and fear. To cope better, whether with workplace or personal change, break change into realistic action steps, and possible decisions and potential solutions to specific difficulties you imagine will arise. Committing these things to paper allows you to see a personal plan to manage change come into view. Get a friend to help you brainstorm ideas and solutions, and the support will help you feel in control even faster. Panic and dread of change come not only from the stress of forced alterations to our lives, but also from trying to grasp the magnitude of the event. To reduce this distress, break change into manageable, actionable steps.