We love puzzles at our house, but it’s been awhile since I’ve really been able to give myself over to one—too many things pulling at my time and brain space.

Recently we set up this winter scene puzzle that we also did last year at this time. I remember it as being a fun challenge. This time, though, I would sit down to work on it but couldn’t get my bearings—until I switched chairs and my perspective. ⁣ ⁣ Little by little, my eyes started to adjust to the detail of the picture and the pieces. Out of what first seemed like a teeming mass of sameness, nuance began to emerge and it became easier to fit pieces into the larger picture. Eventually, what was missing, what was needed to complete a certain area of the picture was clearer.⁣ ⁣

As I sat there, sorting through pieces and putting together the evergreen tree at the center of the puzzle, I couldn’t help but think about how some of the same skills that we use for assembling a puzzle are also helpful for discerning and assembling a life shaped by meaning and purpose. Here are just a few:⁣ ⁣

🧩 It helps to know the big picture. What are the core values and ways of being with people that you want at the center of all your choices?⁣ ⁣

🧩 It takes time (and patience) for our eyes to adjust. What area of your life feels muddled? What feels unclear? What are some of the practices or activities that have helped to find clarity in the past? How can you carve out time for more of that?⁣ ⁣

🧩 Knowing what doesn’t fit is helpful in figuring out what does. With self-compassion and non-judgment, look at your life and notice “What piece(s) doesn’t fit with the big picture?” It’s okay to set it aside. It might be for now or it might belong to a different puzzle.⁣ ⁣

🧩 Getting organized helps. Knowing what you have and being able to narrow the search for what you need focuses energy and makes the work feel more manageable.⁣ ⁣

🧩 The process can be challenging AND rewarding. How can you celebrate satisfying discoveries and progress along the way?⁣ ⁣

Do you like puzzles? Why or why not?⁣

What puzzle are you looking to working on in 2021?⁣