No-fuss anxiety tips #19: See the Big Picture

Welcome to blog number 19 in this no-fuss series on anxiety, made up of 20-short articles with simple tips and techniques for managing anxiety, drawing on therapeutic thinking from a range of psychological and psychotherapy theories. In this article we explore how getting a sense of the bigger picture, including both the metaphorical and the literal bigger picture, can help when it comes to anxiety.

What these tips won’t do is explore the origins and purpose of anxiety for you – this type of deeper exploration is what counselling offers. That said, having practical strategies for managing anxiety is a great place to start. Each article is designed to be quick read. So, let’s get into technique number 19: see the big picture.    

The role of vision in your automatic nervous system

Anxiety involves a physical and physiological response to perceived threat through your ANS system (automatic nervous system) - something we explored in a previous blog. One of the physiological changes that takes place when you detect danger and feel fear is the dilation of your pupils. The pupils in your eyes widen so that they can take in more visual information when danger is perceived. We know that Individuals with high trait anxiety and specific phobias often display "hyper-scanning" (frequent and rapid eye movements) as their eyes search for potential threats (Stabb, 2014, Zhang et al). That’s a useful response when you need to respond to an immediate and serious threat. You’re in the best place to zone-in on the threat, watch it and respond. However, if you experience anxiety readily, chronically and at times of low risk or difficulty, it’s easy to forget the bigger picture. Your pupils are honed in on details of perceived threat and risk and can overlook the signs of safety also in the environment.

Your pupils adapt to signals from the brain that danger is present

And we know that hyper scanning can be a feature of anxiety

Try softening your gaze and seeing the bigger picture

To help manage anxiety, you can experiment with softening and widening your gaze when you are not at immediate and serious threat. This deliberate and intentional softening of the gaze can reverse the “tunnel vision” response that happens when we feel stressed or at risk. Opening up your peripheral vision so you can capture a panoramic view signals to your brain that you are safe, and your nervous system can move from a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) response to a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state.

If you’ve made an assessment that you are not in danger, and are in a safe environment to try experimenting with a soft gaze, you can try allowing your eyes to take a softer view that allows you to take in visual data from a wider field. Allow yourself to relax your shoulders, and without any pressure, soften and widen your gaze. Take your time, and gentle notice what you observe - try to resist the urge to hone in on any one thing. If you can, practice this for around 60 -90 seconds at a time and look to experiment with this regularly to build your practice. It’s also possible to combine this soft gaze practice with some calming breath practice. Seeing the big picture – literally - can help your nervous system to calm, relax and settle.

Nature offers wide vistas

Looking at a wide landscape with a softer gaze signals to your brain there’s safety.

Look up, step outside

If you spend much of your day zoned-in on a computer screen, your vision may have less opportunity to take a wider gaze. If you can, build in screen breaks, look up occasionally and take in more of your surroundings. Step outside and let your gaze be soothed by a bigger, vaster horizon.

And, having chance to use your visual sense in nature may have further anxiety benefits, through a process that’s been termed “Attention Restoration Theory” (ART) by environmental psychologists Stephen and Rachel Kaplan (1989). ART suggests that natural vistas demand less cognitive load and attention of us - we can settle into a soft fascination and effortless attention as we take in the sweeping, gentle details of nature, which can give the fatigued prefrontal cortex a break, effectively reducing anxiety and mental fatigue. 

Seeing the metaphorical “big picture”

We can think of “seeing the big picture” in a symbolic, metaphorical way, too. Rather than honing in on some detail or difficulty, taking it personally and to heart as a global statement of who you are, is it possible to consider the situation from a wider perspective?

Yes, someone may have criticised you. And that stings. But does this really mean you are a failure? What else is there around this criticism that can also be considered? As well as this critical feedback from one person, what else is there? What have you done well today? How many people have a problem with you or your work? Everyone, or just some? What do you know to be true about yourself, your intention? In this way, you can support yourself by considering more information, more data. Someone saying that your work is not good enough does not equal “I am not good enough”. 

Next steps?

Feel free to check out other blogs within this anxiety-themed no-fuss tips series, including the next and final blog, #20, exploring how celebrating your mini wins can help when it comes to anxiety.

And, if you’d like to talk through how counselling can help you with a deeper exploration of your anxiety, do make contact with me, Claire Law.

I’m a BACP Senior Accredited Psychotherapist offering professional counselling and psychotherapy in Preston, Lancashire and online for adults based in the UK.

We can talk through how online counselling or face-to-face counselling at my therapy room in Preston could be helpful for you in managing your anxiety and getting to the roots of what lies behind your anxiety. I’d love to hear from you.

References

Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.

Zhang D, Li Y, Xu L, Xu Y, Liu X, Zheng W, Hong Y, Zhao J, Wei Y, Cui H, Liu H, Zhang T, Wang J. Hyper-scanning and hyper-pursuit define eye movement biomarkers of anxiety disorders. Br J Psychiatry. 2026 Jun;228(6):548-556.References

Staab, J.P. (2014). The influence of anxiety on ocular motor control and gaze. Curr Opin Neurol. 2014 Feb;27(1):118-24