54. It Wasn’t Even an Elephant: Why Small Things Start to Feel So Big

54. It Wasn’t Even an Elephant: Why Small Things Start to Feel So Big

From The DASH Mindset Podcast by Sheri Zevenbergen

January 15, 2026 · 11 min · Episode 54

About this episode

Sheri Zevenbergen discusses how small tasks can feel overwhelming and offers insights on overcoming avoidance and perfectionism.

After an unplanned podcast hiatus due to tech avoidance and a little story inflation, Sheri is back with an honest conversation about the stories we tell ourselves…and how they quietly keep us stuck. In this episode, Sheri unpacks why manageable tasks turn into overwhelming “elephants,” how perfectionism and accountability (or the lack of it) fuel avoidance, and why progress almost always starts with a tiny, imperfect step. It’s a reminder that most of what we avoid isn’t actually as hard as we tell ourselves it is. If you’ve been putting something off, overthinking a simple next step, or telling yourself a convincing story about why “now isn’t the time,” this episode is your nudge forward. Because most of the things we avoid aren’t actually elephants at all. They’re more like squirrels…chaotic and distracting, but completely manageable. What This Episode Might Shift for You A more realistic perspective on the thing you’ve been avoiding Less pressure to have it all figured out before you begin Permission to take a small, imperfect first step A more grounded, realistic story about what’s actually required In This Conversation Why Sheri was MIA for a while… and what was happening…

People in this episode

Host: Sheri Zevenbergen

Topics covered

  • self-improvement
  • overcoming avoidance
  • perfectionism
  • accountability
  • mental health

Keywords

  • avoidance
  • perfectionism
  • accountability
  • self-talk
  • small steps

More episodes of The DASH Mindset Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The DASH Mindset Podcast podcast page.