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In this Think It Through episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University explore how to navigate big life changes without getting overwhelmed. Whether it’s moving, getting married, having a baby, sending a child to college, or making a major career shift, they break down why these transitions can feel so heavy—and how systems thinking can help.

They unpack how we often conflate big change into one giant mental cloud, why the future picture in our heads can make things feel even harder, and how breaking change into parts, relationships, dependencies, and perspectives can restore clarity and agency. They also explore a powerful idea: no matter where you go, your mental models go with you.

If you’re facing a major transition and feeling the weight of everything at once, this episode offers a smarter way to see it, structure it, and move through it.