--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: SOMETIMES, WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS…" description: "\"“SOMETIMES, WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS HAPPENING, I TRY MY DAMNEDEST TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MOST INCONSEQUENTIAL, UNRELATED DETAIL READILY AVAILABLE TO ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/kim-holden-8841_inconsequential_sometimes-when-something-terrible-is-hap_549901.jpg" --- # SOMETIMES, WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS HAPPENING, I TRY MY… ![“SOMETIMES, WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS HAPPENING, I TRY MY DAMNEDEST TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MOST INCONSEQUENTIAL, UNRELATED DETAIL READILY AVAILABLE TO ME. A DETAIL THAT, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SITUATION AT HAND.” quote by Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/kim-holden-8841_inconsequential_sometimes-when-something-terrible-is-hap_549901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/kim-holden-8841_inconsequential_sometimes-when-something-terrible-is-hap_549901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/kim-holden-8841_inconsequential_sometimes-when-something-terrible-is-hap_549901.jpg) > ““SOMETIMES, WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS HAPPENING, I TRY MY DAMNEDEST TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MOST INCONSEQUENTIAL, UNRELATED DETAIL READILY AVAILABLE TO ME. A DETAIL THAT, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SITUATION AT HAND. ”” [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When faced with overwhelming distress, the mind seeks refuge in trivial, unrelated details to maintain focus and reduce anxiety. **In simple terms:** People distract themselves with small details during crises. Key Takeaway Use harmless distractions to stay grounded. Themes coping distraction mental health Mood anxious reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - during trauma - high stress work - personal crises - emergency situations Key Concepts psychology attention shift stress management Questions to Reflect On - What small detail can you notice now to calm yourself? - How does this habit affect long‑term coping? 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There is very little consideration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/the-fundamental-basis-by-which-the-court-s-decision-might-be-made-is/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [I believe that what we get out of life is what we've set ourselves up to get, so there's no such thing as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-believe-that-what-we-get-out-of-life-is-what-we-ve-set-ourselves-up/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/although-profoundly-inconsequential-the-zen-experience-has/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [“What He has chosen not to reveal to me is inconsequential when compared to what He has promised me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-smith/what-he-has-chosen-not-to-reveal-to-me-is-inconsequential-when/) [Angie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-smith/) ## More by Kim Holden > [“They're kids, all they really want is attention and kindness, you know? That's what every kid wants." "And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/they-re-kids-all-they-really-want-is-attention-and-kindness-you-know/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“I’m good,” I lie. I’ve learned that lying when my well-being is concerned is easier than trying to navigate the truth. Nobody wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/i-m-good-i-lie-i-ve-learned-that-lying-when-my-well-being-is/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“Here’s the thing about life, boy. We meet a lot of people along this journey. Some of them are sonsabitches and some are special.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/here-s-the-thing-about-life-boy-we-meet-a-lot-of-people-along-this/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“She knows I love the dude. She’s trying to butter me up—both sides, front and back, top to bottom. 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Good to see you again.” Her face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/i-point-to-the-kitchen-you-remember-my-friend-shelly-he-looks-back/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“You give me courage I never knew I had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/you-give-me-courage-i-never-knew-i-had/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“It feels like it feels Nothing more Nothing less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/it-feels-like-it-feels-nothing-more-nothing-less/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“Hearts can physically shatter Ask me I'll tell you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/hearts-can-physically-shatter-ask-me-i-ll-tell-you/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“When people are interested in you, they ask questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/when-people-are-interested-in-you-they-ask-questions/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“Tolerance is bullshit. There's nothing to tolerate. We don't tolerate lovely people, we enjoy their company.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/tolerance-is-bullshit-there-s-nothing-to-tolerate-we-don-t-tolerate/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“I don’t want to die.” I say, defiantly. “Bright Side, what?” He’s confused. Of course he’s confused. No one starts a conversation like that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/i-don-t-want-to-die-i-say-defiantly-bright-side-what-he-s-confused-of/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [“Anyway, as soon as I got accepted to Grant this past summer my friend had doubtsabout Old Blue’s skills in the snow. She was rear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/anyway-as-soon-as-i-got-accepted-to-grant-this-past-summer-my-friend/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) [Explore all 75 Kim Holden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) ## More Inconsequential quotes > [“What He has chosen not to reveal to me is inconsequential when compared to what He has promised me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-smith/what-he-has-chosen-not-to-reveal-to-me-is-inconsequential-when/) [Angie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-smith/) > [Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/although-profoundly-inconsequential-the-zen-experience-has/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [I believe that what we get out of life is what we've set ourselves up to get, so there's no such thing as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-believe-that-what-we-get-out-of-life-is-what-we-ve-set-ourselves-up/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“The fundamental basis by which the court’s decision might be made is, in itself, imperfect and subject to contradictions. There is very little consideration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/the-fundamental-basis-by-which-the-court-s-decision-might-be-made-is/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [I care," he said in a trembling voice. "I care so much that I do not know how to tell you without it seeming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-carter/i-care-he-said-in-a-trembling-voice-i-care-so-much-that-i-do-not-know/) [Aimee Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-carter/) > [Doubtless these are inconsequential perplexities. Still, inconsequential perplexities have now and again been known to become the fundamental mood of existence, one suspects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-markson/doubtless-these-are-inconsequential-perplexities-still/) [David Markson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-markson/) > [“Now my sole function in this world is to serve as receptacle for the proof that I am inconsequential; every experience I accrete is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dara/now-my-sole-function-in-this-world-is-to-serve-as-receptacle-for-the/) [Evan Dara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dara/) > [“The means are inconsequential, only the ends matter”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-stradling/the-means-are-inconsequential-only-the-ends-matter/) [Rita Stradling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-stradling/) > [Great men are necessary for our life, in order that the movement of world history can free itself sporadically, by fits and starts, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-burckhardt/great-men-are-necessary-for-our-life-in-order-that-the-movement-of/) [Jacob Burckhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-burckhardt/) > [I do sort of feel like I'm building my monument with what I do, but it's pretty small and inconsequential compared to real works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/i-do-sort-of-feel-like-i-m-building-my-monument-with-what-i-do-but-it/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [Life is so great in its opportunities and possibilities, that you should rise confidently above the inevitable trifles incident to daily contact with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grenville-kleiser/life-is-so-great-in-its-opportunities-and-possibilities-that-you/) [Grenville Kleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grenville-kleiser/) > [Your home is that thing to which you can dedicate your energies with such singular devotion that the ultimate results become inconsequential,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/your-home-is-that-thing-to-which-you-can-dedicate-your-energies-with/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The pet food recall, which was after all just about pets, and treated as if it were an inconsequential matter, was an absolute forerunner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-nestle/the-pet-food-recall-which-was-after-all-just-about-pets-and-treated/) [Marion Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-nestle/) > [“How I feel is inconsequential to all that I have stopped feeling for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-sharda/how-i-feel-is-inconsequential-to-all-that-i-have-stopped-feeling-for/) [Nikhil Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-sharda/) > [All her knowledge is gone now. Everything she ever learned, or heard, or saw. Her particular way of looking at Hamlet or daisies or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/all-her-knowledge-is-gone-now-everything-she-ever-learned-or-heard-or/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) [Browse all 119 Inconsequential quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inconsequential/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“SOMETIMES, WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS HAPPENING, I TRY MY DAMNEDEST TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MOST INCONSEQUENTIAL, UNRELATED DETAIL READILY AVAILABLE TO ME. 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