take a step back and (do something)

To "take a step back" means to think about a topic in a more complete, less emotional way:

I was extremely upset when I got laid off, but after a few weeks I was able to take a step back and realize that I still had what was important - my health and my family.

If you take a step back and think about it, college doesn't really last that long. It's just four years out of your life.

Do you ever take a step back and wonder why so many people wear glasses in modern times? Our ancestors wouldn't have had glasses, so how were people able to see back then?

This phrase appears in these lessons: