Getting Past The Major Cuts

Ok, so I'm relatively new at this editing thing. It's taken me a really long time to find a story I loved enough to finish, never mind edit.

You could call this a call to anyone who's got some editing experience. I need advice and I'll take it from just about anyone at this point.

My question is this: How do you get past that point where you feel like deleting thousands of words- or whole chapters- is necessary? At some point the big stuff has to end right? At some point I should move past this and start tweaking the little stuff, but I can't shake that feeling that I have to re-write the ending (which I've done twice) or the beginning (seven times) or reverse the order of chapter 3 and 4, etc. I can't seem to move past the big stuff.

Any tips? I know it can't be as screwed up as I think it is, especially since I've been working on it for two years and I'm in my second round of editing.

Do I just keep going until I realize the big "issues" are all gone?

Do I take a break from the chapter re-arranging and move on to little things for a while to get perspective?"

Am I completely losing my mind?

I'll answer that, I totally am.

Help??

A Day For Critique Partners

As a person who has probably abused my own critique partners with endless questions and drafts, I think we're missing a very important day. We celebrate dead Presidents for running our country, parents for raising us, best friends for supporting us, and Columbus... who mistook America for another continent entirely. 

At the very least critique partners should have a day before that guy. Right?

So here's a call to every writer out there who has ever valued that perfect stranger who became a fan and a friend at the same time. Here's to hours spent on someone else's labor of love. For all the advice, encouragement, tips, and opinions. If you have someone like this, you should make your own Day for Critique Partners. It doesn't matter what day it is, just pick a day and make sure they know they're valued.

Because without them... where would we be?

Here's mine. I know it's been a while, but I'd like to send a huge thank you to Lena and Celeste, wherever you are out there in the world. Thank you for everything.

Megan.