Wait, What Was I Saying? Our Dear John Letter to Brain Fog

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Reflection Snapshot

Theme:
Everyday forgetfulness, brain fog, and what happens when our minds are full but not focused.

Intention:
To normalize these moments, invite grace, and explore simple ways to slow down, clear space, and support our working memory.

Summary:
This reflection explores those familiar moments of forgetfulness, searching for glasses already on your face, losing your train of thought mid-sentence, or walking into a room with no idea why. Through humor, lived experience, and gentle honesty, we examine how exhaustion, overload, and constant stimulation affect our focus. This is not about medical conditions or long-term memory loss, but everyday signals asking us to rest, refocus, and reset. It’s an invitation to respond with awareness instead of judgment.

Reflecting ...

When the Mind Is Full but Not Focused

You’re looking for your glasses, on the table, the counter, your pockets, only to realize they’ve been on your face the whole time. We laugh, but moments like this open the door to a deeper conversation about short-term memory and mental overload.

These lapses often happen when we’re tired, stretched thin, distracted, or out of balance. Not because something is “wrong,” but because we haven’t given our minds room to breathe or our bodies enough rest.

This isn’t about age. People in their 20s, 30s, and 40s experience this too. Our working memory can temporarily snooze when life gets loud.

Brain Fog Moments We Don’t Talk About Enough

Talking on the phone while searching for the phone.
Looking for keys while sitting in a running car.
Putting something down and instantly forgetting where it is.

Or the moment you almost forget the name of someone you’ve known for decades. Or telling a story so thoroughly that by the time you finish the background, the point disappears.

These moments are human. They’re also information.

They show us that our mind can be busy and still not present.

The Loop We Don’t Notice We’re In

When our mind isn’t focused, we’re not operating at our fullest potential. We get caught in cycles, doing the same things, feeling frustrated, and wondering why nothing changes.

For me, the patterns are familiar: lack of sleep, distraction, multitasking, scrolling, and over-commitment. Multitasking used to feel like a badge of honor. I could multitask effectively. Now, the keyword is effective, and that changes everything.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s presence.

What Impacts Our Working Memory

Short-term memory is like the brain’s sticky note. It helps us remember small things, until there’s too much going on.

Here are five common disruptors:

1. Information Overload – Too many mental (and digital) tabs open.
   Cluttered screens often reflect cluttered thoughts.

2. Chronic Stress – When stress lingers, it clouds focus and recall.

3. Lack of Sleep – Sleep is when the brain clears, organizes, and restores.
   Rest isn’t optional, it’s foundational.

4. Poor Nutrition or Hydration – The brain needs real fuel, not just fullness.

5. Emotional Overwhelm – Even excitement can crowd our capacity to focus.

Suggestions Shared in the Reflection

1. Listen to Your Body

Slow down. Breathe. Notice what your body is asking for before pushing through.

2. Write Things Down

Lists, notes, planners, this gives your brain permission to let go and frees up mental space.

3. Use Visual Cues

Keys by the door. Items laid out intentionally. What we see helps us remember.

4. Declutter: Mentally and Physically

Start small: your bag, your desk, your car. Clearing space externally supports clarity internally.

5. Hydrate, Nourish, and Rest

You cannot pour from an empty cup. This is a reminder and a practice.

6. Laugh at Yourself

Laughter releases tension, restores grace, and helps reset the nervous system.

7. Do Your Own Research

Different bodies need different support at different stages. What worked for me may not work for you.

Key Takeaways

• Forgetting small things doesn’t mean you’re failing, it means you’re human.

• Mental overload often signals a need for rest, boundaries, or simplification.

• Grace, laughter, and intention can interrupt the cycle.

Rise Into Action

Beneath the Story:
Brain fog is often less about memory and more about capacity.

Gentle Reflection Prompt:
What gets lost for you when you’re running on empty?

Closing

If you’ve ever walked into a room and forgotten why …
If you’ve reread the same sentence three times …
If you’ve searched for your glasses while wearing them …

You’re in good company.

Pause.
Laugh.
Reset.

“I’m not forgetful. I’m just full.”

Until next time ... keep listening for the higher note.

Say.
Be.
And it is.