You used to be razor sharp. Now you’re rereading the same sentence three times.
You walk into a room and can’t remember why.
You forget names, become frustrated when you misplace tabs, lose entire trains of thought mid-sentence.
And for those of us in the wisdom industry, our intellect is our product and what can happen is more than frustrating.
Brain Fog, Memory Lapses, and the Wisdom Industry
It’s frightening.
You know it isn’t “just stress” because professional services is stressful most of the time.
You may have more experience now, but you know this isn’t “just aging”.
And no, your brain isn’t broken, but perhaps this is a signal that your nervous system is overloaded which is compromising your cognition. And your body is trying so hard to protect you the only way it knows how:
By pulling energy away from short-term memory and strategic thinking to deal with what it perceives as a threat.
The Invisible Cost of Over Functioning Minds
Let’s be honest.
In the world of professional services, thought leadership, consulting, coaching, therapy, and advisory, thinking is your craft. Our livelihoods come from what’s in our heads and our ability to instantly access experience, knowledge and wisdom to solve our clients problems efficiently and effectively.
But here’s the paradox no one talks about:
The very system that allows you to think deeply is the first to go offline when your nervous system is under siege.
That “siege” doesn’t need to be dramatic, it could be low-level, long-term overactivation:
- A relentless calendar.
- Emotional holding from client stories.
- Constant decision fatigue.
- Responsibility for both home and business.
- The pressure to “do it all” while staying calm, present, and insightful.
And slowly… your bandwidth fractures.
Cognitive Load vs Cognitive Capacity
Your brain has an operating system just like your laptop.
Too many tabs open, too many background programs running… and things slow down.
You don’t need a new laptop, you need to shut some tabs and you need to run a systems-level recalibration.
And most professionals don’t realise that your cognitive load is not a measure of how “smart” you are. It’s a reflection of how your nervous system is handling pressure.
When load outweighs capacity, symptoms appear:
- Brain fog
- Difficulty recalling conversations
- Reduced working memory
- Diminished pattern recognition (you miss what used to be obvious)
- Emotional reactivity or blankness
- Fragmented presence with clients
- Exhaustion when you’ve slept well
And in an industry where presence, precision and rapid insight are your currency, the subconscious fear is what’s happening will cost you money, credibility and your confidence.
You’re Not Losing Your Mind You’re Blocking Access to It
One of the most compassionate things I ever say to clients is this:
“You’re not broken. You’re brilliant. But your brilliance is being blocked by invisible static.”
That static is the combination of nervous system dysregulation, unresolved micro-stress, energy leaks, and emotional backlog.
It doesn’t mean you’re failing, it simply means, just for now you’re full. And let’s remember that brilliance can’t thrive in a flooded system, it needs space for regulated, rhythmic ebb and flow
Here’s What To Do When You Feel Foggy or Forgetful
Here’s what I teach wisdom professionals and high-functioning service leaders when clarity collapses:
1. Refocus On Your Breath First
Your breath controls your nervous system.
Your nervous system controls your brain.
Your brain controls how you lead, think, decide and perform.
Most fog isn’t fixed by sleep, it’s fixed by recalibration.
You might find when you’re feeling under pressure you’ll be breathing more through your mouth.
- Consciously close your mouth.
- Soften your jaw.
- Start nasal breathing.
Immediately your vagus nerve will be soothed which slows down mental chatter.
2. Close the Invisible Tabs
Write down everything that’s on your mind, no matter how small. Every unfinished task is an open loop which is draining your RAM!
When you externalise it and write it down you’re giving your brain a break from using memory as a storage drive. You’re re-enabling your brilliant thinking.
3. Use Gentle Stillness
Don’t solve brain fog with more coffee or more activity. Think less stimulation, no more powering through or thinking “I’ll be OK when…”
- Lie down.
- Let your jaw drop.
- Close your eyes and breathe.
Let your parasympathetic nervous system switch on and do an internal clean sweep.
This is not laziness, or giving in, it is strategy.
4. Eat and Move for Cognitive Fuel
Low blood sugar, dehydration, and poor posture all hijack cognition.
- Eat slow carbs for sustained energy – you’ve probably heard your nutritionist talk about this.
- Hydrate with electrolytes
- Walk slowly outdoors to reorient your brain to safety and clarity
5. Know When to Get Help
If this is happening regularly, it’s not a personal flaw, it’s a systems issue.
Asking for help, sharing with a trusted advisor is a strength. Symptoms can be soothed, but long term solutions come from pinpointing the real source of cognitive load and rewiring performance without pressure and this usually requires someone else to spot the source of the pressure and work with you to sort quickly to get you back on track.
Your Mind is Your Magic. Protect It Like a Treasure.
You’re not weak.
You’re not failing.
You’re not “losing it.”
You’re simply at capacity.
And capacity can be restored.
In the wisdom industry, the quality of your mind is your value. So, before you optimise your next funnel, offer, or deliverable, take a moment and optimise you first.
Your nervous system is your real operating system. And when its calm, your clarity will return.
Next Step
Feeling foggy, forgetful or fatigued, but know you’re still brilliant underneath it all?
Let’s recalibrate.
Contact me to discover more about dismantling stress, improving personal peace, business performance and profitability.
Always
Gail