AKA: Why Your Brain Feels Like a Browser with 1,000 Tabs Open and NO Idea Where the Music is Coming From
Ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you’re there?
Or maybe you’ve put the remote in the fridge, your phone in the pantry, and now you’re standing there, wondering if early-onset dementia has kicked in… or if this is just Tuesday.
If that sounds familiar, welcome to midlife, my friend. It’s that magical time when we are expected to be wise and put-together, but in reality, we’re one misplaced coffee cup away from a breakdown.
Let’s be real: midlife is CHAOS.Not just any chaos, but next-level, unpredictable, did-I-just-hear-my-own-knees-crack? kind of chaos. And if you’ve been feeling completely overwhelmed, exhausted, and like you just need one damn moment of PEACE, let me assure you:
It’s not just you. You’re not crazy. You’re just in the eye of the midlife storm.
Why Does Midlife Feel So Overwhelming?
At some point in our 40s, life turns into a giant "Choose Your Own Adventure" book—except every page leads to another to-do list, someone needing something from you, and mysterious body changes no one warned you about.
Here’s what’s making it feel like you’re barely holding it together:
1. You’re Everyone’s Personal Assistant (But With No Pay, Benefits, or Days Off)
By now, you’ve accumulated multiple full-time roles:
✔️ The Parent Uber Driver 🚗
✔️ The Grocery Replenisher 🛒
✔️ The Therapist for All (Spouse, Kids, Friends, Even the Dog) 😭
✔️ The Finder of Lost Objects 🔎
Everyone depends on you for everything. You don’t just run your own schedule—you’re also the walking Google Calendar for your entire household.
This is why your brain feels like it’s overheating. You’re carrying the entire mental load of everyone in your orbit. And while they’re out there living their best lives, you’re trying to remember if you defrosted the chicken or if that’s tomorrow’s problem.
2. Your Hormones Are Basically Gaslighting You
Remember when you used to wake up feeling fine? Cute, right?
Now, midlife hormones have entered the chat, and they have zero chill.
Some days, you’re ON FIRE. Motivated, energized, ready to take on the world. Other days? You burst into tears because you saw a heartwarming dog adoption video on TikTok. Or you lose your patience because your spouse chews slightly too loud.
Hormonal shifts are no joke.
They affect:
🔥 Your mood (I am sorry for what I said when I was perimenopausal)
🔥 Your energy levels (Yesterday, I deep-cleaned the house. Today, I need a three-hour nap.)🔥 Your sleep (Because apparently, my body now enjoys waking up at 3 AM for no reason)
If you feel emotionally unstable, it’s not you. It’s your hormones.
3. Your Brain is at Max Capacity (and it’s Full of Useless Info)
You may not remember what you had for breakfast, but you can recall all the details of your kid’s preschool graduation speech from 2009. Why? Because your brain is so full that it’s storing data like a hoarder who refuses to delete old emails.
Your mind is constantly juggling:
Family schedules
Work deadlines
Which bills are due (and when)
If you RSVP’d to that party
What’s for dinner
That one weird noise your car has been making
The fact that you think you left the flat iron on, but now you’re not sure
Your brain is fried. No wonder you can’t remember why you walked into the room.
How to Start Managing the Chaos (Before You Completely Lose It)
While I can’t offer you a time machine back to your carefree 20s, I can help you find small ways to make life feel a little less overwhelming.
1. Prioritize Like a Boss
Not everything on your to-do list is urgent. But when your brain is in overdrive, everything feels urgent.
Here’s a quick hack: Write down everything swirling in your brain → then separate it into three categories:
✅ Needs to happen today. (Feeding the kids. Not forgetting work deadlines.)
✅ Can wait a few days. (Organizing your linen closet, which hasn’t been touched since 2011.)
✅ Literally doesn’t matter. (That one email thread from a PTA mom who needs to chill.)
Focus on what actually needs your energy and let the rest go.
2. Schedule a "Nothing" Moment
Listen, I know you’re busy, but you have 5 minutes. Yes, you do.
Every day, carve out at least five minutes to just do nothing.
🚫 No multitasking.
🚫 No doomscrolling.
🚫 No replying to texts.
Just sit, breathe, drink your coffee while it’s still warm, and exist. This tiny reset helps your nervous system stop firing like an overworked employee on their last nerve.
3. Write Stuff Down
Your brain is not a storage unit. Get things out of your head and onto paper.
Try this:
📌 Write down the three things you must do today.
📌 If something random pops into your head (like "buy toilet paper" or "text Sarah"), add it to a “brain dump” list.
📌 Stop relying on just memory—it’s unreliable these days.
Trust me, your brain will thank you.
4. Lower the Bar (No, Really)
You don’t have to be a productivity queen. You don’t have to be everything to everyone.
You’re allowed to:
✔️ Leave the dishes in the sink overnight.
✔️ Say no to things you don’t have energy for.
✔️ Sit in your car for 5 minutes of silence before going inside.
Letting go of perfection makes space for sanity.
You’re Doing Better Than You Think
Midlife is wild. It’s exhausting. It’s unpredictable. And yet—you’re still here, showing up, figuring it out, one day at a time.
So today, give yourself grace.
💛 Acknowledge that you’re carrying A LOT.
💛 Do one small thing to make your life easier today.
💛 And for the love of all things holy, don’t forget where you put your coffee.
Need more support?📌 Join my Facebook group for real talk, laughs, and self-care strategies.📌 Visit www.treepose.online for more midlife-friendly resources.
You got this. And if you don’t? There’s always tomorrow.
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