Your brain isn't broken. It's just overbooked.
If there’s too much on your mind, don’t think. Just do. In today's issue of The Bright Side...
Hello lovely people. You’re reading The Bright Side newsletter, a bi-weekly dose of calm and clarity in a noisy world.
Some weeks feel just like this...
Your brain isn't broken. It's just overbooked.
Spring shows up fast.
One week, things feel quiet. Next, your calendar’s packed, your inbox is fuller, and even your “free” time feels… busy.
Yes, there’s a lot to be grateful for. And also a lot competing for your attention.
When everything ramps up — work, kids’ schedules, travel, ideas — it’s easy to feel like you’re behind. Or like you’re carrying something in your mind that you haven’t quite figured out how to hold.
I’ve felt that lately. And I’ve noticed it shows up as worry.
But it might be something else.
The psychology behind worry loops
A recent article in Psyche suggests that what we often label as worry may actually stem from a lack of planning.
The idea is that our minds are trying to process numerous tasks and uncertainties at once, leading to a sense of anxiety. By organizing our thoughts and creating a plan, we can ease this mental clutter.
This aligns with cognitive psychology, which says that our working memory has limited capacity. When we attempt to juggle too many unresolved tasks mentally, it can lead to stress and decreased cognitive performance.
Reflecting on this, I've started to ask myself: Is this something to worry about, or something I need to plan for?
This simple question helps me distinguish between emotional responses and actionable tasks.
When I feel stuck — like I’m holding too many things at once and not sure where to begin — the most helpful thing I can do is move my body.
A simple walk. No phone. No goal. Just moving through space in (still cold) Vermont.
I come back clearer almost every time.
That’s one thing. Here are a few others I’ve tried, or heard from people I trust:
1. Name the loop. When something keeps circling, I try to say it out loud:“This is something I haven’t decided yet.”
That alone helps.
2. One small step. If the thing I’m circling does need a plan, I give myself one minute to name the next step. Not a full solution — just a place to start.
3. Worry window. This one’s surprising: I sometimes tell myself I can think about the hard thing later.“Come back to this at 4:00.”And by then, it often feels smaller. Or completely disappears.
4. Body check. Quick pause.“Am I tired? Starving? Just unclear?”It’s amazing how often it’s one of those.
None of these are magic. But they help me shift from circling to choosing.
That shift — even a small one — reminds me that I have more agency than I think.
And it’s something I come back to often:
Progress over perfection.
Movement over tension.
Before you go
I know you feel it too. Modern life really rewards the push: more emails, more effort, more urgency.
But I’ve realized pausing is a skill. And I’m getting better at it. Often, I solve the thing without even trying.
You don’t need to optimize your whole life in a weekend. Just start the walk. Make a list. Call the thing what it is.
Sometimes that’s enough to clear the fog.
(Or better yet, try acting like a dog. They’re onto something 🐶)
Happy spring!
