Hi,
Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you're there? Or had a to-do you fully intended to start, and somehow it's 4 p.m. and you haven’t started?
That's executive functioning on a coffee break! And if that's a term you can't quite explain, you're in good company. Unless a diagnosis has pointed to it, most of us have only a general idea. It's not really about being a business executive, even though the name suggests it.
Executive functions are the cognitive skills we use to learn, work, and manage our daily lives. Here's a fuller picture if you're curious.
In midlife, a few of these tend to get bumpy: working memory, attention and focus, emotional regulation, and task initiation. Our demands are outpacing our capacity, and shifting estrogen levels can change how our brains work.
So if you've wondered what happened to the brain that sailed through your teens, 20s, and 30s, you're not alone, and you haven't done anything wrong. Life is lifeing, and you're doing your best.
When it feels harder than it should, that's where I come in. Together we build scaffolding that works with your brain and your life, so this season can feel easier.
If any of this sounds familiar, just reply to this email with "me" and we'll take it from there.
A note on September 30th
Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I invite you to take a moment to honour residential school survivors, their families, and their communities. It's an opportunity for each of us to consider what we can do to advance reconciliation and to keep learning about our shared history. If you'd like a place to start, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation offers survivor-led education and resources.
Warmly,
Erin