Your brain isn’t broken. It’s just busy.

Speaking your own language feels easy.

It isn’t.

It’s one of the hardest jobs your brain does. You just got so good at it that you stopped noticing.

Now do it in English.

You’re looking for the right word. Building the sentence as you go. Checking your grammar. Reading the room. Speaking, all at the same time.

That’s a lot for your brain to handle.

So if your English slows down or your mind goes blank, nothing is wrong.

You’re not bad at English.

You’re doing something your brain has to work much harder to do.

Give your brain a second to catch up. The pause you’re embarrassed by is just the sound of it working.

Quick win: If you lose your train of thought, say, “Give me a second. I’m looking for the right word.” Most people won’t think twice about the pause.

💬 When does English feel hardest for you: meetings, calls or small talk?