BROKEN BRAINS. School begins this week. Schedules are going to be flipped upside down and backward for everyone in the area.

And don’t think it is just students and parents who will feel the change. No, the whole school system and their families will be puttering around trying to get used to all the activities.

Then factor the entire city and how drivers will react to the bus schedules again (and add in the construction everywhere!) — it is enough to make your head spin.

By the end of the week, many adults and kids alike may feel like their brains are full of fog — like something other-worldly has taken over their bodies and is controlling their minds.

This, this is stress.

Overwhelming stress can run you down and weaken your immune system.

Start each day with a large glass of water and a quiet moment. Enjoy a piece of citrus fruit — really enjoy the taste and smell. Linger just a little longer in the shower. Breathe before you speak, make sure what is about to come out is the message you want to send. Be intentional with each step you take throughout the day.

These are things you control. Your brain is in control.

Get ready to face it head on, before the first day of school. Before the traffic jams and detours. What will your plan of attack be?

Failure to act with a plan can cause extreme grumpiness, clumsiness, memory issues, the inability to sleep or oversleeping, and stress of this kind can build up to the point where it is just too difficult to do the simplest task.

Traffic and paperwork are not in your control. Take a breath as you need to.