Dyslexic Mind 🧠 Moments

Have you ever felt your mind twist the simplest thing into a puzzle you didn’t sign up for? That was me today, when what should’ve been a breeze suddenly felt like trying to read upside down. We all have those moments, but dyslexia can make them extra special.

In this episode, I share a real-life slip that had me biting my lip in frustration. You’ll hear exactly what happened, how I moved past it, and why I think these moments are important to understand. This is for every dyslexic who wishes these moments would disappear—but also knows they never fully will.

The Dyslexic Moment That Caught Me Off-Guard

I woke up, grabbed my coffee, and planned out the day. Everything seemed fine, but then it happened. I was sending a quick message to a friend, and my brain swapped words around like they were jigsaw pieces. By the time I pressed “send,” I realised I’d created a string of text that read more like a riddle than anything else. It wasn’t a huge error, but it felt like a spotlight on my dyslexia.

If you’ve been there, you know the feeling. Your heart skips as you wonder if the other person thinks you’re being careless. You panic for a second, then question whether you’ve done something similar before. All these thoughts came rushing in, and I found myself scrambling to correct my mistake as fast as I could. But the real challenge wasn’t the fix—it was managing the emotional side of it.

“I was literally left biting my lip in confusion, just wondering how on earth this happened again.”

How I Handled The Immediate Shock

When this slip happened, I was tempted to beat myself up. I thought, “Why can’t I just get it right?” But I took a breath and reminded myself that dyslexia isn’t a flaw. It’s part of my wiring. The moment I replaced panic with acceptance, I felt my shoulders drop.

That doesn’t mean I shrugged it off as nothing. I acknowledged how annoyed I was. Sometimes letting your frustration out—even mentally—helps it pass. After that, I wrote a quick apology and clarifying note. I didn’t overcomplicate it, just said something like, “Oops, sorry about the jumbled text, I had a dyslexic moment.” I’ve found honesty is the best approach. People are more understanding than we give them credit for.

After owning it, I remembered all the times my dyslexia has also taught me to see things differently. This is a reminder that we each have our own strengths. Mine might not be perfect word placement every time, but I excel in thinking outside the box. That small perspective shift softened the blow.

Why These Moments Are Unavoidable

Let’s be real: we’d love to wave a magic wand and never have another dyslexic slip-up. Truth is, our brains will keep mixing things up without warning. It’s not a failure or a sign we’re not trying—it’s literally how we’re wired.

Sometimes you’ll notice it in:

• Emails or texts where words seem reversed or repeated
• Reading a line and completely missing half the sentence
• Mistaking spoken instructions, which can lead to awkward misunderstandings
• Spelling a word correctly one day then completely forgetting it the next

These moments can be frustrating if you’re not prepared. Ironically, the more pressure you put on yourself to be perfect, the bigger the mistakes can feel. That’s why I find it helpful to accept that they will happen and focus on controlling what I can—like correcting it calmly and moving on. This doesn’t mean not caring; it means saving your energy for something more productive than self-criticism.

Strategies to Bounce Back Fast

Bouncing back doesn’t have to be complicated. After years of dealing with dyslexic moments, I’ve developed some go-to tactics. They don’t erase the slip-ups, but they do make them sting less.

First, I always try to keep a sense of humour. When I catch a blunder, I might say, “Here goes my dyslexic side again,” and laugh it off. Humour keeps things light and reminds me that life’s too short to stress over every small mishap.

Second, I slow down. If you’re like me, you might rush through sentences or tasks, which increases the chance of error. Taking a brief pause or reading things out loud sometimes catches the problem before it’s sent out. It’s a small habit but can save a ton of confusion in the long run.

Third, I rely on tools. Spell-check and text-to-speech are my close friends. I use them daily to confirm I’ve got the gist right. They’re not perfect, but they catch enough mistakes to make any final slip more decent—or at least less glaring. Technology can be a massive help for dyslexics, so I always suggest utilising what’s out there.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Even though dyslexic moments can stop us in our tracks, they don’t have to define us. Owning the slip when it happens, letting go of the frustration, and focusing on growth—those are the habits that keep us moving forward. We can be productive, successful, and still have these little slip-ups along the way.

Think about it like a journey. Each step might not be perfect, but every time you stumble, you learn something new. It might be a grammar tip, a tool that can help, or even just a reminder that your brain operates differently—and that’s not a bad thing. Dyslexia is part of who we are, and although it can be challenging, it’s also tied to the unique strengths we bring to the table.

I see these moments as speed bumps. They slow me down and make me double-check my route. But they never mean my journey stops. If anything, they remind me to appreciate every inch of progress I’ve made.

• “Dyslexic moments” are part of the journey—not a personal failing.
• Find a balance between acknowledging mistakes and not letting them define you.
• Humour, honesty, and tools can help you bounce back more easily.
• Your “mistakes” often come with hidden strengths, so keep exploring them.

Ready to hear the full story? Listen to the podcast at the top of this page to catch every detail of how I navigated this little chaos. Grab a cup of tea, hit play, and let’s keep finding ways to thrive with dyslexia.