Hi, it’s Áine. I used to have a lot of shoulds in my life. I should make that appointment. I should follow up with them. I should start that project. I should go to that thing. If you, too, have a lot of shoulds, this might help. It turns out that when we think and say these types of "should" things, our brains hear a threat. “Should” usually carries two signals at once: That we’re failing some standard (we’re not enough yet). That we have a vague instruction with no clear first step. That...
13 days ago • 2 min read
This week's JournalingFix Newsletter: Why a 10‑minute task can sit on your list for a week (or more) The brain science behind “I’ll do it later” A 4‑step reset to finally get it done JournalingFix workshops and events Hi, it’s Áine at JournalingFix. You know the task. It’s been on your list for three days. Maybe longer. It would take ten minutes. Maybe twenty. And yet every time you look at it, something in you just... doesn’t. What’s actually happening Your brain doesn’t just evaluate tasks...
27 days ago • 2 min read
This week’s JournalingFix newsletter: – Why your best ideas show up in the shower (and don’t come back when you need them)– 4 quick writing steps to get brilliant ideas back on track– How to turn “lost” ideas into something you can use later Hi, it’s Áine. You know those brilliant ideas we all get when we’re in the shower, on a walk, driving, pretty much anywhere we can’t do something about them? They’re so sharp and obvious in the moment. I always think, “There’s no way I’ll forget this.”...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
In this week’s JournalingFix newsletter: A quick thank-you Why transitions feel so disorienting (brain-wise) A 5‑minute writing protocol for “I’m in between and everything feels weird” A peek at JournalingFix OS (the full system) Hey there, Thank you to everyone who attended workshops this week - and if you're new here, welcome. This list has doubled in the last couple of weeks and I'm really excited you're here. Every week, this email is where you’ll get: The brain science behind why your...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
This week's JournalingFix newsletter: The reason you can know exactly what to do and still not do it How your nervous system steers you to the “old you” even when you’re over it A 5‑minute writing protocol to help What's coming April 23 Hey everyone, Let's be honest: for a lot of things in our lives, we know what we want. We know what "better" looks like. We can even list the actions that would really move the needle. But if we look at our week, it still feels like we're running on repeat....
2 months ago • 4 min read
In this week's JournalingFix newsletter: Our "mental chatter tax" and what it really costs us A 2-line journal check-in to do right now Clear. Start. Focus - how to really get started Workshop reminder Nighttime Playbook coming soon! Hi everyone, I asked a successful friend this week what still slows him down the most, ie, the thing that derails his days or keeps him from doing what he actually wants to be doing. He didn’t hesitate:“Mental chatter.” So I asked him, “If you could turn that...
2 months ago • 3 min read
This week's JournalingFix newsletter: A 4‑minute writing reset you can use tonight Why your brain won’t quit at night Tech Ladies virtual workshop, April 8 (open to all) A quick ask (only 2 minutes!) Bring JournalingFix to your team or event Hi, it's Aine at JournalingFix. A big thank you to Downtown Works Mission Valley for hosting a workshop last week. We had a full room, with great energy and connections. One question I keep hearing at workshops is about what happens after the workday...
3 months ago • 4 min read