#Brain and heart energy needs

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

My Five Star Review of Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life

If There Is Only Book You Choose to Read in 2025, Try This to Improve Your Brain Function, Cognitive Performance, and Mental Health As a retired healthcare professional, I have spent decades observing the challenges people face when trying to improve their mental well-being. The struggle to manage stress, maintain focus, and sustain mental clarity becomes increasingly common as we age.  I have…

[kitocrystal]

Checking out other Quest AUs as I wait for my will to come back to continue with Inky Mystery.

(The conflict has not let down yet and I’m starting to feel dread)

Anyway, go check out this neato retell of the og Quest story by @thequestfortheinkmachinecomics. The characters’ designs are nicely touched up, their personalities seems more natural now, the art is really cool and oh no, I’ve run out of juice for words… I just know that this retell will be good so I’ll be on along for this ride.

[horangslay]

are you guys fucking for real? are you SERIOUS?

antis have bullied Seunghan in quitting literally 2 days after they announced he would be returning...& FOR WHAT??? WHAT DO THEY GAIN BY BEING EVIL TO A 20 YEAR OLD??? the only crime he's committed is being a living breathing person who has a life outside of his JOB.

I'm actually SO PISSED off.

as a pre debut briize, for these 10 months I have found it difficult to support riize, because in my heart I couldn't stop thinking about that poor kid who was suffering for no reason. I told myself to support the other members, that if Seunghan wasn't immediately kicked out he would return. I thought about how much happier riize & briize would be once we were all reunited. I was so hopeful seeing the outpouring of love & support for him throughout social media. I was SO HAPPY when Seunghan announced his return in November.

riize is 7.

riize was always meant to BE 7.

anyone who is ot6, anyone who participated in the hate, anyone who wasn't ecstatic when Seunghan's return was announced: YOU ARE NOT A BRIIZE & pls block me 🙏

[grif-hawaiian-rolls]

Is this canon? Technically no.

Is it even In character? Absolutely not!

Do I care? Not really!

Locus is my blorbo and i can put him in annoying situations, like having a small squad of annoying but just-good-enough-to-not-kill-them Feds, if i want to

[wildstar25]

G'raha looked so serious while he pleaded his case to venture into the World of Darkness with the Warrior of Light. The sudden conviction in his tone had Arsay at a loss for words. Still, she did not hesitate to meet his request with an accepting nod. He was an important friend and in the passing moon that they'd come to know each other, a strong fondness for him had taken hold of her. The prospect of helping G'raha find the truth behind his mysterious inheritance made Arsay's heart pound. It was the perfect venture for them to embark on. The first of many, she hoped. The two turned towards the impossibly tall spire that dared to pierce the heavens above. Arsay's resolve strengthened in its presence. When they next find themselves gazing at the tower -with their quest completed and the world no longer under threat of total destruction- she'll properly ask G'raha to be a companion in her travels. A grin crept its way onto her face as her gaze shifted to him. If Arsay could find it within herself to bare her heart to others so readily just as he does… perhaps their future adventures will find them together, hand in hand.

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

Boosting Mitochondrial Health: How to Tame Chronic Inflammation with DAMPs Know-How

Exploring Mitochondrial Damage Signals and Practical Steps to Reduce Inflammation for Optimal Cellular Health I talk a lot about Mitochondria, as they matter. Every cell needs them, and their dysfunction is associated with all metabolic diseases, cancers, and neurodegenerative disorders. They are extra critical for energy organs like the brain and the heart. So, if our mitochondria malfunction,…

[kitwilsonsass]

not to be tmi but do you ever just LOSE YOUR FUCKING MIND ON YOUR PERIOD

[cuteniaarts]

Behold, my latest and most enamouring new obsession:

Malina, Lady of the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. As if Red Lotus child OCs weren’t niche enough

[flys-brain-thoughts]

they sgould make a strain of weed that makes you never be angry again btw

[nonbinarygamzee]

i feel a little guilty for this bc i do genuinely think one of the only appeals of "fandom" for me at least wrt homestuck is looking for projects where people are doing cool things, but i am sinply just not going to care about it if clown isnt involved. and im also very much going to notice if clown uninvolvement is rooted in vilifying them where you allow other "complex" characters to grow and learn. you dont have to like gamzee you dont have to focus on gamzee if you dont but like.... it is increasingly tiring to see the rest of the antagonistic(used so loosely here stay with me) trolls treated like complex characters while the one who is undeniably, deeply racist and ableist in their depiction/framing AND is the child who actively works for the child abuse demon is just thrown aside as unsalavagble evil not worth examination, usually with some half assed comment about being an abusive man.

like. i love vriska genuinely i do. but if we can blame all of gamzees intricate issues on the notion they are a capital m Man and somehow erase the fact this is also a child and a very bad-faith coded one at that, then why is is still so illegal to utter anything about vriska invoking a very very white woman centric abuse of power + refusal to engage her past when she changes...? like i dont get into my identity shit on here but i am a lesbian and i am a traumatized person who has crazied in ugly ways bc of my abuse, i understand as much as anyone else why vriska deserves to be looked at with complexity and sympathy and its undeniable a lot of what happened wrt fandom bullshit related to her was rooted in misogyny but my god am i sick of the refusal to engage with other forms of marginalization ESPECIALLY alongside the insinuation people were not horrifically harrassed for those reasons with gamzee or their attachment is inherently more vapid than others. theres thoughts i have wrt treating gamzee likers as stupid and incapable of analytical reading (and therefore less valuable to hear from regardless of other things that may tie them to this extremely loaded piece of media) which hits on weeeeird biases on its own but ok back to my hole.

[coloursofaparadox]

brain is doing...a thing? meds are.....good?

[elegyofthemoon]

tbh i think i just need to get into a media thatll shake me to my core the way me revisiting p//andora hearts at a crucial time shook me

[mwphisto]

Simple things that turn LnDs men on~

Including: Xavier, Rafayel, Zayne, Sylus, and Caleb x reader. Reader is implied female but most can be interpreted however you please!

Warning, this post is 18+! Some lighter smut since my brain cannot handle anything else atm (I’m graduating university in 3 weeks)

Shifting banner from @cafekitsune <3

Xavier

Cuddling with you, seeing you sleepy and warm and soft in his embrace, under his blankets, in his bed. He can’t help it, you’re just so perfect, so sweet in this state. His hands can’t help but wander, sliding over your soft tummy, your thighs, eventually landing to cup your chest. His nose nuzzles into the crown of your head, inhaling your shampoo, and the next thing he knows? His hips are swiveling softly into the plush of your ass.

When you get mad. He’s not capable of explaining why his body has the reaction it does. Other than the plain statement of “you’re hot when you’re mad.” Which isn’t a lie, Xavier finds you so hot when you’re angry. Seeing you so passionate about something that it gets your blood boiling? He’s thinking of ways to get you to cool down. How easily he could switch the downward tilt of your brows into something far more… relaxed… pleased… blissed out…

Sitting on his lap is a definite way to get his attention. Xavier can get a bit lost in his hobbies, whether it be reading or scrolling articles on his phone. Sometimes the call of his name doesn’t snap him out of his trance. But you know what does? Settling your pretty self on his muscular legs, a smile on your lips, your hands cupping his cheeks and guiding him up towards your glittery eyes. The weight of you on him, the warmth, the surprise of his train of thought being interrupted, all of it has his heart rate spiking. Until all he can see, hear, and feel is you.

Rafayel

Matching his energy can totally catch the artist off guard — the absolute best way. To be blunt, you’re able to match his freak so well he can’t help but get turned on at how in sync the two of you are. His beautiful bride, perfect in every way. When you two are so effortlessly on the same page, he finds himself struggling to keep his composure. Luckily for him, you always seem to know what he’s thinking without him so much as saying a word.

Willingly being his muse just might send Raf into a coma. Seeing you sprawled over his couch, barely dressed so he can do some anatomy sketches has him shifting uncomfortably on his stool. Your sweet smile, delicate and skilled hands, the way you whisper his name while he scribbles on his paper with a rosy blush on his cheeks. You’re just so effortlessly beautiful it drives him insane.

Noticing the smallest details about him will get his head spinning. Rafayel harbors a lot of mixed emotions regarding his past and he loves you wholeheartedly but sometimes he just can’t… let go. When you take the time to get to know him — or as much as he’s willing to give you — and you actually pick up on things that go unsaid? His head is spinning, his heart pounding, the seal on his chest burning brightly. He wants to devote himself to you, it’s just part of his nature at this point. Eventually, he’ll work through it all and give into what he needs most…

Zayne

Your laughter sends his heart into a nose dive. He’s never been one for jokes, his dry humor often carrying him through. But when he says something that genuinely has you belly laughing, his name a sweet melody on your lips as you try and contain your giggles? He’s shifting his legs to hide the growing tension between his legs. You look at him with such adoration, so sweet and delicate, he has to reign himself in before frost creeps up his neck.

Giving him your full attention when he begins to ramble about nerdy medical things definitely causes the surgeon to lose his train of thought. You may not understand the scientific terms he’s using, and you may feel a bit bad when he has to explain them again with simpler terminology, but your attention is undivided regardless. And Zayne notices, of course he does. His heart is pounding as he rattles off all of his fascinations — such as new research he’s compiled about neonatal heart defects. You’re so engaged with him, nodding along and even asking him some questions. He’s fighting the urge to kiss you senseless. After a long day you’re so willing to listen to him ramble on about his research? He’s going to marry you, and fuck you senseless for being such a good girl.

Taking care of him, such as shaving his face or washing his hair will have Zayne be putty in your hands. He does so much for others, puts so much care and effort into making their lives better. It’s only right that you step up and do the same for Dr. Zayne. Though, bless him, he didn’t expect you to straddle his lap and shave him with a straight razor. Didn’t expect to be engulfed by the sent of your perfume as you settle your weight on his legs and glide the razor over his skin. It’s intimate, the proximity of your bodies is close enough to generate some warmth. He’ll lose it before you’re able finish one side of his unshaven cheek.

Sylus

Skinship with the leader of Onychinus is pretty special. Sylus savors every second of it, given that your hands rarely touch him outside of holding his waist when on his bike. The feeling of your fingers on his cheeks, your legs caging his as you sit together on the couch, your fingers intertwining with his. He’s a goner, so touch starved it’s nearly pitiful. He’s always been a man of composure, but god dammit you’re just so soft compared to him. You’re so warm and smell so good and you’re just so… you’re so sparing with your touches. As if you’re hesitant, not sure if he’d want your hands on him in the first place. Drives him so insane, he craves to hold you close but doesn’t want to push you before you’re ready.

Seeing you wear clothes he picked out for you has Sylus adjusting his collar and inhaling deep through his nose. His mark is on you, even if it’s not on your skin, you’re dressed so beautifully. You match him, compliment him perfectly. You look so breathtaking he has to mentally pat himself on the back for having such damn good taste. Seeing you feel yourself in what he’s picked does wonders for his already big ego. Seeing you twirl and smile as you admire yourself in the dress, the skirt, the pants, the shirt, whatever he’s picked out for you for the occasion. It gives him a sense of pride, like he’s done good, and it’s a genuine plus that you look so goddamn perfect in every outfit.

Kissing his knuckles nearly sends him over the edge one night. You had finished cleaning some wounds while his evol recharged and sealed the deal with a gingerly placed kiss on his battered knuckles. Sylus nearly sees stars because of it, such an overwhelming surge of possessiveness and heat flooding his weary veins that he nearly pops a hard-on then and there on the floor.

Caleb

Stealing his clothing is something you’ve always done. Something about it being comfier, softer, smelling like him. God he doesn’t even care for the reason, he just knows you look so divine in his shirt, his boxers, his hoodie. So cute and small compared to him, marked as his for anyone who has the gracious opportunity to see you in such a state. He guesses it’s only fair you steal his clothes, since he has a small — but growing — collection of your panties—

Relying on him 100% would put Caleb on cloud nine. Giving up your tough guy act and simply putting all of your needs on him would have him struggling to keep his composure long enough to actually see the tasks through. Could be something as simple as asking him to cut up some fruit for you, could be as complicated as giving your bike a tuneup. Regardless, Caleb is blissed out and glossy-eyed as he shows his love for you in his favorite fashion.

Slipping into his bed in the middle of the night has been something you’ve done since childhood. Bad dream, can’t sleep, anxious or stressed, Caleb’s arms have always been your biggest comfort. He waits for it, waits for the creak of his door and your quiet whisper of permission. He craves the dip of his mattress, the weight and warmth of your body next to his under his sheets. He has to be mindful of where his hips land on you, purely out of fear that you might feel something you’re not supposed to just yet.

[madamechrissy]

Apparition! Toji

Pairings - Ghost! Toji x F! reader

Warnings- MDNI- lowkey a little somnophilia, Toji being a perv and watching you when you can't see him, jealous Toji, masturbation (m and f) fingering, oral (f receiving) him just being a whole fucking menace tbh lol, explicit sex, even Ghost Toji calls you doll, say hi to Gojo, some stuff in my brain that needed to come out lmao

Apparition! Toji who hates his existence until one day, trapped in this godforsaken old home, he sees that a gorgeous girl has moved in. Not just that, but you just happen to walk around naked half the fucking time or close to it, and that's when the after life gets a little more interesting, as he realizes - his cock gets hard still!?

Apparition! Toji loved fucking when he was alive, before he well... died... and it left him here for some reason, his old home. Vacant and boring, he couldn't leave the premises, aside from just around the yard, cursing and cussing his fate. But god you were something to watch, as you bounce around in just panties and your bra, singing poorly in the mirror- and that's when Ghost Toji realizes... he still leaks pre cum?

Apparition! Toji tests this, as he sits in the corner watching you in the room, slipping down the slutty grey sweats he died in, yep what you die in you're stuck in. His thick cock slaps his stomach, coating his black gym shirt in sticky precum coating it, and he can't stop the lewd moan that escapes his lips, staring at your ass. He strokes it up and down slowly, base to the tip, you pause your dance, as he tilts his head, looking at you - but then, you turn around.

Apparition! Toji pauses his movements, as you come close, far too close, murmuring to yourself - 'did I just hear a moan?' and he wonders- fuck, could you see him, stroking his cock while watching you, knowing you don't know? The thrill makes him realize his heart still beats, no it races, when you're so close he can feel you, before you turn your gaze to the window, it's storming again, Toji feels so much stronger when it does, he can't explain it. He continues stroking his cock as he looks at you, wishing he could fuck your pretty face, your cunt he's sure is as perfect as you.

Apparition! Toji grows to love watching you, especially since he can cum right with you, and he frequently does - you love to play with your pussy. 'Slutty brat, all f'me huh?' he whispers, and he swears you whine out a 'yes' at the perfect fucking time. But you tend to do it under those blankets, eyes shut in concentration, Toji wishes so badly he can touch you, but when he tries, it's like he can't actually feel you. However, one night, everything changes, as he's sitting there watching you once more.

Apparition! Toji strokes his cock a little slower, breath catching as he watches you rub your pussy then, moaning out loud. 'Fuck doll, take off the blankets' as if you hear him, you kick them off, slipping down your panties and giving him a hell of a view of your pretty pussy. He's spitting on his cock now, watching ass you sink two little fingers in your cunt, gasping and arching your hips off the bed, whining out. 'Mmh!'

Apparition! Toji sees you need some help, but he's sure he can't touch anything, he's tried many fucking times, only being able to alter some electric signals. But he's standing now, a big hand brushing your bare thigh, when he males contact. You're lost in pleasure, your eyes shut as he hovers over you, whispering in your ear. 'Fuck I'd love to fill your pretty cunt up' but you just feel the wind tickling your ear, opening your lips in a gasp as you cum. You're pulsing around your fingers, whining out while Toji busts all over his own hand, pressing a kiss on your cheek.

Apparition! Toji gets more energy, he gets more powerful, he thinks you can feel him at times, when you get a brush on your neck, on your breasts, when he grabs at that ass. He delights in driving you so insane, delights in watching you sleep, murmuring about ghosts. One night in your sleep, you're tossing and turning. You've gone and kicked off the blankets fully, thighs spread, and he can't stop himself from at least licking you off your inner thigh. When he does just that, licking a trail up to your panties, which are getting dark from your pooling arousal, he moans at your taste. You wake up then, see this dark haired man between your thighs, and scream.

Apparition! Toji covers your mouth with his big hand and somehow it works, you're panting as he disappears, you can't see him any more, but you feel him still, oh fuck you feel him. You watch in a mix of horror and desire as seemingly nothing is pulling your panties off, down your thighs, and you panic then. 'I'm losing my fucking mind I... ah!' You scream out when you feel it. A phantom tongue up your slit, your hands go to grab at something, but it's nothing but cold, unlike the hot wet tastebuds flicking your clit, you swear you feel teeth grinning against you. 'Oh god... fuck it, don't stop!'

Apparition! Toji smirks against your cunt, who knew the afterlife would be this fun? You're literally touching inside of his goddamn head, which only makes him leak against his sweats - luckily, the perk of being a ghost was they miraculously are clean soon after - and he's dying to bury himself inside you. You're losing your mind, surely, in some fucking dream, as the best oral of your life is from some... 'ghost!?' he chuckles, breath hot, you watch as your thighs are squished, fingerprints forming in bruises, gasping now. 'What the... ah!' you can't focus when the ghost or whatever this is laps at your cunt like a starved man, however.

Apparition! Toji has you cumming all over his face, sucking on your little clit and humming, and fuck if he can't still taste, because your sweetness sinks into his ghostly form. He presses a kiss, letting your thighs go and looking up at a girl who can't see him, as the thunder claps outside, the rain starting to pour, and you're gathering your sanity, while your cunt oozes out more wetness. If you told anyone this, you'd go straight to a padded room, so you try to shut your eyes, hoping it's a dream - despite you never wanting to wake from it, when the blanket is slid up your body with care, and you feel someone brush your hair off your forehead.

Apparition! Toji is too terrified after that night, what he felt was more than getting off to a pretty girl. He dreams of shit he can't have with you- can he still feel things!? And he knows it would be unfair to you, he's fucking dead after all, so he avoids you, completely, and for weeks you try to summon him back, hoping to tempt this ghost, to no avail. Finally going out one night with your friends, you stumble in the house as Toji waits, he loves to see you every single day, even if he's making his presence unknown, only for you to drag some fucking white haired man inside. Toji glares as he kisses on you, lifts you up, your thighs straddling his hips, your giggles echoing as you show him where your room is.

Apparition! Toji stomps behind you all, as you press the man down on the bed, long and lanky, and you're straddling him. His hands clench into fists when you start to undress him, ass arched in the air in a mini skirt, kissing down the pale man's body, as he whines out, and you're unbuckling him. His hands entangle in your hair, and Toji can't take it anymore, he shoves up your mini dress, finding your slutty soaked panties, and pulls them to the side, shoving two fingers inside you so deep you cry out at it. Head falling back, the man looks at you curiously with bright blue eyes. 'I'm not even touching you yet, how are you...' you shut your eyes, smiling, as Toji curls his fingers, smacking the fuck out of your ass now, stinging so good.

Apparition! Toji feels your gummy walls grip his fingers, and you have the audacity to say - 'I just get really into things' - you little fucking brat. He shoves his fingers even deeper when you're yanking down the man's pants, pressing kisses down his toned abdomen, but Toji does not let you get that far. 'you're so hot' the man's murmuring, when Toji yanks your ass off the bed. 'Oh! Are you okay?' The man sits up, frowning with worry, and your psycho ass laughs, pissing Toji off even more, when he yanks on your hair, but of course no one can see, only you know, he's still here. 'Just a moment, Gojo, okay?' he nods then, and you rush to the bathroom, smiling in the mirror, when he appears right behind you.

Apparition! Toji wraps his arms around you now, and you get a good look at his strong body, at a face you keep seeing in dreams, but it's in a deep fucking scowl now. 'The fuck you think you're doing?' when you hear him though, your surprise grips you, shaking as your eyes meet his in the mirror, but when you turn around, he's not even there, only in the reflection. 'You don't come see me anymore...' he sighs now, shaking his head, before lifting you in the fucking air like it's nothing, as you dangle off the ground. 'I was trying to be considerate, shit, but I see you wanna get fucked, don't you?'

Apparition! Toji chokes your pretty little throat as he sinks his fingers into your mouth, and you taste him for the first time, sweet and cool on your tongue. You manage a weak nod, when he's sunk his thick cock inside of you, holding you ascended while he fucks into your much smaller body, you're screaming out, likely scaring the shit out of poor Gojo, while he pumps in and out, you hear the squelching wetness of your cunt as you stare at his handsome features, and you're shuddering, pouring arousal all down his length. 'S-so big!' you're whining out, as he feels you, so tight, flipping you then so you can't see him and sitting you on the counter, sinking back into your perfect cunt.

Apparition! Toji mutters in your ear now - 'you're mine, doll, can't have you sucking some fucking man, can I?' - and you can still hear him, while he's pounding your cunt, but you can't see him, you just feel him, nodding desperately. 'threesome?' you tease, smirking, and he chokes that throat, pounding your cunt mercilessly, oxygen being sucked away while your ghostly lover wrecks your inner walls. 'That's enough, doll, fuck you s'good you forget anything' Toji finds out then, that when he busts inside you, you can see him - for just a moment, your eyes locking feels surreal, as he moans out, kissing your lips for the first time.

Apparition! Toji leaves your cunt leaking his cum, disappearing suddenly, and you curse, as Gojo knocks on your bathroom door - 'are you all right!?' - shit, shit, shit. You're looking around glaring - 'where did you go, what's your name!?' - your whispers are just met with Toji chuckling like the ass of a man he is. He thinks next time he'll tell you his name, but he needs to make sure you send this man home first, so he has you all to himself.

This was from a dream in my nap I took today aha, I know this is random as fuckk hehe if you want more of him lmkk <3

perm tags- @alt--er--love @nanasukii28 @cuntphoric @loafteaw @n1vi @miizuzu @beachaddict48 @honeybunnnnie @re-tired-succubus @gojosukuna2268 @waterfal-ling @1brii @wise-fangirl @moncher-ire @orikixx @uhnosav @baepsays @designerpvssy @orixxxana @airandyeah @nina-from-317 @evelynxxo @naammiii @soyokosuguru @espresso1patronum @tomboy-disaster @iam-souless @lanii-i @cristy-101 @doeeyestoji @cvixmei @mutsu422 @ivyvenus333 @g00seg1rl @suki91 @satoao-main @fairygardenprincesss @theonlyjuggernaut @huntyhuntycunty @lovelockdownff @ibreathesmut @s777athv @twinklywinkly @akiii143 @squeezyvalkyrie @cookielovesbook-akie @oinksa @grignardsreagent @raendarkfaerie @shokosbunny

[bewilderingbog]

i feel a very powerful urge to do some video editing. something involving mario and luigi is highly preferable, but idk what. i feel like i am going to explode :)

[bookishdiplodocus]

The Neurodivergent Writer’s Guide to Fun and Productivity

(Even when life beats you down)

Look, I’m a mom, I have ADHD, I’m a spoonie. To say that I don’t have heaps of energy to spare and I struggle with consistency is an understatement. For years, I tried to write consistently, but I couldn’t manage to keep up with habits I built and deadlines I set.

So fuck neurodivergent guides on building habits, fuck “eat the frog first”, fuck “it’s all in the grind”, and fuck “you just need time management”—here is how I manage to write often and a lot.

Focus on having fun, not on the outcome

This was the groundwork I had to lay before I could even start my streak. At an online writing conference, someone said: “If you push yourself and meet your goals, and you publish your book, but you haven’t enjoyed the process… What’s the point?” and hoo boy, that question hit me like a truck.

I was so caught up in the narrative of “You’ve got to show up for what’s important” and “Push through if you really want to get it done”. For a few years, I used to read all these productivity books about grinding your way to success, and along the way I started using the same language as they did. And I notice a lot of you do so, too.

But your brain doesn’t like to grind. No-one’s brain does, and especially no neurodivergent brain. If having to write gives you stress or if you put pressure on yourself for not writing (enough), your brain’s going to say: “Huh. Writing gives us stress, we’re going to try to avoid it in the future.”

So before I could even try to write regularly, I needed to teach my brain once again that writing is fun. I switched from countable goals like words or time to non-countable goals like “fun” and “flow”.

Rewire my brain: writing is fun and I’m good at it

I used everything I knew about neuroscience, psychology, and social sciences. These are some of the things I did before and during a writing session. Usually not all at once, and after a while I didn’t need these strategies anymore, although I sometimes go back to them when necessary.

I journalled all the negative thoughts I had around writing and try to reason them away, using arguments I knew in my heart were true. (The last part is the crux.) Imagine being supportive to a writer friend with crippling insecurities, only the friend is you.

Not setting any goals didn’t work for me—I still nurtured unwanted expectations. So I did set goals, but made them non-countable, like “have fun”, “get in the flow”, or “write”. Did I write? Yes. Success! Your brain doesn’t actually care about how high the goal is, it cares about meeting whatever goal you set.

I didn’t even track how many words I wrote. Not relevant.

I set an alarm for a short time (like 10 minutes) and forbade myself to exceed that time. The idea was that if I write until I run out of mojo, my brain learns that writing drains the mojo. If I write for 10 minutes and have fun, my brain learns that writing is fun and wants to do it again.

Reinforce the fact that writing makes you happy by rewarding your brain immediately afterwards. You know what works best for you: a walk, a golden sticker, chocolate, cuddle your dog, whatever makes you happy.

I conditioned myself to associate writing with specific stimuli: that album, that smell, that tea, that place. Any stimulus can work, so pick one you like. I consciously chose several stimuli so I could switch them up, and the conditioning stays active as long as I don’t muddle it with other associations.

Use a ritual to signal to your brain that Writing Time is about to begin to get into the zone easier and faster. I guess this is a kind of conditioning as well? Meditation, music, lighting a candle… Pick your stimulus and stick with it.

Specifically for rewiring my brain, I started a new WIP that had no emotional connotations attached to it, nor any pressure to get finished or, heaven forbid, meet quality norms. I don’t think these techniques above would have worked as well if I had applied them on writing my novel.

It wasn’t until I could confidently say I enjoyed writing again, that I could start building up a consistent habit. No more pushing myself.

I lowered my definition for success

When I say that nowadays I write every day, that’s literally it. I don’t set out to write 1,000 or 500 or 10 words every day (tried it, failed to keep up with it every time)—the only marker for success when it comes to my streak is to write at least one word, even on the days when my brain goes “naaahhh”. On those days, it suffices to send myself a text with a few keywords or a snippet. It’s not “success on a technicality (derogatory)”, because most of those snippets and ideas get used in actual stories later. And if they don’t, they don’t. It’s still writing. No writing is ever wasted.

A side note on high expectations, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism

Obviously, “Setting a ridiculously low goal” isn’t something I invented. I actually got it from those productivity books, only I never got it to work. I used to tell myself: “It’s okay if I don’t write for an hour, because my goal is to write for 20 minutes and if I happen to keep going for, say, an hour, that’s a bonus.” Right? So I set the goal for 20 minutes, wrote for 35 minutes, and instead of feeling like I exceeded my goal, I felt disappointed because apparently I was still hoping for the bonus scenario to happen. I didn’t know how to set a goal so low and believe it.

I think the trick to making it work this time lies more in the groundwork of training my brain to enjoy writing again than in the fact that my daily goal is ridiculously low. I believe I’m a writer, because I prove it to myself every day. Every success I hit reinforces the idea that I’m a writer. It’s an extra ward against imposter syndrome.

Knowing that I can still come up with a few lines of dialogue on the Really Bad Days—days when I struggle to brush my teeth, the day when I had a panic attack in the supermarket, or the day my kid got hit by a car—teaches me that I can write on the mere Bad-ish Days.

The more I do it, the more I do it

The irony is that setting a ridiculously low goal almost immediately led to writing more and more often. The most difficult step is to start a new habit. After just a few weeks, I noticed that I needed less time and energy to get into the zone. I no longer needed all the strategies I listed above.

Another perk I noticed, was an increased writing speed. After just a few months of writing every day, my average speed went from 600 words per hour to 1,500 wph, regularly exceeding 2,000 wph without any loss of quality.

Talking about quality: I could see myself becoming a better writer with every passing month. Writing better dialogue, interiority, chemistry, humour, descriptions, whatever: they all improved noticeably, and I wasn’t a bad writer to begin with.

The increased speed means I get more done with the same amount of energy spent. I used to write around 2,000-5,000 words per month, some months none at all. Nowadays I effortlessly write 30,000 words per month. I didn’t set out to write more, it’s just a nice perk.

Look, I’m not saying you should write every day if it doesn’t work for you. My point is: the more often you write, the easier it will be.

No pressure

Yes, I’m still working on my novel, but I’m not racing through it. I produce two or three chapters per month, and the rest of my time goes to short stories my brain keeps projecting on the inside of my eyelids when I’m trying to sleep. I might as well write them down, right?

These short stories started out as self-indulgence, and even now that I take them more seriously, they are still just for me. I don’t intend to ever publish them, no-one will ever read them, they can suck if they suck. The unintended consequence was that my short stories are some of my best writing, because there’s no pressure, it’s pure fun.

Does it make sense to spend, say, 90% of my output on stories no-one else will ever read? Wouldn’t it be better to spend all that creative energy and time on my novel? Well, yes. If you find the magic trick, let me know, because I haven’t found it yet. The short stories don’t cannibalize on the novel, because they require different mindsets. If I stopped writing the short stories, I wouldn’t produce more chapters. (I tried. Maybe in the future? Fingers crossed.)

Don’t wait for inspiration to hit

There’s a quote by Picasso: “Inspiration hits, but it has to find you working.” I strongly agree. Writing is not some mystical, muse-y gift, it’s a skill and inspiration does exist, but usually it’s brought on by doing the work. So just get started and inspiration will come to you.

Accountability and community

Having social factors in your toolbox is invaluable. I have an offline writing friend I take long walks with, I host a monthly writing club on Discord, and I have another group on Discord that holds me accountable every day. They all motivate me in different ways and it’s such a nice thing to share my successes with people who truly understand how hard it can be.

The productivity books taught me that if you want to make a big change in your life or attitude, surrounding yourself with people who already embody your ideal or your goal huuuugely helps. The fact that I have these productive people around me who also prioritize writing, makes it easier for me to stick to my own priorities.

Your toolbox

The idea is to have several techniques at your disposal to help you stay consistent. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by focussing on just one technique. Keep all of them close, and if one stops working or doesn’t inspire you today, pivot and pick another one.

After a while, most “tools” run in the background once they are established. Things like surrounding myself with my writing friends, keeping up with my daily streak, and listening to the album I conditioned myself with don’t require any energy, and they still remain hugely beneficial.

Do you have any other techniques? I’d love to hear about them!

I hope this was useful. Happy writing!