054 | The Year I Learned to Listen to Myself

This episode marks the beginning of a new chapter. After a year of recording, reflection, and learning out loud, Denaige looks back on what Emotional Organization taught her — not about emotions, but about thinking, integrity, and what it really takes to find your own voice.

She shares the story behind starting the show from her floor in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, surrounded by sawdust, dogs, and unfinished sentences, and the unexpected evolution that followed. What began as an exploration of emotion became a study in systems, ethics, and critical thinking — and eventually, a bridge to something new.

As she closes this first chapter, Denaige invites listeners to join her for The Good Think — a new podcast about exploring what matters, thinking clearly in a noisy world, and learning how to reason through complexity together.

In This Episode:

• The real story behind how Emotional Organization started

• What burnout after a PhD actually feels like

• The disillusionment that sparked honest storytelling

• How editing became a form of therapy and self-awareness

• Why emotions are data — and how they connect to reasoning

• The moment Denaige realized the world doesn’t just need emotional intelligence — it needs better thinking

• A first look at what’s next: The Good Think

Key Takeaway:

Clarity doesn’t come from planning — it comes from practice.
This isn’t an ending; it’s a pivot toward deeper, more critical reflection — toward learning how to understand, not just feel.

Memorable Quote:

“People don’t need more theory. They need truth — the kind that lives between the frameworks, in the messy middle where we all actually live.”

Next Episode:

🎙️ The Good Think: Pre-Launch
Join Denaige next week for an inside look at The Good Think — what it is, how it works, and why critical thinking has never been more necessary (or more human).

Connect & Explore:

• Read related writing on Rabbit Holes → www.eihq.ca

• Follow Denaige on Instagram → @denaigemcdonnell 

• Listen, share, and leave a review to help others find the show