Writing Through Life’s Storms: How to Show Up When It’s Hard

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Dear Joyvity™ Friends,

Some days, it feels like normal life to show up at the page. The coffee is warm, the clicking on the keyboard is like a tiny drum indicating progress, and the words multiply on the page.

But then there are the other days. The hard days. The days when life pulls the rug out from under you — grief, change, fear, fatigue, or that heavy fog of not knowing what’s next.

And yet… the writing is still there, waiting for you…blinking at you like the cursor, waiting for the next letter.

This blog is for those days — when your heart is cracked open, your mind is scattered, or you feel like there’s no space for creativity in the middle of the mess. Writing through life’s storms isn’t about productivity. It’s about anchoring yourself through words — not perfectly, just truthfully. Let them express all you don’t even know how to feel or process. Make that cursor advance on the page to take you through the processing.

Here are some gentle strategies to help you keep writing when it’s hard:

1. Lower the Bar. Gently.

If you can’t write a page, write a sentence.
If you can’t write a sentence, write a phrase.
Let the act of showing up — even briefly — be the win. This isn’t the time for ambitious word counts. It’s about staying connected to the creative thread, no matter how fragile.

2. Let the Writing Hold You (Not the Other Way Around)

You don’t have to hold everything together before you write. Let writing be the place where you fall apart. Let it catch you. Let it hear what no one else knows how to hold. Even if it’s messy, private, or never meant to be shared — let the words do the witnessing.

3. Use Prompts That Feel Like Emotional Anchors

When your mind feels foggy, structured prompts can help. Some gentle starters:

• “Right now, I feel…”

• “I wish someone would say…”

• “If my characters could carry this pain for me, they would…”

• “Even in this moment, I still believe…”

These are not just writing tools — they’re emotional lifelines.

4. Make the Environment a Safe Place

On tough days, your writing ritual matters more than ever. Wrap yourself in a blanket. Light a scent that feels like home. Let the mug warm your palms. Choose music that steadies you. Make your space soft enough that the words feel safe to emerge.

Let your writing rituals create your temporary safe space away from the mess, for while. Let them hold you for that time – the mess will still be there. But for now, step into your world that knows you the best.

5. Don’t Force Meaning Too Soon

Grief and uncertainty don’t always resolve neatly on the page. You may not yet know what the moment is teaching you. That’s okay. You don’t have to extract a lesson. Just write through it. Clarity will come later — your only job is to witness the now.

6. Let Your Characters Feel What You Can’t Say

If you’re working on a story, let your characters be your proxy. Give them the ache. Let them wander through fog or loss or confusion. Sometimes, this sideways storytelling gives you just enough distance to express the truth safely. Maybe your characters develop an arc you hadn’t expected - and in doing so, they help you work on your own.

7. Find a Soft Accountability

On stormy days, private goals can collapse under emotional weight. Instead, find soft accountability:

• A friend you text: “Wrote 3 lines today.”

• A journal where you check off a heart for each writing day.

• A sticker, a candle, a note on your wall — anything that gently says: You showed up.

8. Routine Is a Lifeboat

When everything else is uncertain, let your writing routine be your small act of steadiness.
Even ten minutes at the same time each day can root you. Add grounding details: a time, a scent, a small ritual. A candle lit. A mug held. An hourglass turned.
Those little moments become anchors — reminders that something still holds.

Here are mine – time-tested, and true. When I use them, life feels predictable for a moment, no matter what’s going on outside. The mess is still at the door. I am on the other side, safe for a moment.

Featured Tools for Your Writing Ritual

In case you would like some inspiration for some of the tools that could anchor you when you write, here are some of mine:

1. A Candle That Grounds You

Choose a scent that signals focus — sandalwood, lavender, or something personal that reminds you of warmth and stillness.

See price + more photos on Amazon

2. A Ceramic Mug That Feels Like Yours (Unisex)

There’s something grounding about holding the same mug every day — it becomes part of your creative identity.

See price + more photos on Amazon

3. An Hourglass That Binds Your Time

Flipping an hourglass at the start of your writing block turns time into something tangible — a visual ritual that signals focus, presence, and the gentle pressure of now.

See price + more photos on Amazon

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be strong to write.
You don’t have to feel inspired. You just have to arrive at your daily writing time.
And even if the words come slow, or strange, or few — they still matter.

Storms pass. And when they do, you’ll have a small map of where you’ve been — written in your own voice, carried by your own hand.

Wishing you steady breath, soft courage, and quiet words — especially on the hard days.
With you, always —
Ana