Just a Whirlwind of Thoughts
It’s 8pm.
I’ve stared at a blank screen more times than I care to admit today… asking myself: “What should I write about?”
I love writing… honestly, it’s therapeutic… (I call it writing therapy) When life is heavy (and boy, it’s been heavy lately), writing helps me process. It helps me breathe.
But today?
Nothing. Zilch. Not even a spark.
No clear topic. Just a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that feel too loud to write through… and too tangled to write about.
I wanted to write ahead, get a few blog posts scheduled, and feel like I was actually on top of things.
Instead, here I am… tired, emotionally wiped, and unable to figure out what I’m even trying to say.
Have you ever been there?
Maybe you finally carved out time to write… and then your brain just said, “Nope. Not today.”
And that blank screen? It starts to feel like a mirror reflecting your own exhaustion.
Is this what writer’s block feels like? I’ve known it before… but today, it feels heavier than usual.
“What’s Wrong With Me?”
Searching for things to write about, you open Pinterest for inspiration. You scroll through your notes app.
Maybe you even flip through that old “writing ideas” notebook, hoping something will click.
And instead of feeling refreshed or productive, you start to feel frustrated, guilty even… and you ask yourself…
“What’s wrong with me? I used to be so creative. Why is this so hard?”
Your mind is full… but it’s also frozen.
Too many feelings, too many thoughts… and nothing coming out clearly. You start to feel a little stuck, maybe even defeated.
And if you’re anything like me, that voice creeps in…
“I’m not cut out for this.”
“Real writers always know what to say.”
“What’s the point? No one’s reading anyway.”
But can I be honest with you?
That’s a lie.
Writing doesn’t always have to be polished. It doesn’t have to be good writing. It doesn’t have to be brilliant. Sometimes, the most meaningful words are the ones that come out of our most human moments.
Start There…
Even the stuck ones.
Especially the stuck ones.
But here’s what I’ve learned in these “stuck” moments…
Sometimes, the best stuff to write about… the best thing to write about…
is the fact that you don’t know what to write about. 💡
Because someone else is probably feeling the exact same way.
So if you’re sitting in front of your journal, or your blog, or even a scrap of paper… wondering what on earth to say…
Start right there. Write from the swirl. From the stuckness. From the real.
So what should you write about when you have no clue what to say?
Start there. Write about that.
The swirl. The fog. The blankness.
Write about how you’re tired and tender and don’t have the emotional energy to craft a masterpiece.
Because someone else is probably feeling the exact same way.
And you know what happens when you write from your real place?
You create connection.
You breathe honesty into a space that’s often filled with filters and facades.
Journal Prompts
And if you need a few gentle prompts to help loosen the fog, here are some ideas… These prompts don’t require perfect grammar or complete thoughts… just honesty.
📝 Quick Journal Prompts (or Writer’s Block Prompts), for When You Feel Blank or Burnt Out:
- What do I wish someone would say to me right now?
- If my heart had a voice today, what would it say?
- What feels like too much today? What feels like not enough?
- What would I write if I knew no one else would ever read it?
- What’s one small thing that brought me peace today?
- “Today, I just need someone to hear me say…”
- “I feel overwhelmed by ___, but I’m grateful for ___.”
- “If my heart could speak freely, it would say…”
- “One thing I’m carrying that I wish I could lay down is…”
- “Right now, I need less ___ and more ___.”
Let the words come out messy if they need to. They don’t have to be poetic words or anything fancy…
You don’t have to share them with the world. But maybe… just maybe… someone will be blessed if you do.
These aren’t just for journaling… they can become poetry, blog posts, prayers, or letters to your future self. Even ‘writing about yourself’ can be healing sometimes… Let them take the shape they need to.
And if all else fails?
Write down the sentence, “I don’t know what to write today.”
Then keep writing anyway.
Sometimes the words come when we stop trying to be perfect and just show up honest.
When you feel stuck on topics to write about, try returning to this list…
Go here for more journal prompts.
Need a gentle reset?
🌿 When your spirit feels empty, the Briliant app is full of daily encouragement and truth to remind you who you are in Christ.
🕊️ If your mind won’t stop spinning, the Pause app helps you breathe, re-center, and invite God into the chaos.
🌱 And when you’re totally overwhelmed… try grounding. Just step outside, take your shoes off, and let your feet touch the earth. It’s simple… but powerful.
I love this technique so much that I now use indoor grounding products as well, but I only trust this company.
Next Steps
Writing doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
You’re not failing because your brain feels fuzzy. You’re not less creative because you needed a breather.
You’re human.
And if today’s writing looks more like scribbles than a story, it still matters. 💛
If you need some encouragement for your next step, visit my Start Here page. It’s where I’ve gathered the baby steps that helped me finally move forward… through grief, burnout, and “blank screen” days just like this one.
You don’t have to do it all today.
But you can take one step.
Final Thoughts
Friend, if you’re feeling stuck… you’re not alone.
You don’t need a perfect outline. You don’t need the “right” topic.
You just need to be real.
Let your words be the bridge from your heart to your healing.
One sentence at a time. I’ll be here, writing right alongside you.
Until next time…