Tiny Shifts to Joy.
One Year of Noticing, Presence,
and Creative Renewal
Writing asks a lot of the heart, body, and mind.
This year-long email course helps refill your creative well by guiding you to notice small joys—just 1% more each day. With simple weekly prompts, you’ll discover how fear, stress, and overwhelm can soften into calm, resilience, and steadiness, one moment at a time.
Is this you?
You want to write, but your attention is stretched thin, your days move too quickly, and your creative energy is often the first thing to disappear.
When you find precious time, overwhelm, self-doubt, or perfectionism make it hard to begin, return to, or finish your projects.
Still, small moments call to you
a child’s curious question,
a passing van that reminds you of a neighbor from long ago,
the scent of bread
—and you feel the ache to slow down and write from these inspired moments.
Imagine how different your creative life would be if you experienced:
Mornings with intentionality, not that familiar sense of being behind from the start.
Days with moments of wide-open spaciousness.
Evenings like a soft exhale.
This isn’t wishful thinking.
This is groundedness.
This is what’s possible when you
Shift your attention away from stressors and onto what lights you up—just 1% more each day.
The solution: a gentle, steady practice.
Tiny Shifts to Joy is a year-long writing and noticing practice led by me, Rumi Tsuchihashi, designed to help you reconnect with your creative spark in small, sustainable ways.
Instead of pushing harder or trying to “fix” your writing life, this practice invites you to shift your attention just a little each week. No pressure. No performance. No complicated system to keep up with.
By reinvesting just 1% more of your attention into joy—and 1% less into worry, stress, or self-doubt—you begin to refill your creative well.
Small shifts add up. And over time, they create something surprisingly steady: clearer focus, more presence, and a writing rhythm that feels doable and nourishing.
Along the way, we’ll explore the idea of shiawase 幸せ, a Japanese word that blends happiness, meaning, and inner peace. It’s that grounded, quietly joyful feeling that doesn’t come from accomplishing more, but from being more attuned to your own life.
As these shifts take root, you’ll begin to feel capable of weathering any setback to your writing schedule or goals, and riding the wave when the flow is there.
What to expect from our year together.
A writing rhythm you can actually keep.
A relaxed weekly practice that helps you stay connected to your writing without pressure, guilt, or perfection.
Clarity that comes from Slowing Down.
By pausing weekly to reflect, you begin to see patterns, truths, and insights that have been trying to reach you for years.
More presence.
Tiny daily noticing shifts your attention toward what feels alive, giving you more clarity, calm, emotional steadiness, and energy to write.
More Trust in Your Voice.
As you write repeatedly from tiny moments, you’ll access a gentleness that helps your storytelling flow with ease.
Growing awareness of what matters.
Shifting your attention 1% at a time helps you recognize the easily overlooked details that nourish you and your writing.
Joy that isn’t dependent on Output.
The practice of paying attention will subdue the voice of the “productivity monster” so joy can flow from being.
How exactly does Tiny Shifts to Joy work?
Tiny Shifts to Joy is a year-long writing and noticing practice that supports your creativity through small, steady moments of attention.
Every Sunday for a full year, you’ll receive a short email from me with:
A small story or reflection
A simple prompt to help you notice a tiny moment in your life
A gentle invitation to shift your attention just 1% toward joy, creativity, and aliveness
Over time, these micro-attentions help you build a sustainable creative rhythm, one that strengthens presence, steadiness, and joy.
From there, you can participate in two ways:
Option 1: The Core Practice
Ideal if you want a quiet, self-guided way to deepen your writing and presence.
You’ll receive all weekly emails and prompts for twelve months — a steady companion that builds your creative rhythm, one moment at a time.
Option 2: The Coaching Practice
Perfect if you want support, accountability, and a sense of being seen along the way.
Each week, you’ll have the option to reply to three short questions about what you noticed and what you’re exploring. I’ll read your reflections and send back a thoughtful, personalized response. Once a week for a whole year, I will witness and guide your unfolding practice.
Both tiers honor the same philosophy: small shifts, repeated with care, become something quietly powerful.
There are no meetings to schedule, no extra groups to join, or unfamiliar tech platforms to sign up for (that’s right, no additional passwords to memorize!) All you need is a working email address.
By the end of the year, you’ll have built a writing rhythm rooted in presence, steadiness, and the creative life you actually want to live.
Three reasons why this works:
Tiny shifts compound. A 1% reinvestment of your attention toward joy, presence, and creativity accumulates over a year ( a subtle but unmistakable change.
This practice doesn’t require more effort, more time, or being a different person.
You come home to yourself: steadier, clearer, more present, and more connected to your writing life.
Why work with me?
If you’re here, you likely carry a vivid inner world under the weight of busy days, demands, and expectations. I so get this conundrum! I spent decades struggling to stay connected to my spark.
In that struggle to snatch bits of creative expression, I began to notice how potent and meaningful tiny moments are. It turns out, they make for powerful writing and a meaningful life! So, I had to share this discovery with fellow writers and creative souls.
With me, you’ll receive:
Compassionate witnessing of your stories, questions, and fears
Soft accountability that helps you stay connected to your creative rhythm
A practice of slowing down, so writing feels like nourishment, not a demand
Support that honors you as a whole person, not just a writer
My credentials and creative background:
I’m the author of three books of tiny, true stories exploring belonging, memory, motherhood, and the small luminous details of everyday life, and the editor of the real-life story anthology What Is Love? My micro-essay “Where Our Palms Touch” appeared in The New York Times (Modern Love). I’m also an experienced coach and developmental editor for personal narrative writers seeking clarity, structure, and steady guidance.
A bit about me:
I was born in Japan and raised in the U.S., a cross-cultural life that shaped how I notice the world.
I’m a mother of two, and a lifelong collector of tiny moments.
Though I wasn’t named after the Sufi poet, people delight in seeing overlaps to “the other Rumi,” and I enjoy basking in the anointed light.
Don’t take my word for it.
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“Rumi is a gem. She has a calm and deeply thoughtful presence. She’s a master at bringing you out of your shell and beautifully packaging your authentic strengths.”
Marci Tonnemacher,HR Director, mathematician, and artist
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“Working with Rumi led to the beginning of my new identity and life based on slowing down, authenticity, and what brings me joy.”
Cicely Green, LCPC, RYT-200
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“Rumi is an incredible teacher of what happens when we shift our focus and see what really matters.”
Caroline Harvey, Communications Coach
Your investment.
Finding a steadier creative rhythm doesn’t require overhauling your life.
It begins with a single commitment to pay gentle attention — week by week, moment by moment.
Choose the level of support that fits your season:
Tiny Shifts to Joy — Core Practice
A quiet, affordable way to build a writing habit that nourishes you.
Weekly story + prompt delivered to your inbox
Three reflection questions to guide your noticing
Builds presence, clarity, and creative steadiness
Perfect if you want structure and consistency without coaching
$97 for the full year
(That’s less than $2/week for a grounded, nourishing creative practice.)
Tiny Shifts to Joy — With Coaching
A year of personalized guidance and gentle accountability.
Everything in the Standard tier
Weekly email support from me
Thoughtful, tailored replies to your reflections
A steady companion as you deepen your writing and creative rhythm
Ideal if you want encouragement, clarity, and connection along the way
$697 for the full year
Monthly payment plans available.
A note on your investment.
Tiny Shifts to Joy is intentionally priced to lower the barrier to long-term, sustainable creative care. Whether you choose the Standard or Coaching tier, you’re stepping into a year that prioritizes presence, small moments, and a writing life that nourishes you.
Your opportunity awaits.
This program is only offered once a year at the start of the lunar new year.
The doors open on January 28, 2026.
I invite you to take the first step towards filling your creative well.
Imagine yourself in early 2027, looking back on the year and realizing how much calmer, more present, and joyful you’ve become. You didn’t believe a little shift in what you pay attention to could ground you, expand your sense of spaciousness, and give you the power to carry out your creative vision, but here you are, living proof that little things add up to significant transformation.
I want this for you.
I would be honored to serve as your guide.
Make this the year you finally step off the hamster wheel and into the writer’s life you’ve been yearning for.
Frequently asked questions.
Who is this program for?
This practice is for anyone who wants to write — or write more consistently — but struggles to find calm, time, or clarity in a full life. Many participants are sensitive, thoughtful people with busy weeks and vivid inner worlds. You do not need to consider yourself a “real writer.” If you notice small moments and want to tend to them with care, you belong here.
Do I need writing experience to join?
No. Tiny Shifts to Joy is built on the belief that your voice is already enough. You don’t need to be published, polished, productive, or confident. You just need curiosity and a willingness to notice tiny moments.
Do I need to attend meetings or schedule calls?
No. This program is entirely asynchronous, meaning no meetings or calls to worry about. You’ll receive prompts and feedback via email, making it easy to participate at your convenience.
How much time does this take each week?
Most participants spend 5–15 minutes on the weekly reflection — sometimes more if they feel inspired. This is intentionally a low-pressure rhythm: small inputs, gentle compounding impact.
What’s the difference between the two tiers?
Core Tier– $97/year
Weekly email with a short story and prompt
A simple three-question reflection ritual
No deadlines, no pressure, no meetings
Coaching Tier – $697/year (or monthly)
Everything in the Standard tier
PLUS weekly one-on-one email coaching from me
Personalized reflections, guidance, and gentle accountability
Support for mindset challenges or creative blocks.
Do I have to complete every week?
No. Life gets full. Some weeks you may write a lot; some weeks you may write a single sentence. Nothing breaks. The practice is resilient — you simply return when you can..
What if I fall behind or stop for a while?
You can pick up again at any time. There is no “behind” here — only returning. Many participants take breaks and ease back in when life allows; the course is designed to support imperfect, human rhythms.
Can I join from outside the U.S.?
Yes. Everything is delivered asynchronously via email, and we welcome participants from all time zones.
When does the program begin and end?
The 2026–2027 cohort begins February 15 and runs for a full year. You’ll receive one email each week for 52 weeks. Coaching-tier participants receive individualized responses throughout the year.
What will I walk away with at the end of the year?
Most participants finish the year with:
A steadier writing rhythm
A deeper sense of presence
A well of tiny moments to draw from
More calm, clarity, and inner spaciousness
A creative practice that feels doable and personal
A renewed trust in their voice
You won’t “fix” your life . Instead, you’ll learn to be present to—and powerfully write the story of your life from—the small moments that shape it.
What if I’m Already in a writing program or a storytelling community?
Tiny Shifts to Joy pairs beautifully with other creative work because it doesn’t add pressure or big assignments. It supports your current writing life by strengthening presence, attention, and creative energy.
How transformative can coaching be with one brief email exchange a week?
Much more transformative than you think. I’m known for short, potent communication. I will name the theme, the common thread, and the underlying pattern I see. My gentle suggestions will be digestible and offer a focal point. You’ll usually get more than enough food for thought for a week. But if you’ve run into a big block, I can offer you a package of in-depth Zoom coaching sessions for an additional fee.
Is this therapy or a mental health program?
No — although it can feel grounding and supportive, Tiny Shifts to Joy is not therapy. It’s a creative noticing practice rooted in writing, reflection, and gentle presence. Coaching feedback focuses on creativity, clarity, and attention.
Last words.
Whether you enroll in Tiny Shifts to Joy or find another path forward, please don’t let another year pass without investing in being who you truly are.
Shiawase, the ability to savor the sweet joy that’s already here, is your birthright. It’s been there all along. I want you to recover it from the talons of grind culture.
You can hold everything that comes your way—the sorrows, the tender rage, and the responsibilities—without losing out on joy.
Please let 2026 be the year to take shiawase 幸せ seriously and write your heart out.
And if you do join Tiny Shifts to Joy, you’re in for a luxurious treat. I will take care of you. And you’ll grow more authentically you, one day, one week at a time. You’ll be the lighthouse, the positive ripple effect-maker you and the world have been waiting for.
Thank you for saying yes. We’ll begin on February 15, 2027.
