Your Anti-Friction Tool Box
“Your Anti-Friction Tool Box isn’t about fixing everything at once—it’s about giving yourself small, steady tools to lean on when life feels heavy. A breath. A page of writing. A stone in your pocket. Each piece is a reminder that you are still moving, still healing, still growing.”
Life is full of tension, resistance, and emotional weight—what I like to call “friction.” But friction isn’t always the enemy. It’s often a spark, a reminder, and an invitation to grow. Still, too much friction can wear us down, leaving us tired, stuck, or overwhelmed. That’s where your Anti-Friction Tool Box comes in.
This isn’t a literal box, but a collection of mindful practices, creative rituals, and grounding reminders you can return to when the world feels heavy. Think of it as your go-to kit for softening resistance and finding light again.
What Goes Inside Your Anti-Friction Tool Box?
A Breathing Ritual – Slow, intentional breaths to reset your nervous system.
Creative Outlet – A journal, sketchbook, or even a blank page for poetry. Let words or doodles carry the weight.
Anchor Objects – A stone, photo, or small keepsake that reminds you of your strength.
Movement Practice – A walk, a stretch, or a dance in your living room. Motion shakes off stagnation.
Gentle Affirmations – Notes to yourself that say: You are healing. You are growing. You are enough.
The beauty of this tool box is that it’s uniquely yours. Build it with what feels healing to you. Each item is a counterweight against life’s friction—a way to spark clarity, hope, and renewal.
Why It Matters
Healing doesn’t happen in a straight line. It comes in circles, stumbles, and pauses. With an Anti-Friction Tool Box, you’re giving yourself permission to rest, recalibrate, and find light in the dark.
Your healing journey deserves tools that support you, remind you, and carry you forward. Start small, add what works, and let this collection grow with you.
In Light N Love,
Alice McMurtry
DYI Project
“When you create an Anti-Friction Tool Box, you’re not just making a craft—you’re building a sanctuary in miniature. Each note, each object, each decoration becomes a reminder that healing isn’t out of reach. It’s right here, waiting in your hands.”
🎨 DIY Project: Your Anti-Friction Tool Box Craft
Project: Create a physical “Anti-Friction Tool Box” to keep near your writing desk, bedside, or favorite reading nook.
Materials Needed
A small box (wooden, cardboard, or even a decorated shoebox)
Paints, markers, or collage supplies
Glue or washi tape
Index cards or small slips of paper
A few comfort objects (stone, crystal, photo, craft feather, dried flower, etc.)
Journal or notebook (optional)
Steps
Decorate Your Box – Paint or collage the outside with images, words, or colors that make you feel grounded and hopeful. You might write your favorite line from Friction Strikes a Light Within on the lid.
Fill with Affirmations – On index cards, write down gentle reminders like “I am growing through this” or “Even friction sparks light.”
Add Anchor Objects – Place a stone, craft feather, or small memento inside to hold when you need grounding.
Tuck in Creative Sparks – Include a mini journal, blank slips of paper, or prompts to spark writing when you feel stuck.
Keep It Close – Store your Anti-Friction Tool Box where you’ll reach for it on difficult days.
✨ This project not only gives you a tangible reminder of your healing journey, but it also connects your creativity to self-care in a way that lasts.
📝 Crafting Your Own Anti-Friction Tool Box
Life gives us friction—moments of resistance, heartbreak, and tension that slow us down. But inside every moment of friction is also a spark: a chance to heal, grow, and create.
One of the most meaningful ways to honor this process is by crafting your own Anti-Friction Tool Box—a small, handmade kit filled with objects, words, and reminders that carry you through the hard days.
Decorate it with poetry lines, fill it with affirmations, and anchor it with objects that remind you of your strength. This tool box becomes more than a project—it’s a promise to yourself: you have light even when life feels heavy.
We’d love to see what you create! Share a photo of your Anti-Friction Tool Box with us and inspire others on their healing journey. Tag @ReadMyBookNet on social media or use the hashtag #MyAntiFrictionToolBox to be featured in our community spotlight. 💌✨
In Light N Love,
Alice McMurtry
5 Friction Fixers
5 Friction Fixers from Friction Strikes a Light Within
When I wrote Friction Strikes a Light Within, I wasn’t just writing poems. I was writing survival notes. I was writing sparks for anyone who has ever sat in heartbreak, uncertainty, or the quiet ache of becoming.
The truth is, friction doesn’t just break us — it shapes us. It strikes something alive inside us. And sometimes, all we need is a little reminder of how to find our way back to that fire.
Here are five friction fixers from the book that I hope will help you whenever life feels heavy:
1. Use your struggles as sparks.
Instead of seeing tension as something to avoid, ask what it might be creating in you. Pressure shapes stars, and it can shape you, too.
2. Let yourself be quiet.
Healing doesn’t have to look like productivity. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is rest, write a few lines, or sit still long enough to hear your own heart again.
3. See darkness differently.
What if the hard moments aren’t setbacks, but sacred turning points? Every ending carries the seed of a beginning.
4. Hold onto your people.
We all need someone who sees us when we forget our own light. Celebrate the friends who walk with you in every season — they’re part of your fire, too.
5. Remember your fire is still there.
Even when you feel burned out, that inner spark is waiting. It doesn’t disappear — it just waits for you to strike it alive again.
✨ If any of these friction fixers spoke to you, I hope Friction Strikes a Light Within will be a companion on your journey. It’s not just a poetry collection — it’s a reminder that you are already carrying the light you’re looking for.
In Light N Love,
Alice McMurtry