And why you should start doing them today.
“As you move toward a dream, the dream moves toward you.”
― Julia Cameron
When I first came across a book called The Artists Way by Julia Cameron, I was embarking on a self-help journey to get my life back together after losing my business, going in an insurmountable amount of debt and being an emotional wreck. And indeed, it was the best $15 I had ever spent.
The Artist’s Way, first published in 1992, is aimed at helping artists and everyday people who wish to live a fulfilled and creative life without boundaries. It is a guide for a 12 week creative recovery (I’ve been doing them for three years and not planing on stopping anytime soon), including different tasks that you do each week, however the main focus in on the morning pages, and they have proven themselves to be worth the effort the longer you stick with them.
What are Morning Pages?
Three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. Write whatever comes to mind. “If you can’t think of anything to write, then write, ‘I can’t think of anything to write…’ Do this until you have filled three pages. Do anything until you have filled three pages.” says Julia. There is no wrong way to do morning pages and the whole point is to not overthink them.
Why you should start writing the morning pages?
1. Morning pages set you up for a productive day.
Many of us wake up each day and immediately grab our phones or laptops before even brushing our teeth. For some, that may be a productive way to start a day but for most it has proven to be draining and unhealthy. By doing the morning pages first thing in the morning you are already on your way to have a productive and successful day. Grab a coffee, clear out your desk, tune out distractions and just write. You’ll be amazed how much your mood will change after just one session and you’ll be motivated to keep the work going thought your day.
2. Morning pages create a routine and establish healthy habits.
I’ve spent hours reading and researching the morning routines of highly successful people and although they may vary, most have one thing in common, healthy habits. The common include: journaling, exercising or meditating. Doing morning pages every day is a great way to create a healthy habit. It can also serve as a foundation to build more healthy habits, for example after you finish writing you immediately go for a 20 min walk in the park.
3. Morning pages clear your mind and help you stay focused.
In a world with constant distractions around us, it may be hard to filter out the noise and listen to our inner thoughts. Writing the morning pages trains your brain to focus on the page and let out all of the wandering thoughts that may have been fogging our minds. Whether it’s something small, like thinking about redecorating your room, or the big stuff, like how you’re going to pay off that crushing debt of yours, morning pages allows you to vent without an audience and make way for new thoughts and ideas.
4. Morning pages generate new ideas.
Ideas are the moving force of our world. Every little thing you see around you was once an idea in someone’s head. But good ideas can be hard to come by, especially when we intentionally look for them. You’ll notice when writing the pages, ideas will start to slip out of your subconscious mind and sneak onto the paper. Pay attention and when you notice them, underline them for future references.
5. Morning pages help you build emotional strength.
No matter what is going on in your life, morning pages allow you to get your emotions in check. We often ignore or suppress our emotions, and the build up can become a heavy load to carry. By letting it be known on the page, you acknowledge your feelings and emotions and you look for ways to deal with your pain and grievances.
6. Morning pages help you get to know yourself.
Sticking with morning pages can help you dig deeper into your inner self and find depths of your subconscious you never even knew existed. Most of us never know who we truly are on the inside, what our dreams or desires are. We are just people, flowing thorough life, doing our everyday stuff. But I am a firm believer that each of us has the key to unlock the higher power within ourselves. Maybe we’ll never truly know everything there is to know about oneself, but we can always get one step closer.
7. Morning pages get you in touch with your spirituality.
No matter your religious beliefs or non-beliefs, the morning pages will get you believing that there is a helping hand after all. The longer you keep up with them, express your dreams and fears, the more you’ll start to notice things appearing in your life. You may dismiss them as a pure coincidence at first, but rest assured, nothing about this world is a coincidence. When you let the universe know of your wishes, it will conspire to make them a reality.
8. Morning pages make you more creative.
“Creativity is a natural order of life. Life is energy, pure creative energy.” Julia writes in the book. No matter your occupation, the morning pages can help anyone unleash their inner creativity. We are creations ourselves, and each of us has a creative artist inside of us that is dying to come out. If you have been wanting to learn to play the piano or try out a new recipe, you’ll notice you naturally start to gravitate into action. And yes, the morning pages are responsible for that.
9. The morning pages can relieve stress and anxiety.
The simple act of moving your hand across the paper can be very soothing. No matter the mood you’re in at the beginning of each writing session, after finishing the morning pages you’ll find yourself to be more relaxed and mentally recharged, and even feel proud for finishing up a task you set upon yourself. So pat yourself on the back.
10. The morning pages teach you to finish what you start.
Many of us have started a project of our own and found ourselves abandoning it the moment it gets tough or boring. By doing the morning pages and having a clear goal of three pages in mind, you train your brain to get to the finish line. This trait can be applied to any area of your life and you will never find yourself abandoning a worthy goal again.
How do you write morning pages?
Do it first thing in the morning. When we wake up in the morning, our brain is still fresh and ready for stimulation. Wake up an hour early if you have to and fill up three pages of longhand writing in your notebook.
Do it by hand. The action of moving your hand across a page stimulates your subconsciousness and gives you time to process your thoughts into writing.
Write anything that comes to mind. The key about the morning pages is to not overthink what you are writing about. Nobody but you is allowed to read your pages, and you shouldn’t read them for the first 8 weeks. Be real and honest, this is only between you and God.
Create an inviting environment. Clean your desk the night before, buy yourself a new notebook and a nice pen, make a cup of coffee, put your phone away, turn of your computer and get to work.
Whatever the reason that brought you to start writing morning pages, they are worth the time and effort. You may find yourself skeptical at first, but the longer you keep up with them, the higher the payoff will be in your future.
If you’d like to get into more detail on this topic, I highly suggest getting the book and reading though the weekly chapters along with doing the tasks.
Happy writing!
