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In this post, we are going to discuss how morning pages can help you focus your mind while sparking creativity. We will discuss what morning pages are and why you should do them, and then we’ll give some pointers on how to start your own practice of writing three pages every day. Don’t forget to share your pictures of your morning pages on social media and tag A More Beautiful Life Collective there.
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I woke up in the morning and immediately my eyes flew open, heart racing. I sat up, feeling like the world was about to explode – but really that feeling was only nestled inside my mind. I was racing, a million miles a minute. Even though in reality, I was in the quiet, dark of my bedroom with the rest of my house sleeping, having pleasant dreams.
Our realities often are skewed by the weight of our expectations and regrets.
Between the constant ping of notifications on my phone, the unread books and mail towering in the distance, the constant thrum of noise in the background from podcasts, TV, and the road beyond, it felt like the world was trying to beat the door down and invade my thoughts. I had allowed myself to believe that I needed to be ever available to the world, even though the world didn’t need me at that moment. There was a certain level of codependency – me believing that the world would crumble if I turned my focus towards myself, my home, and my family, and the world hungrily consuming any attention that I sent its way. Without clear boundaries, I had caused my brain to feel overloaded and panicked. I was drowning even though at that moment everything was okay. I wasn’t needed by anyone.
This information overload is common in modern society and can happen to anyone because of never-ending demands, noise, and technology. We have to create specific boundaries on our time to make sure that we are not allowing ourselves to be lost in the wave of distractions. Since we’ve been discussing habits and morning routines, one new habit that I have incorporated into my life is my morning pages. This little habit can transform your life.
Morning Pages? What’s that?
Morning Pages was developed by writer Julia Cameron. She wrote the book The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. In her book, she details practices that help people to achieve their creative potential, like the artist dates and other practices. Morning Pages is one of the keystone habits that she recommends.
Basically, Morning Pages are exactly what they sound like. It is a daily practice of sitting down to write three pages every morning. Importantly, these pages are not supposed to be a blog post, a devotional, a series of formulaic prayers, or a diary. It is a place for stream-of-consciousness writing. There is no right way or wrong way. Basically, every thought you have during your time of morning pages should be written out on the page in long hand. It is like a brain dump of thoughts first thing in the morning. The only requirement is the length. Three whole pages every day.
As Julia Cameron says, “Each morning, as we face the page, we meet ourselves. The pages give us a place to vent and a place to dream. They are intended for no eyes but our own.” Our morning pages can give us a window into our minds.
Why Should You Start Doing Morning Pages?
Doing Morning Pages daily provides many benefits.
- Morning Pages provide a ‘clearing exercise.’ Everyday you get out the negative thoughts and feelings as well as the to-do’s that swirl around in your mind. You are getting them out of your mind and on to the page.
- Morning Pages connect the dots for you. Charlotte Mason says, “Education is the science of relations.” We are constantly taking in information, through news, blogs, podcasts, and books. Sometimes I feel like I am drinking through a fire hose. If I never stop to think about all the great things I am listening to and learning, I forget it. Morning Pages gives me a moment where I can write down and consider what is going on in my brain. I see patterns and connections I would never have thought of if I just kept ingesting more information.
- Morning Pages create new ideas. Before staying home, I was an English Teacher. One of the popular practices we learned was to encourage our students to keep a writer’s notebook. The writer’s notebook was supposed to be a collection of journals, poems, and story ideas, but really the main purpose was to get my students to write. We know that writing is generative. Writing creates more writing. The more that you write the easier it is. And the more that you write the more that you think.
- Morning Pages open a window to the soul. They allow you to learn more about who you really are. Through morning pages, you are confronted with your own thoughts and are forced to write them down. They become objects that you inspect and decide what to do with. You may see that you need to declutter your mind. Or you may see that you need to get rid of some of your traits. There may be insights into what you love and what brings you joy.
Morning Pages have been a practice that has given me more creativity, insight, and joy. Yes, I don’t do them every day, but when I do, I notice a difference in my mental health and the amount of mental ‘noise’ I have in my mind. When I do them, I feel as though I can be more present in my everyday life. I cut through all of the things that seem pressing (but truly aren’t) and I can zero in my focus on what I want to accomplish, being a good mom to my kids, a loving wife to my husband, and a writer that can get things done not just scroll facebook.
If you are a writer, teacher, or creator (of anything! – even if it’s not your full-time job), you should be doing morning pages to make new insights. If you feel like you are stuck in a rut, have writer’s block, or just generally feel ‘blah’ about life, you should be doing morning pages to work through those feelings. Morning pages is for everyone.
As you start to consistently practice morning pages, you’ll find yourself thinking more deeply about life while also remembering more of what you are currently learning. You’ll be able to think more easily about the needs of your families, and you’ll meet those needs because you are practicing the art of noticing.
How to do morning pages
Writing morning pages is pretty simple. On the days that I do my morning pages, I practice my morning routine – my system of habit stacking to get all the things donw that I want to do in the morning. I always start with my morning devotions. So after I finish those at my kitchen table, I go to sit on my couch and start writing. I simply put the date at the top and then write down the first thing that comes to mind.
Most of the time the first thoughts are about what I did the day before. I was an avid journaler in my middle school and teen years, so journaling about my day feels like stepping back into well-worn shoes. Julia Cameron starts her morning pages by saying, “Good morning. I’m tired.” You may spend the next few paragraphs writing about your to-dos or your squabbles with friends or families. Sometimes your morning pages may turn into a series of prayer requests as you process the day.
Generally, I find that the first page or so is always a series of disjointed thoughts. I am just processing. However, just like with conversation – where you need at least 7 minutes to get it started, morning pages ‘get good’ about two pages in. This is where I always find my mind starts to get fired up and the connections start to happen. When I finish the third page, I’ve surprised myself with what I’ve written.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to publish anything I’ve written during my morning pages time and win awards. But, the thoughts are there and they provide fodder for accomplishing what I need to do – whether that’s solving a relationship problem, thinking of a new blog or podcast idea, or working through some way to help my church or other areas of life.
This being said, one practice that will help you get the most out of your morning pages is to regularly review them. Like a to-do list, your morning pages act as a brain dump. You may be surprised by the things you learn. It provides data for what concerns you, what interests you, and the next steps you may need to take in life. Though Julia Cameron states you shouldn’t read through the pages, I think that this is a valuable and necessary step. I would say that you should reread them maybe once a month. Enough time has gone by that the pages are not fresh in your mind. The emotional dust has settled, so to speak. At this point, you have the benefit of hindsight that will help you to sift through what you need to accomplish based on what you wrote about in your morning pages, and you can identify patterns and repetition in your writing to clue you in to ‘next steps’ for your life.
Morning Pages Supplies
- A great notebook
- Leuchturm Notebooks are a personal favorite. I love to use them for Bible Study, and I’ve used them for bullet journaling. The small size might make it easier to start your morning pages.
- This notebook has more pages and great reviews on amazon.
- If you are looking for a challenge, you can start your morning pages practice with a larger notebook. This just means you’ll have more insights at the end of your writing.
- Some great pens
- A warm drink. My personal favorite is coffee, but tea works too.
- Cozy place to sit
- Roughly 20-30 minutes in the morning
Morning Pages can be a life-changing habit that can increase your creativity, productivity, and joy. It is a simple practice that is very forgiving. But, it can lead to change and personal growth.
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