What Are Morning Pages? The Benefits of Expressing Your Creativity in the Early Morning
Whether you're an artist or a businessman, everyone has some amount of creativity. That's part of the human experience. For many people, it helps to have a creative outlet on a regular basis. It can be soothing, clarifying, and help you come up with more creative ideas throughout the day. One way to do that is through morning pages!
Morning pages is a habit created by Julia B. Cameron, a teacher, writer, filmmaker, composer, journalist, and author of The Artists' Way. The practice is to write three pages by hand, stream of consciousness style, first thing in the morning. Just write whatever comes to mind. As her website explains: "there is no wrong way to do Morning Pages - they are not high art. They are not even 'writing.' They are about
anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes
only."
This soothing practice can become an essential part of your morning routine, so let's dive into the benefits:
Reduces Anxiety
Many practitioners of Morning Pages have been delighted to find that the practice actually helps with their anxiety. Sometimes it can simply feel as though there is too much going on in your head. By writing it all out on paper, in a private and unrestrained way, you can channel that feeling and get it out of your system. It may also make your problems look a little more manageable, once they're laid out in front of you instead of swirling around your mind.
Sets the Tone For the Day
Morning pages are meant to be done first thing in the morning. Since you're simply writing stream of consciousness, you may find yourself writing about what you need to do for the day, what you're looking forward to or what you're anxious about. This can help you to prioritize your day and make a plan as you go along. And even that act of having a moment of peace to sit and write out your thoughts as your first act of the day can help to set the tone for the rest of the day.
Clears Your Mind
Think of morning pages as a way to declutter your mind. As you sweep through all your thoughts and put them on paper, you leave your mind clear and refreshed. This can be an especially helpful practice if you need to focus for the day, or if your thoughts tend to be too loud as a rule.
Helps You Know Yourself Better
As you simply let your thoughts flow onto the page, you may find yourself writing some things that surprise you. This is because by committing to write three pages each day, you have to really look around the corners of your psyche you might not otherwise touch. This can help you get to know yourself better, which is incredibly important for setting goals and motivating yourself for the life you want to live.
Helps You Face Your Demons
No one else is meant to read your morning pages. They're for you only, so you have the freedom to write about whatever you want. This can be cathartic for some, allowing them to face things that would otherwise be uncomfortable in a safe space. Rather than fighting off those uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, you simply take the time to acknowledge them and understand them. You are able to make peace with yourself - all of yourself.
Are morning pages something that could help you? We'd love to know! Another similar practice that can be combined with morning pages is keeping a dream journal, which you can find from Motivation Depot's shop! Start by recording your dreams and let that flow into an open exploration of your thoughts and feelings. With these two practices underway, you'll be ready for whatever the day throws at you!
