How Morning Pages Invited Success into My Life
Toward the end of 2021 I was talking to someone about creativity and she asked me if I had ever heard of morning pages. I hadn’t. She described them as a stream of consciousness done in writing first thing in the morning to clear your head, and thus, invite creativity throughout the day. I heard her, but had no intention of beginning this practice. It seemed redundant given that I already journaled when I had something that I wanted to write or needed to process. Then, 2022 came and I experienced a hardship that propelled me into this daily practice, and my life has benefited immensely as a result.
Morning pages were coined by Julia Cameron and are part of her The Artist’s Way philosophy. She proposes that we spend every morning writing, by hand, three pages containing anything and everything. In her words, “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. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand.”
My “morning pages” aren’t technically “morning pages” because the length is not always consistent. Some mornings I write more, some less, but I have committed myself to writing every morning and every evening. Every morning I write as a promise to myself, a sort of dedication and commitment to me. What has transpired has been beautiful; it feels as if I’ve manifested success into my life.
My morning journaling is broken down into three main sections:
Stream of Consciousness and Current State of Being
Almost every entry starts with “I am tired.” It’s not profound, it’s not grateful, it’s not something I would particularly want someone else to read, but it’s honest, it’s present, and it gets me started in the mindset of journaling. I simply begin describing what I’m thinking and whatever comes to mind.
I like to think of this section as a sort of introduction, a welcoming to my morning and to my pages. It’s simply an invitation to begin my writing and my day.
Goals
Once my thoughts begin to slow and my mind feels a little more awake, I turn my attention to what I want from the day. Usually I start with my “to do” list type goals. What things do I want to accomplish that day? What is on my schedule? Then I think about the attitude I want to guide my day. Is there a mantra or affirmation I want to turn to? Is there a feeling I want to embody throughout the day?
Ask yourself:
At the end of the day what would I like to have achieved?
What must I accomplish today?
What would I like to accomplish today?
What mindset do I want to carry throughout today?
What am I prioritizing today?
What am I willing to let go of and what is essential to me?
What feelings do I want to guide my day?
Gratitude
Once I’ve written my goals for the day, I shift to gratitude. What am I grateful for? Here I often reframe the “negatives” that I wrote about–e.g., I am tired because I’ve been blessed with children and a full life, going to the grocery store means that I can afford food to eat–all stressors can be seen through the lens of gratitude. Gratitude isn’t a dismissal of challenges, but rather an invitation to see the good as well.
Ask yourself:
What am I grateful for?
How can I see gratitude in this hardship?
What is bringing me joy in my life right now?
What am I looking forward to?
How Morning Pages Differs from Journaling
I have two journals that I use regularly. My “morning pages” journal and my inspiration journal. I write mantras, letters to myself, goals, words of reassurance, and my deepest reflections in my inspiration journal. I can open that journal to any page and find something meaningful that I have written.
My “morning pages” journal is not one that I necessarily want to go back to read. When I write something that I want to remember, I star or underline it, but the goal of this journal is not to create something worth reading. Rather, this journal is where I organize my thoughts. It’s a meditation of sorts. It helps me formulate the mindset that I use to guide my day.
“What has transpired has been beautiful; it feels as if I’ve manifested success into my life.”
The Takeaway
When I first heard about “morning pages” I dismissed them as a time consuming practice that wasn’t necessary and therefore not worth implementing into my life. Does this morning journaling practice add another activity to your day? Yes. Is it worth it? In my opinion, absolutely.
Morning pages add intention to your mornings. They become part of your daily routine, and using that rhythm as a marker forces you to begin your days with focus. Rather than moving on autopilot and rushing into your daily activities, journaling first thing in the morning invites slowness and purpose into your days. It channels your energy into a clear intention that helps you create the life you want.
Have you heard of of morning pages or tried them before? Share your experience below.
