“Pages are meant to be, simply, the act of moving the hand across the page and writing whatever comes to mind” – Julia Cameron
What Is Morning Pages?
Ever wondered how to have a more productive morning? Those first few hours can go by so fast but can often be the most productive of the day.
One method of setting yourself up for a rewarding and creative morning is the practice of Morning Pages. An exercise introduced by creativity guru Julia Cameron, Morning Pages is described as a method to clear all the chattering thoughts in your mind and allow for creativity to move into the forefront.
Simply by writing down what is crossing your consciousness you are “meeting your shadow and taking it out for a cup of coffee.” as Cameron describes it. Designed to be a clearing exercise, “a dustbuster for your consciousness,” it helps you to rid yourself of negative thoughts and carry out your day with a clearer mind.
How Does It Work?
The process consists of writing down everything that is in your brain in that moment as soon as you awake. It can be anything from errands you need – and forgot – to do or a family member you need to call back. The idea is to keep writing with long-hand, stream-of-consciousness style until you have filled three A4 pages.
The content of what you write doesn’t matter, just as long as you are writing. “Once we get those muddy, maddening, confusing thoughts on the page, we face our day with clearer eyes,” Cameron writes. “We are more honest with ourselves, more centered, and more spiritually at ease.”
If you’ve ever wondered why you are feeling a certain way, or what exactly ticked you off after a conversation with someone, Morning Pages could be the daily practice to bring on board. Sitting down first thing in the morning is important as you “catch yourself before your ego’s defenses are in place.” Catching yourself as close to waking as you can allows you to express your feelings without outside judgment and in a safe place. Along with clearing your head, Morning Pages “provoke, clarify, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand.”
Will It Work for Me?
Although originally designed to unblock artists’ creativity, it can benefit anyone from any walk of life. Entrepreneur Chris Winfield spent 30 to 40 minutes on Morning Pages for 241 days in a row. Among the benefits he drew from the experience was realizing new business ideas, becoming more in touch with his intuition and coping with issues that felt overwhelming.
Studies have also shown that journalling about life experiences can improve an individual’s health and well-being. Here on the Endpaper blog we’ve even discussed how expressive writing can have multiple benefits. So why not start your own morning journalling ritual and see what benefits you may find for yourself!
