Morning Pages

Morning pages is a journaling practice created by Julia Cameron and discussed in her work The Artist’s Way. The method is simple. Wake up early and write at least three pages of stream of consciousness thoughts to begin your day. Before you do anything else, write three-pages of whatever comes to mind. Simple enough, right? This journaling practice can have big impact.

The purpose is to get through the mental blocks that sometimes cloud the rest of our day. The purpose is to silence your inner-critic, release what may be in your head, and to get your thoughts on the paper to leave them for the day.

Morning pages are not intended to end up as a publishable work with a clear theme nor, are the writings intended to be shared with anyone else. Cameron says morning pages are the “bedrock tool of a creative recovery.”

The effect of morning pages is to center and clear your mind, and you should push yourself to fill up the three pages. The practice of journaling itself can help reduce anxiety and process emotions. To get started you should make the commitment to this intentional daily practice and minimize distractions while you write.

If you have tried Morning Pages, let us know in the comments.