Long before becoming a therapist, I considered myself to be a writer. I have been journaling in one form or another since the age of 8 years old. My first journal was a red and white diary with Hello Kitty on the cover. My favorite aspect of this small, hardback volume was the glistening silver lock and key, a feature I knew would keep my deepest, darkest secrets safe within the secured pages. Now, as an adult, I still journal as a way of organizing and separating my Self from the thoughts that frequently swirl through my mind. Often, if I am having a hard time making a decision or mulling over a confusing situation, I will write down my thoughts. This serves the purpose of getting the thoughts out of my head and onto the page. Often, in writing, I gain clarity of my feelings, thoughts, and the direction I want to take to move forward. In working with my clients, I frequently recommend journaling for similar purposes. Most recently, in my writing journey, I have begun to explore the concept of Morning Pages. I am excited about how Morning Pages have benefitted me, and I want to share more about how they could benefit one’s mental health, should they choose to engage in the practice.
In the book, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron popularized the concept of writing Morning Pages as one method to break through creative blocks and rediscover one’s inspiration to engage creatively with life. Simply put, Morning Pages are a daily brain dump to start the day. Cameron encourages participants to write three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness writing, in a notebook, in the morning, on a daily basis, and those are basically the only “rules.” The sky is the limit for what the content of the writing could include, but one does not need to consider themselves to be a writer to engage with Morning Pages. Arguably, one only needs to have thoughts to write Morning Pages. The goal with Morning Pages is not to create a finished product, but rather to reconnect with yourself, your thoughts, and your inner world. As a result, Morning Pages could be both very mundane and/or very meaningful depending on the day. Morning Pages may spark ideas for future projects, but the pages themselves are meant to be private. That way the writer can include anything their heart desires or their mind can conjure without the fear of judgment.
There are many benefits for mental health that Morning Pages can provide. Creative benefits are the first that come to mind. The Artist’s Way specifically uses Morning Pages as a way to unblock creativity. So often, in our society, we come to creativity with many messages received from both inner and outer critics. Morning Pages are meant to clear out the mental clutter, including the voices of critics, so that one’s mind is free for new ideas to come. Morning Pages are also meant to remove pressure from the creative process. Because the pages are private, they reduce pressure for perfectionism and potentially increase one’s willingness to be honest, play on the page, and experiment with form and content. Finally, the stream-of-consciousness nature of Morning Pages may reveal themes, images, or project ideas that one wouldn’t access through deliberate brainstorming.
There are also mental and emotional benefits to engaging with Morning Pages. Writing Morning Pages can increase self-awareness. Writing each day can highlight patterns in your feelings, behaviors, and thinking. Having this awareness allows the writer to know themselves better. Morning Pages can also help with emotional regulation, as they provide a safe outlet for expressing anxiety, frustration, or fear. This may reduce stress and improve mood.
Furthermore, one can grow personally through creating daily Morning Pages. The pages strengthen discipline, as one commits to engage in the daily ritual of creative work. Morning Pages can encourage honesty with oneself. Knowing there are no other readers of your Morning Pages encourages authenticity. One can also track their progress with Morning Pages, as over time you can look back and see growth, shifts in perspective, and even old worries that no longer hold the same weight. Finally, Morning Pages increase mindfulness, which anchors you in the present moment, starts the day intentionally, and with non-judgment, a key principle of mindfulness.
Now, if you’re anything like me, three pages of long-hand writing may seem intimidating at first. That’s okay! “Rules” can be broken in this case. Any Morning Pages are better than no Morning Pages for many who engage in them. Some ways to make writing Morning Pages more approachable could be to start smaller. Maybe you begin with a smaller quantity of pages ½-1 page, for instance. Or maybe you start a timer and write in a stream-of-consciousness manner for 10 mins. Once ½-1 page or 10 mins feels comfortable, increase your writing gradually until three pages feel within reach. You could also start with morning notes and write a bulleted list of your immediate thoughts. This provides a structure with potentially less pressure than paragraph form. Finally, if writing long-hand is challenging for any reason, try making a voice-to-text note on your phone, or typing on a computer, phone, or tablet. I personally write one page or more and type on my computer to make sure Morning Pages are accessible for me.
Now that your Morning Pages are more approachable, how will you make sure to do them? There are several habit-stacking (a la Atomic Habits by James Clear) ways to make sure Morning Pages are incorporated into your daily routine. First, anchor Morning Pages to a daily ritual. Maybe you drink a cup of coffee or glass of water first thing in the morning. Try adding Morning Pages to that part of your routine. Keep your writing tools ready – whether you choose to use an electronic resource or a notebook and pen or pencil, make sure your writing implements are near your writing area. If you need to redefine morning, do so! You can always reframe your Morning Pages to Daily Pages. Writing during your day, where it fits, is what works best. One last tip – use prompts if you get stuck. Included at the bottom of this post, is a list of Morning Pages prompts to get you started if you feel blocked.
The key is to make Morning Pages work for you. The practice is a tool, not a rule. The most important part of Morning Pages is showing up consistently for yourself, not perfection. I hope you will try this daily brain dump as a way of supplementing your mental health.
Morning Pages Prompts:
“Today I feel…”
“What I really want to say but haven’t is…”
“I am worried about…”
“If I could let go of one thing right now, it would be…”
“If I weren’t afraid, I would…”
“Something I’ve been craving is…”
“A small change that would make today easier is…”
“What I keep circling back to lately is…”
“Wouldn’t it be fun if…”
“A place I’d love to go is…”
“If my life were a movie right now, the scene would be…”
“The weirdest thought I had yesterday was…”
“One thing I’m grateful for is…”
“My body feels…”
“If I could focus on only one thing today, it would be…”
“A word I want to carry into the day is…”
Happy Writing!