One of the cards in my card deck is a daily call for “Morning Pages.”
“Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning.”
Julia Cameron
In the Just Get Started card deck you’ll find a similar card under “Silence Affirmation Visualize Exercise Read Scribe,” or SAVERS – a term coined by Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning (affiliate link).
Both cards are highlighted in pink, indicating this is a personal activity, or a “fill your cup” moment in your day. Cards in pink are a “top three,” “eat the frog” – or a priority action.
A couple months ago I separated Morning Pages and exercise into their own cards for a little extra focus. I don’t like skipping either – each help me clear my mind in their own ways.
Morning Pages is a daily activity created by the artist whisperer, Julia Cameron. I did her program, The Artist’s Way (affiliate link) in 2020. For 12 weeks you do daily Morning Pages, a weekly Artist’s Date, some reading, and exercises. I highly recommend the program for anyone who feels stuck or unsure of what to do next.
I loved it and made a video about what I took away from the experience here:
While my video explains how Morning Pages has benefited me and a bit of my approach to them — to learn more about the why, what, how, when, and where behind Morning Pages, check out Julia Cameron’s explanation.
To this day my Morning Pages include many references to coffee and thinking about what I’m going to eat for the day… However, by the middle of page two, something super helpful or important usually pops up. For example, I might write about a problem I realize I just need to solve to feel less anxious, an idea for solving It, or a realization of why I might be feeling less than perky for the day.
Morning Pages are different than a journal. For the most part, the writing I do is nothing I’m interested in keeping to reflect back on later. I write them on scrap pieces of paper, index cards, ruled paper, or travel journals. Now a days most are recycled.
Every once in a while I sit back and think, where did that come from and want to store away a meaningful thought.
The best Morning Page moments are when I get an idea for my novel, a video, or a new service or product that would be beneficial — and then am I able to capture it!
Many times what I will write in my Morning Pages gets transferred to arranging my cards a certain way or writing down a note to call someone.
Some other examples of how I use Morning Pages are in giving myself a pep talk and in focusing in on gratitude.
I realize Morning Pages SHOULD be a stream of consciousness, but when my mind is running with negative thoughts, I like using them for focusing in on gratitude. Writing on what I’m grateful for an why. Or, taking what is on my mind , then writing positive aspect around that (sometimes negative) thought.
In that same way, if I’m feeling upset with myself I use them to build myself up. I will write positive aspects of myself. I write down past instances where things work out, reasons why I want what I want, and what life would look and feel like if I just stayed consistent.
Finally, in The Artist’s Way and her other books Julia Cameron mentions writing as though you are speaking to God, a mentor, or someone who has passed on — another tool that is useful to bring in when your brain is feeling a bit foggy and you need something to put your attention on.
Morning Pages have been an incredible exercise in sweeping my mind. Do you practice some form of writing or journaling on a consistent basis?