Journaling: How to write morning pages

Each morning, as we face the page, we meet ourselves. The pages give us a place to vent and a place to dream. They are intended for no eyes but our own.
Julia Cameron

Most people struggle with their thoughts when they wake up. They think about things that annoy them, such as the cold, darkness, and work that is awaiting them.

But what if there is a way to start the day by emptying your mind? By putting thoughts on the paper, whatever they are? By feeling heard even though it was you talking to yourself?

Morning Pages are a new habit I started 30 days ago. I have already been Gratitude Journaling every morning since last year, and I feel it makes the biggest difference in changing your mindset.

I am not doing Morning Pages to improve my writing. I aim to improve my mindset and creativity.

What are morning pages?

Morning Pages were invented by the creativity guru Julia Cameron. “There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages,” Cameron writes. You can write about whatever’s on your mind: worries, goals, anger.

When it comes to how she’s strict. The pages must be done first thing: “You’re trying to catch yourself before your ego’s defenses are in place.” They must be longhand.

Morning pages aren’t a tool for improving your writing. They aren’t for writers only, and they aren’t a form of art. Cameron seriously encourages you to keep your morning pages private. That is the key here. Knowing that no one will or can read them is the key to being open and honest.

Write whatever comes to mind—weird, amusing, boring, insightful. There’s no right way to do morning pages. There are only two rules:

Do morning pages first thing in the morning.
You can’t give up midway if you run out of topics to write about. Instead, write, “I don’t know what to write about,” and continue until you finish your three pages.

How to start writing morning pages?

In the morning, when you have time but ideally before work, get a notebook and pen. Write three pages in longhand of whatever comes into your head. Don’t pause or reflect too much, but simply write.

Here are the summarized rules that you need to keep in mind:

Write three pages – Fill three pages of longhand writing every morning. No typing!
Stream of consciousness – Let your thoughts flow freely. No editing, no overthinking. Just honesty.
Write first thing in the morning – Do it before checking your phone, talking to anyone, or starting work.
No one reads them – These pages are private. Don’t share or even reread them (at least not right away).
No wrong way to do it – Complaints, nonsense, creativity. Just keep writing!

My morning pages experience

A journal is on the desk, and a pen next to it. This is a journal for Morning pages.

Writing morning pages means that you write the first thing that comes to your mind. No one gets to read it, not even you. So you can completely relax and write anything that you think of.

You do not go back and correct anything. It does not matter if it contains grammar, or spelling errors, or makes no sense. Do not pause, or go back. Just keep writing until you reach the end.

When I first tried writing my morning pages, I felt that filling in all 3 pages was difficult, so I did what I always do with new habits.

I decided to start easy.

At first, I wrote only 1 page, then progressed to 2, and finally reached 3 pages.

Yes, that is against the rules, I admit. Yet, I have no regrets, it is the end goal that counts.

I have a simple notebook and a pen that wait for me on my desk every morning. This makes doing the habit easy, I do not have to search for the notebook first thing in the morning. It is in plain sight, to remind me of what I should do.

Benefits of daily writing

Pages clarify our yearnings. They keep an eye on our goals. They may provoke us, coax us, comfort us, even cajole us, as well as prioritize and synchronize the day at hand.
Julia Cameron

When I first started writing, I had difficulty filling all 3 pages. At first, I did not notice any benefits. But as time progressed, there was no denying it. This habit has a remarkable influence on your productivity and mood.

Writing clears your mind. I wake up with a lot of thoughts and worries. I think about the day that passed and about the tasks I have. Getting these thoughts down on paper can help get them out of your head.
Morning Pages allow you time for self-reflection. I don’t have a habit of observing my thoughts. I am always in a rush to get somewhere and do something. But Morning Pages make me stop and observe my mind.
Writing things down can help you solve problems. When I put my problems on paper I often come to the solution right away. You know what you need to do. Or I accept things as they are. Either way, I am out of the procrastination loop, where problems pile up and I just worry about them.
You become aware of negative thought patterns. By writing down negative and unhelpful thoughts, they’re out in the open.
You start the day feeling creative. The process of writing inevitably increases creativity and sometimes even introduces new ideas. I created a lot of blog posts out of my Morning Pages thoughts.

Morning pages tips

If you decide you want to try writing morning pages, here are several tips that can help you get started.

Prepare everything in advance

Motivation is overrated, environment often matters more. James Clear

You must prepare your notebook and a pen and leave them on your desk. That way you will remember to do the exercise in the morning. This is one of the advice from the book Atomic Habits. Your environment should support your goals.

By leaving the notebook in plain sight, you make the habit easy to remember and do.

And on the other hand, turn off your phone in the morning so that you are not tempted to waste time on it.

Have everything ready for you and start writing right after brushing your teeth. You can either do it with your morning coffee, or your first glass of water.

The point is to do it when you are still a little sleepy, and your mind is not in overdrive.

Stack this routine with another that you like

I like to do journaling while drinking my first coffee in the morning. That way, this becomes a pleasant ritual that I look forward to every day.

Think of a daily habit that you find very pleasant and you are looking forward to. And then combine it with writing the Morning Pages. At least in the beginning until the habit sticks.

Write by hand

Some people think that they can type the morning pages in an online document.

But according to the author, “Velocity is the enemy. It takes longer to write by hand, and this slowness connects us to our emotional life.”

I agree with her, somehow I am more honest when I write by hand. The process is slower and calmer.

Just write

You’re staring at the blank page of your open notebook and you have no idea what to write about.

Don’t worry it happens to all of us. The rule is not to overthink. You can start by saying that you are writing for the first time and have no idea what to write about. Even thoughts like this can be put onto paper.

Use morning page prompts if necessary

You can use prompts to help you write your Morning Pages in the beginning. Keep a list of starter topics, sentences, or questions at the back of your notebook that you can refer to if needed. Here are some examples you can try:

How do I feel at the moment?
Have I seen something interesting this morning?
Am I worried about something?
Is there an event I cannot forget from yesterday?
How do I physically feel this morning?
Can I remember my dream?
How am I finding morning pages so far?

This is just some help to get you started. When you start writing consistently, you will no longer need any prompts. The point of the Morning Pages is in the stream of consciousness. Everything you need to write about is already in your head, you just need to put it on paper.

Be honest

Do not censor your writing, just be honest. You can even destroy the pages when you finish. If you fear someone will find your journal and read your private thoughts, throw away the pages when you finish.

The point of morning pages is to be completely honest. And to write about whatever comes to your mind.

It may be sometimes frightening to put it on paper, but that is the point of this routine.

Don’t go back

Never go back and change anything. Make no corrections, do not even read what you wrote about. Leave the notebook and do not use it until the next morning.

Some people prefer to destroy the pages afterwards. I sometimes do that as well.

Final Thoughts

The act of making art is both scary and healing. Art brings light to places that have remained dark. Art brings perspective.
Julia cameron

There is also something completely magical about waking up, and cracking open my journal with a cup of coffee in my hand. It is a beautiful ritual to start the day, so calming and relaxing.

When you sit down with the pen in your hand, remember this.

Write down everything on your mind and let go of judgment. It does not matter how silly or crazy your thoughts may seem.

Ever thought about leaving your significant other? Hating your boss? Thought about leaving the country? This is the time to spill all your dark thoughts onto paper.

Here’s something fascinating: the truth feels liberating.