I Tried Morning Pages for 200 Days & Here’s What Happened

Although I’ve had online journals for almost two decades, I find peace in actually writing things down. While cleaning my home office this summer, I found a journal from high school. Cringey is an understatement. It was also kind of interesting though to see my perspective on things. I kept thinking to myself, “If only teenage me knew the things I know now.” That’s not how life works though.

I wrote in a few journals through college, but then life got crazy and stopped for years. It wasn’t until I was reading the book The Artist’s Way during the holidays last year that I considered starting up again. The book encourages you to review your life and move forward in a more creative and purposeful way. Part of this is an exercise called Morning Pages.

What are Morning Pages?

Morning Pages is an exercise you do first thing in the morning. You write three pages of whatever comes to mind. According to Julia Cameron, the author of The Artist’s Way, “Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages – they are not high art. They are not even writing. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind – and they are for your eyes only. Do not overthink Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page and then do three more pages tomorrow.”

Purpose of Morning Pages/What I’ve Learned

1. Helps clear your mind. If you’re someone who wakes up and your mind is already racing a million miles a minute, try Morning Pages. Sometimes I wake up before my alarm goes off and I’m already worried about the day ahead (becoming a mom has made this even worse). Writing first thing has really helped get rid of that anxiety. 

2. Allows you to process and understand your emotions. I’m usually able to let bad events happen and pass. I don’t typically harp on things and let them replay in my head. But sometimes stuff lingers, and that’s normal. Freeform writing helps get your emotions out without really thinking much about it. 

3. Helps you push your inner critic aside. I’m a perfectionist by nature and Morning Pages has helped me be less critical. The bulk of my job involves writing (mostly persuasive writing since I work in marketing). I’m so used to writing, deleting and rewriting until I think the copy is 100% the best I can produce. Morning Pages allows me to forget about being perfect and just write to write. It also helped me fall in love again with writing.

What Do You Write About?

The point is to get whatever is on your mind out. There have been mornings when I’ve written three pages about trivial things like why I can’t sleep at night, a funny meme I saw, or recipes I want to make. Other times, I feel insightful and I write all the things I’m currently grateful for. Sometimes my mind is so scattered that every other line is a new thought and it turns into a bulleted list. On days when I have nothing on my brain, I’ll write “I have nothing to say” over and over until something pops into my head. The content doesn’t matter.

How Do You Make Time for Morning Pages?

I learned early on that I can’t focus on myself if I’m also taking care of my daughter. The first week of Morning Pages I did with Vienna by my side in bed. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience because I couldn’t give her or the writing my full attention. You have to do whatever works for you. Personally, I set my alarm for 30 minutes before I know Vienna will likely be up. I use that time to scroll through my phone for any overnight emergencies and then I pull out my notebook. It takes me about 20 minutes to write three pages. 

What Journal Do I Use?

Since I started doing Morning Pages, I’ve used a Moleskine. (I’m actually on my 3rd one). It’s my favorite notebook of all time. I used them when I traveled back and forth from the office since the covers are so durable. This is the exact version that I buy. The paper size is 5 x 8.25 inches so three pages isn’t too daunting most days.