morning pages

Journalling is a personal, expressive habit that can be structured or free-flowing. It can be cathartic, lead to self-awareness, highlight patterns in your thinking, behaviour, and emotional responses, reduce stress, help you problem-solve, and build optimism.

When I first started journalling I started with the technique of ‘morning pages’. I first learned of the concept of ‘morning pages’ in Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. It’s a daily, cathartic journalling technique to be practiced first thing in the morning and is similar in many ways to a brain dump. The idea is to write three pages of stream-of-consciousness, longhand, free form writing that is not meant to be polished or perfect; don’t censor yourself and remember, you are not publishing this so it can be messy. It’s designed to provide a means to let out whatever is in your subconscious mind. Writing first thing in the morning is essential because, according to psychoanalyst Carl Jung, we have about a 45-minute window after we wake up before the "ego" kicks in. By doing this in the morning and using a stream of consciousness writing method, you're bringing greater awareness to these subconscious thoughts that you may have otherwise ignored. 

I find this practice helpful when I’m struggling with overthinking or am feeling creatively blocked. It’s also a great place to start if you want to build a consistent journalling habit without pressure. If you’re not sure where to start, or if you’re staring at a blank page in the morning feeling like you have nothing to write down, you might want to start with a few things you’re grateful for, write down what’s on your mind, or make a note of what you need today. Approach the practice as an opportunity to get to know yourself more, process emotions you’ve been experiencing, or get clarity on something that’s been on your mind.

Have you tried the practice of ‘morning pages’ before?

~Kate