This is your permission to pick up an old journal you already have, flip to the next empty page and start writing. Get all of your thoughts, wants, wishes and dreams out of your head and onto the page.
What are morning pages?
Morning Pages is a journaling practice you complete first thing in the morning. The idea is to wake up and start writing in order to get out everything that is on your mind. The goal is to write three full pages but you can start with one to get started if that feels more manageable.
How much time does morning pages take you?
Morning pages will take anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 minutes. It depends on the size of your notebook (mind is larger than a regular 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper) so writing one full page would be different than an A4 notebook. And how much you have to write down. Some days will be easier than others.
5 Benefits of Morning Pages
- Gives you Clarity
- Helps you Focus
- Combat Overwhelm
- Declutter Your Thoughts
- Improves Your Confidence
Clarity
If you are an all or nothing thinker or ruminator, morning pages can help you achieve clarity on current problems. Write out all the thoughts, good and bad, in order to give yourself perspective. It will take some time getting use writing down all your thoughts but even giving your brain the time to process what you are thinking into a sentence will give you an answer to how to move forward.
Focus
The simple act of writing one to three pages each day will teach you how to focus on one habit consistently. This will also give you assurances on what to focus on that day. There is a need to do everything all the time but writing down your goals and wants and fears will help determine what you have the capacity for each morning.
Combat Overwhelm
Our brains are powerful tools to help us achieve our dream life. However, I tend to overthink everything. Or if there is too much going on all at once I will get very overwhelmed. Keeping all of those rushing thoughts in my head is not beneficial. It makes me want to quit my habits, curl up in bed and dissociate on a doom scroll. With morning pages you get to essential chat with yourself. Write down the worst case scenario and the best case scenario. Write down the reality of the situation and where you overwhelmed brain is pulling in things that are not going to happen.
Improve your Confidence
Improve your confidence with positive self talk. As you write, you strengthen your inner monologue. If you are lacking confidence about your life, career, creative ideas or how to move through a situation how you talk to yourself will determine how you move forward. By writing each morning you get to set the tone for the day. The more you do this, the more you will see what steps to take.
This is your sign to use morning pages as a tool in your journey to build your dream life.