In her book, The Artist’s Way,
Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. *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. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.
These are pages that you write to yourself and the Universe. No one should see your morning pages. In fact, once you’ve completed the pages for the day, it’s possible you’ll never even read them again.
The Healing Power of Morning Pages
Back in 1998 and 1999, I was going through an extremely difficult divorce. Writing morning pages nearly every day was a lifesaver for me. I used those pages every morning to help me focus on what was important at the time: securing custody of my two children (which I did successfully), and surviving the divorce war.
Each morning, I would set my alarm so that I had time to write. I’d walk to my kitchen, pour a cup of coffee and then prop myself up in my bed and write. My handwriting is pretty bad, so often I couldn’t even read what I had just written, but being able to read it wasn’t important. The important thing for me was to get the words out, to get my mind focused on what was important. I ranted. I raved. I spilled my guts out.
Shortly after my divorce was final, I was laid off from a job I loved, and I wound up unemployed or underemployed for a considerable time. It was the most difficult financial time of my life, with bill collectors calling constantly. Again, writing each morning helped me improve my mental health.
While morning pages are mainly a tool for releasing your creativity, I found them to be a wonderful tool for improving my mental health. Give morning pages a try in your own life. At first, it will seem difficult to find things to write each day, but in short time, you’ll find that you complete your morning pages quickly. Plus, like with physical exercise, once you’re in the habit of doing them each day, you’ll feel like you’re missing something if you skip a day.
To your happiness!
