When author Julia Cameron came out with The Artist’s Way in 2002, I had just left my job and was branching out on my own. I was a little lost and feeling pretty untethered. I gave her Morning Pages technique a try, and twenty-one days later, my entire business plan (unbeknownst to me) was laid out.
Morning Pages is a daily journaling practice that involves writing three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness thoughts first thing in the morning. The pages can be about anything, from your dreams to your to-do list to your deepest fears and desires. The important thing is to write without judgment or censorship.
During that time, I rolled out of bed, grabbed some coffee, and wrote three pages every day. I never went back and read them. But as the days went on, I got more and more inspiration and clarity about my vision and mission for The Soul Purpose. It wasn’t until five years had passed that I actually read what I wrote. I was shocked to find that everything I was doing in present time had been written about in those pages.
I come back to this process consistently when I’m feeling stuck in any way. I recently finished the process again in September. And, again, I haven’t read any of the pages and yet I know that one day I will be called to do so. The reason this process works so well is because it’s a form of meditation. It allows you to get out of your head and consciousness what is floating around and taking space.
And that allows more space to form ideas and creativity to come alive.
If you’re interested in the process, I highly recommend the book. It is still a widely used process today for sparking inspiration and creativity. But it’s also an incredible process for just releasing and clearing mental, emotional, and spiritual space.
Here is an outline of how to do Cameron’s Morning Pages:
- Set aside time each morning to write your Morning Pages. It is best to do this first thing in the morning, before you start your day.
- Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.
- Get a pen and paper and start writing. Write whatever comes to mind, no matter how silly or mundane it may seem.
- Don’t stop to edit or censor yourself. Just keep writing until you have filled three pages.
- When you are finished, put away your journal and start your day.
Here are some additional tips for doing Cameron’s Morning Pages:
- Be consistent. The more often you do your Morning Pages, the more benefits you will experience.
- Don’t worry about grammar or spelling. The Morning Pages are not meant to be perfect.
- Don’t judge yourself. The Morning Pages are a safe space to express yourself honestly and without judgment.
- Don’t show your Morning Pages to anyone. The Morning Pages are for your eyes only.
Author Erich Fromm once said, “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” Cameron’s Morning Pages are a great way to nurture your creative recovery in a way that’s uninhibited and unconnected to any constraints. I encourage you to try this form of meditation. I’d love to hear if it clears the innovative cobwebs for you and enables you to bring your open mind and heart to conversation and collaboration during your day.
