They might just shake up your life, too.
You’d never have caught me waking up early two months ago. I adored snoozing, clinging on to dregs of the night’s dreams, ignoring strategically staggered alarms, and covering my face with the nearest pillow as the sunrise-mimicking light I once bought did it’s thing.
At the same time, I always wanted to be a morning person: bathed and in a deep meditative state whilst the world still slept, having read a chapter by sunrise, and hugging a hot drink at my desk as everyone else rushed in to the office. One big early, happy, productive me.
So, I tried everything. I drank lots of water the night before (only to visit the bathroom more at night), I signed up for the first gym classes of each day (only to have to re-book most for lunchtime), and I forced myself to sleep earlier to wake earlier (when I discovered I could sleep 12-hours or more if given the chance).
Okay, maybe I hadn’t tried everything — I stopped short of hypnosis when a friend warned me a therapist might take advantage of me laying there, ironically conked out, on a couch.
So, nobody was more surprised than me when I suddenly stopped needing alarms and fake light, and started jumping out of bed, bright eyed and excited.
What had changed?
I Tried ‘Morning Pages’
Morning pages are the writing by hand of anything — thoughts, feelings, concerns — that come to mind in the morning, on precisely three pages.
I happened to try the practice, out of curiosity.
The first time I tried it, I woke up hesitantly, brushed my teeth, grabbed a lemon water, then headed to the favourite notebook and pen that I’d intentionally laid on my side table the evening before.
And I started writing.
My goal wasn’t to make sense, or to seem pretty or profound with my words, but just not to stop writing. It felt strange, but when I got stuck I wrote about that strange feeling, too. And a few lines later, I’d be well into inking another, different thought that had popped up.
Feeling accomplished for just doing anything early, I went on with my day.
And I repeated the process the next day, and the one after.
Today, I completed my 42nd session of morning pages. And I don’t think I’ll ever stop. Because the rewards have been wonderful.
Not only did I stop lying in, as my mind became keen to write as soon as possible each morning, but I noticed so many other reasons I continued.
Benefits of Morning Pages
They produce clarity
Morning pages encourage pushing out rubbish that accumulated in your head-space in the hours, days or year prior, leaving lots of room for a fresh start, each day.
I used to wake up and get going whilst clouded, carrying an excess cache of thoughts and experiences with me. But now, I unload my baggage each morning and head into each ‘duty-free’ day,much lighter and happier.
They encourage focus
Morning pages put a spotlight on your mind’s chatter, exposing what might be undeserving or unnecessary, and encourage you to hang on to what you really want to get down to thinking about.
I had a head set on autopilot until I started working past ego-centric thoughts splurged out on paper. But now, once these are done with (usually after the first page), I write with more insight, affirming my position on what matters to me, instead.
They spur direction
Morning pages encourage me to recall my goals daily, leaving me to believe they’re possible, and bring me closer to achieve them.
I used to write goals down and stick them onto a mirror, but end up gazing through them as ‘life took over’. But now, each morning I write about them , and in turn they become embedded in me.
In just eight weeks, morning pages has helped me make better use of my time, and I’ve seen incredible results with my fitness, at work and in personal relationships — I lost body fat and gained muscle mass, got a job title promotion, and was a much happier person inside and out.
Steps for you to try Morning Pages, too
- Wake up and do as little as possible before starting to write (this includes no checking your phone, listening to music or catching up with the news)
- Write. Let it flow. Just go go go. Note whatever comes to your mind. Don’t judge your thoughts or writing style, don’t overthink grammar or presentation. Do this for three sides of letter-sized paper
- Repeat the next morning
It’s important to know that the final piece is not a reference point for later, so you can choose to get rid of your morning pages whenever suits you. For many, this opens up a world of more authentic free-writing, which is even better.
In just eight weeks… I lost body fat and gained muscle mass, got a job title promotion, and was a much happier person inside and out.
Let me know if it changes your daily life, too.
