Why I Write Every Morning

Morning Pages

I write every single morning. I really do.

The first thing I do when I open my eyes, is roll over to grab my pen and notebook. OK, some days my phone's vibration wakes me and I have to look to see if it's an important message (it's usually not). I try to ignore it though, whatever it is, and write.

I started doing this on January 1, 2020. It was a pact I made with a group of people who worked at the restaurant I used to work at. I was the only one who stuck with it. I'm not judging them. It doesn't stick with everyone. It didn't stick with me the first three times I tried it.

Where does this notion of writing every morning come from? It comes straight out of The Artists Way, by Julia Cameron. Truth be told, I have never actually finished The Artists Way. The farthest I've gotten is to week 9. One of these days, I might complete it. Maybe.

People who are interested in improving themselves and possibly helping others often steal ideas from other people and make them their own. I am giving Julia Cameron credit for this morning pages thing, though I'm thinking she probably got it from someone else.

If you're curious about writing and what it can do for you, I'm happy to talk about it more.

**In fact, I encourage you to sign up for an upcoming writing workshop I'm holding where you will be able to practice this skill- for free.

For now, here is a list explaining why I think this activity is the bees knees.

So, why do I write every morning?

1. I can usually remember my dreams. Dreams are the keys to unlocking the subconscious. If I write them down, maybe I can get to know myself a little better. Scary thought, but so cool.

2. I start the day with a clean, fresh slate. I let it all out, put it away, and never look at it again.

3. I have a place I can write affirmations for the day. Writing it down makes it real somehow.

4. The pen to paper motion immediately stimulates both the body and the brain. I imagine this is what my grandfather was trying to accomplish when he did 100 sit-ups every morning. I've made it more cerebral.

5. You brain is slowly being programmed into thinking more creatively. Even if you have no desire to be a writer, thinking things out on paper forces you to process things differently. Ideas come up that you might not have come up with otherwise.

6. Writing first thing in the morning means I start my day off with an accomplishment. Even if I only write "this is so stupid. I have no idea what to write," I have done it. Accomplishment is incredibly inspiring and motivational.

7. I release everything that isn't going to serve me. I let any negativity out and lock it up in a notebook.

I could keep going here, but seven seems like a good number for now.

What has this accomplished? I'll go with a list of seven again.

1. I dream more vividly than ever before. I'm working my way to lucid dreams (long-term goal).

2. I have a lot more ease in everything else I write. Creative writing, copy, Instagram posts- all of it is faster. Faster means I have more time for other things.

3. Accomplishing the writing every morning has made me double-down on accomplishment. It's not enough to just write every morning. I have a whole bunch of things I now do that I've always wanted to do but never did.

4. I have inspired other people to write. That's pretty freaking awesome.

5. I'm a more positive, confident person than I was 10 months ago. "Morning pages" are a big part of that.

6. I don't feel the need to go back and read my pages. This never used to be the case. I would pour over journals for hours and hours, stuck in those past emotions. This, however, is not a journal. It serves many of the same functions, but doesn't keep me locked into some previous version of myself. In short, I'm PRESENT.

7. I can write in the dark now. OK I could probably always write in the dark, albeit illegibly. Also, who cares? The fact that I can write in the dark means that this writing exercise has truly become a meditative art for me. 90% of the world's most successful people meditate. Writing is part of my meditation practice. Success= MINE.

If you want to know more about any of this, or if you just want to give it a try, let me know. I would love to be a part of your empowerment journey.