Morning Pages: How to Start and Why They Help

Clear your mind. Spark your creativity. Change your day.

Have you ever woken up with your brain already buzzing—worries, ideas, reminders, random to-dos? That mental noise can be exhausting before your feet even hit the floor.

Enter: Morning Pages.

A simple daily habit with profound benefits, morning pages are a brain dump for your soul—clearing mental clutter and unlocking creativity before the world starts demanding things from you.

What Are Morning Pages?

Morning Pages are a concept created by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way. Here’s the idea:

• You write three pages, longhand, first thing in the morning.

• No editing. No worrying about grammar. No judgment.

• Just let your thoughts pour out—messy, raw, real.

You don’t have to be a writer. You don’t have to be “creative.” You just need a pen, paper, and a few quiet minutes.

Why They Work

Here’s what makes morning pages so powerful:

1. They clear the mental clutter

Morning pages give all those background thoughts—anxieties, complaints, reminders, rants—a safe place to land. Instead of carrying them around, you set them down on paper and move forward lighter.

2. They spark creativity

By page two or three, your brain starts to wander into unexpected places. New ideas emerge. Old dreams resurface. You may find clarity on a decision or stumble onto a fresh perspective.

3. They create space for self-awareness

You begin to notice patterns in your thinking—what’s bothering you, what brings you joy, what you’re avoiding. Morning pages turn your mind into a mirror.

4. They ground your day

Starting your morning with intention (instead of scrolling) sets a tone of mindfulness, reflection, and calm that can ripple through everything else you do.

How to Start Your Morning Pages

It’s simpler than you think. Here’s a quick how-to:

✍️ Step 1: Grab your tools

You’ll need:

• A dedicated notebook (nothing fancy—just something you enjoy writing in)

• A pen that glides easily (so your hand doesn’t cramp halfway through)

☕ Step 2: Set a morning time

Do it first thing—before emails, texts, or even breakfast if you can. It’s okay if you're groggy. That’s part of the magic.

🧠 Step 3: Write three pages, stream-of-consciousness style

No filter. No perfection. No audience. Just dump whatever’s in your mind:

• “I don’t know what to write. This feels silly.”

• “I have a meeting today I’m dreading.”

• “I miss how mornings used to feel when I was younger.”

Keep going. You’re not trying to write anything good—you’re just letting your mind exhale.

Tips to Keep Going

• Don’t reread them (at least not right away). These aren’t for critique—they’re for clearing.

• Keep them private. Knowing no one else will read them lets you be brutally honest.

• Be consistent, not perfect. If you miss a day, just come back the next.

• Notice what shifts. After a week or two, you might feel calmer, more grounded, or creatively unstuck.

Final Thought

Morning pages aren’t just a writing practice—they’re a self-care ritual. A sacred pause. A way to meet yourself on the page before you meet the world.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a “morning person,” or a “writer,” this practice can work for you—because at its core, it’s not about writing. It’s about listening.

So tomorrow morning, instead of grabbing your phone, grab a pen.

You just might surprise yourself.