Morning Pages

On the 1 June 2012, a friend and I decided to begin "Morning Pages". What a fascinating journey it has been...

When I was younger, in primary and high-school, I used to keep a diary and write in it almost every day - but Morning Pages has been a completely new experience, so valuable for both my personal and work life.

I believe that when you decide on a goal to work towards and put it in writing, God helps you along your journey and Wills people and opportunities to cross your path that reinforce you in working towards your dreams.
So it was by 'chance' that

I learnt about Morning Pages. I bumped into a friend one day and she happened to mention in passing that "I need to start Morning Pages again." Intrigued, having never heard of the phrase before, naturally, I asked what exactly that was, and I learned for the first time its principles - that is, committing to writing 3 handwritten A4 pages every morning, about anything and everything that may be on your mind.

Not long after, I spoke to a friend who is also an aspiring writer, and discussed the idea of starting this new venture together, sharing the experiences my friend had shared with me, that Morning Pages is like taking "the morning dump" but of our minds, and that many people have found aspirations and dreams they've written down becoming a reality.

And so the start date we decided on, the beginning of the following month of June, quickly approached.
My first "session" of Morning Pages was an interesting one. I literally began writing, "I don't know what to write...", and after only half a page of writing, already, my hand was aching! Nonetheless, I persevered and finally completed three pages of just my stream of consciousness.

One notable experience I felt that was different to keeping a journal was - the sense of achievement you feel every time you reach that goal of three pages of writing. Also, in forcing yourself (and allowing yourself) to write about whatever is swimming in your mind, (as opposed to picking up your journal to write about a notable thought or experience), really truly does clear your mind of its clutter, which has in fact opened up my mind to new, creative and innovative ideas!
Furthermore, the days that I've used Morning Pages to offload any burdens and issues that have been weighing heavy on my mind, I have found that in that process of writing about it and "letting go", the very same day, the issue has resolved itself!

Lately, I've been finding Morning Pages has been extremely useful in helping me make decisions about things relating to both my personal life and my business. Once again, in the process of discussing the primary things on my mind, looking at their pros and cons, I find by the end of the third page, I have made key decisions on actions I must take that day. The last couple of weeks in particular have been so productive and effective.

I truly am thankful for this gift that I've only recently discovered that I have drawn so much benefit from, and I am extremely excited about all that is to come!