I used to think that I am a highly self-aware person who is good at syncing all the feelings and desires as soon as they came. I used to believe that I was in control of my feelings and thoughts.
But, doing this creative exercise made me realize how little I knew myself. Morning pages is a creative exercise invented by Julia Cameron that will teach you exactly who you are and what you desire.
Writing morning pages daily in the past month had made me both a better person and a better writer.
If you are an aspiring writer, looking for ways to become better at this craft then look no further. Morning Pages is the answer to all your troubles.
Burst of Creativity
Writing articles about famous billionaires’ routines are helpful but after some time you are bound to get bored from writing about other people. The fastest way to discover your voice is to write articles that are about you. The lessons you learned, the places you traveled, your failures, and sometimes your success.
A writer needs to write from his unique prespective. Morning pages will help you discover what is it that truly matters to you and what is gnawing at your soul.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I learn something new about myself daily. Every day I wake up and start my day by blaming people around me only to realize that my mindset is the problem. I usually convert these nuggets of wisdom into a story.
Start your day with a clear head
A writer's worst enemy is an unfocused mind. If your attention is divided on several tasks then it will be extremely hard for you to write anything useful.
If you wake up feeling like a brainless zombie, then this exercise is for you. This is a brain dump exercise that will wake up your sleepy comatose brain from a long snooze fest.
Setting morning intentions is the quickest route to a productive day. I visualize my day and write everything that I plan to do may it be laundry or pitching a client.
During the day when I am bound to get distracted then these intentions come back as a silent reminder indicating that I need to get shit done.
Confront your meaner Instincts
Jealousy, greed, and envy can become a roadblock in any project. They consume you. Writing morning pages daily helped me realize these baser instincts.
They can fuel you to become better. There are so many writers who have accomplished so much and comparison to them made me feel sad and depressed. But one day while writing morning pages I confronted my own shortcomings as a writer.
This epiphany made me realize that they all deserve the fruits of their labor. Their hard work and dedication have made them better writers. This new understanding transformed me from a jealous monster to an aspiring amateur. Appreciating other writers made me a better writer.
Become A Fearless writer
When you write a conscious stream of thoughts then it is certain that you will land on your feelings. Everything that made you feel even a little bit uncomfortable yesterday will automatically present itself.
Embracing your feelings is an excellent way to increase your self-awareness. It frees you from your preconceived notions and misguided judgment. It makes you a better person and hence a better writer.
It is a tool to connect your feeling brain to the thinking brain. It helps you separate the bullshit from the real stuff. When you write about things that actually matter then you are on the way to become a fearless writer.
Self-Introspective Activity
One non-negotiable thing that every writer needs to do is self-introspection. You cannot become a great writer without facing your own fears.
And this creative exercise is the best tool for that. As it will automatically connect you to your feelings. Everything that went wrong yesterday will present itself giving you a chance to resolve your feelings and to reduce the emotional baggage
You can learn a lot about your behavior from this activity. These lessons make up for great stories. Starting your day with a better mindset will help you stay motivated.
How To Write Morning Pages
I diligently wrote on three A-4 size sheets daily within thirty minutes of waking up for the whole month. Yes, it took time and I had to wake up earlier but in the end, it was worth it.
It is advisable to write as soon as you can after waking up before your ego and defenses are in place to protect you from this big bad world. Try to write within forty-five minutes of waking up.
And if you miss one morning then it is okay to write them later in the day. Something is better than nothing.
Write everything that you are thinking and aim to complete three pages, at first you will feel like you don't have anything interesting to write about but then before you know it you are writing about how you forgive high school bullies.
Conclusion
As a writer starting your day with writing is a gift that will make you feel motivated and empowered. It will clear your mind while giving you some bomb-ass ideas to write about.
It will show you the real persona of the guy standing in front of the mirror. Accepting your true self is bound to make you a fearless writer.