It’s probably not the form of self-care that immediately comes to mind, but writing can be therapeutic in and of itself. One way to do that is by writing Morning Pages. It’s an idea discussed in the book, The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. The book is about inspiring artists back to creativity and away from fear.
Writing Morning Pages can be done in, yes, just Seven Minutes. Since this is stream-of-consciousness writing, having a time limit (rather than a word limit) can be more useful to beginners. And Seven Minutes is a great place to start. Morning Pages need to be written on paper, longhand, so welcome this analog approach and reacquaint yourself with cursive. The simple act of writing can help set you up for the rest of the day. On the go and don’t have access to paper and a pen? there’s also the Morning Pages app.
What’s so great about Morning Pages?
Sometimes it’s just a matter of doing a brain dump, getting all of your thoughts — things that are clouding your mind — onto paper. Sometimes it’s writing an actual list of what you’d like to accomplish that day. Sometimes it’s a matter of simply getting in tune with your underlying feelings. The more you do it, the easier it will be for you to tap into your subconscious.
You may find that writing your Morning Pages first thing in the morning is a way to process worries taking up too much emotional real estate. Or you may find it’s an ideal method for capturing ideas for stories, articles, work strategies, or other creative pursuits. It’s a wonderful place to list complaints and so you have an outlet for them.
Whatever the reason, Morning Pages can provide a kickstart to your day. Give it a try and let us know how it works out!
XO
Lifetherapy
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