Each morning when we wake up, we have a bunch of thoughts racing through our heads about the day before us. It can be overwhelming to deal with when we pop our eyes open in the morning. There is one great way to cope with these morning stressors, though. Journaling is a wonderful way to “empty your mind onto the page each morning [as you] find the freedom to just be,” says Sarah Tasker. Tasker is the author of “Pen for your thoughts” for In The Moment magazine. She says that before she does anything else in the morning, she opens her journal and writes. She got this idea of “Morning pages” from Julia Cameron, who wrote a book for creatives in 1992 called The Artist’s Way.
Does Journaling Work in Our “Fast-Paced, ever-connected Age of Digital Creatives?”
Yes! Tasker says that it is just as relevant now as it was in 1992 when Cameron wrote her book. The “Morning pages” have one simple rule: “three pages of free-hand, free-form writing, every morning, first thing.” The great thing about practicing this way of journaling is that you don’t have to worry about spelling, grammar, or if it makes sense. In Tasker’s experience, she’s found that “morning pages are best forgotten or disposed of immediately after the fact. The idea is that it’s an exorcism, an emptying out of the mind and all its clutter and noise. Clearing space for the creative day ahead.” Morning journaling helps to slow down your day before things get too hectic from work, school, and other responsibilities.
What If My Inner Critic Comes Out?
The practice of journaling in the morning is that it shows great kindness to yourself. You’re essentially allowing yourself to do a brain dump. Whatever is on your mind, get it out. There is no room for your inner critic here. “There are no good and no bad at all, in fact, only done,” says Tasker. “And even if it means writing three pages of ‘I don’t have anything to write about today, why is this taking so long?’ — ‘done’ is an objective, achievable deadline that is always accessible to reach.” Tell your inner critic to be quiet, that you are writing for you and you alone.
Write for Yourself
This is an important thing to remind yourself of. You are not writing for an audience or to be graded, you are writing for yourself. No one is going to read these pages. If you feel so inclined, shred them once you’re done writing. Don’t judge yourself during this process. Just write.
Arbor Behavioral Healthcare is committed to helping you stay on track during your recovery. Journaling can be a great way to do that. Call us today for more information about how we can help you. Reach us at 844-413-2690. We can’t wait to speak with you!