How To Make Space For Morning Pages
So a while back I shared that I was going to start The Listening Path by Julia Cameron. It’s her latest book, a 6-week Artist’s Way program with the theme, you guessed it, of listening. I returned to my morning pages half-heartedly. Not because my heart wasn’t full but because I didn’t give myself the time to fully prepare. During that time I wrote in the mornings when I could, which was rare. Yesterday I began again. I gave myself permission to pause, reflect and begin again. Here are a few things that helped me get ready to fully commit to morning pages.
Make sure the timing is right
Part of the reason my take one at the Listening Path flopped is because I jumped in too quickly. My enthusiasm to begin didn’t include a slowing down to look at the calendar and realize I was in between two long business trips for my husband, which meant solo parenting and a not-so-full energetic cup for me. This time, my husband is home so I’m back to sharing the responsibilities of parenting and our home. And we’ve gotten through the transition from the school year to summer. So take a look at your calendar. Make sure you begin in a time period where you know you’ll be able to actually do it. As in no major changes in your routine. Listen close: I’m not saying wait until the perfect time. There will never, ever be a perfect time and you will never be perfectly ready. It’s all about beginning. Best to begin when your life and calendar have no major interruptions to your early mornings, like travel, appointments or anything that will impact your day to day routine. So that when you begin it’s just a matter of setting your alarm about 45 minutes earlier.
Mark your calendar
Choose your start date at least a few days out. I’ve officially began my morning pages 3 times in my life. The first two times I began on a Monday. This time I began on a Sunday. There’s something extra sacred about beginning on a Sunday for me. My halfhearted attempt was a Thursday. For me, a Sunday or Monday start day is helpful. Since there’s a natural reset to the week on Sunday or Monday that just feels right to me. Find a rhythm that feels right to you. Which will give you the momentum to make sure you have time to do the reading (a chapter a week), the daily morning pages, the artist’s date and your walks if that’s a part of the program you are doing. For me, writing Week 1 Day 1 on the first day makes it official. Each day watching those day numbers increase is so gratifying. It’s like seeing my commitment in writing. And then getting to a new week is also so amazing, I often begin my entries by celebrating my commitment and how many days and weeks I’ve done. Which is super easy when I have the Weeks and Days numbered right under the date. Julia Cameron recommends this in the Artist’s Way and it’s super helpful. Thank you, Julia.
Set your alarm
Spend a few days getting used to getting up a little earlier. For some this is super easy. For others like myself, not so much. (In college I was the one who bought the Shake Awake insert-in-the pillowcase-shaking alarm clock that didn’t even wake me up.) These days I can do it if my body is used to it. So giving myself a few days to ease into the earlier wake time is super helpful. I like to make sure my coffee is set up the night before and anything else I might need to make my morning easy. For me that includes nothing I will trip over or need to move to get to my writing chair. Loud noises will wake the sleeping ones. It’s all about waking up in time to have the house to myself before my kids (4 and 8 years old) wake up. And in time to have my sacred writing time before I begin all the things of the day (making breakfast and lunches etc.) So set your alarm so your have time to write in peace before starting all your life things. The magic of morning pages is that it’s the first thing.
Go back to school shopping
I love buying back to school supplies. Starting morning pages has that same back to school feeling. A new beginning. I’m not saying obsess about finding the perfect pen. Any old pen will do. But if you don’t have a pen with ink in it you’re morning pages will be less pleasant. For me, if I have a PaperMate Ink Joy pen that’s full of juicy, flowing ink I am on a roll. I love the way my writing practically writes itself. If I have to drag a pen across the page you better believe I am not going to be writing as freely. (For what it’s worth, I am in the market for a new pen. I hate how quickly the Ink Joys die and the amount of plastic is disheartening. I’m going to reassess. In the meantime, my InkJoy does the trick.) Since I gave myself a few days before jumping into my morning pages, I had the time to prepare my supplies. I ordered a new 5 subject spiral notebook from Amazon and picked up a pack of new InkJoy pens when I was in CVS. Make sure you have your paper and pen all set and ready to go.
Beginning morning pages is one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. The magic that happens in my life when I am doing morning pages is astounding. I’ll share more about that as this journey unfolds. Tomorrow is Week 1 Day 3 for me, so I’m still getting in the groove. And you, as my reader, may already feel the difference in my posts here. More water in my creative well. So a big congratulations to you for considering this path. Wishing you all the best on your morning pages journey!