I used to love morning pages and wrote them religiously but I found over time that if I was worried or upset, freewriting would spill my worries or upsets out and it colour my day and dominate my thoughts so I stopped doing them. I now write a daily journel but at night so I can just offload at night, then I do a 5min meditation to clear my mind before sleep. Instead, in the morning I open my shutters and shout "it's going to be such a wonderful day! thank you universe for keeping me alive and giving me this day to see this sky and the trees" and that positive thinking start really does set me up! I think the Morning Pages and The Artists Way was brilliant but I just couldn't freewrite in the morning without offloading my stresses or upset....
I appreciate your openness and honesty Mel, thank you, most reassuring. Like you I read The Artist's Way back in the day, and in the years since have embraced different morning rituals, none of which have been writing. But after my walk, or finding a poem I love, saying it aloud and writing it down longhand, *then* I'm ready to write. Interestingly, I love the free writing we do at the beginning of class but need the guidance and structure. I feel encouraged by your words today and perhaps now I can find a way to "just do a few minutes" on my own, I can really see the benefit. Thank you again.
I used to love morning pages and wrote them religiously but I found over time that if I was worried or upset, freewriting would spill my worries or upsets out and it colour my day and dominate my thoughts so I stopped doing them. I now write a daily journel but at night so I can just offload at night, then I do a 5min meditation to clear my mind before sleep. Instead, in the morning I open my shutters and shout "it's going to be such a wonderful day! thank you universe for keeping me alive and giving me this day to see this sky and the trees" and that positive thinking start really does set me up! I think the Morning Pages and The Artists Way was brilliant but I just couldn't freewrite in the morning without offloading my stresses or upset....
So brilliant that you recognised that and then found a method that works for you :)
I appreciate your openness and honesty Mel, thank you, most reassuring. Like you I read The Artist's Way back in the day, and in the years since have embraced different morning rituals, none of which have been writing. But after my walk, or finding a poem I love, saying it aloud and writing it down longhand, *then* I'm ready to write. Interestingly, I love the free writing we do at the beginning of class but need the guidance and structure. I feel encouraged by your words today and perhaps now I can find a way to "just do a few minutes" on my own, I can really see the benefit. Thank you again.
I love your ritual of writing out a poem at the start of your session - what a great way to get yourself into the zone! I might try that too :)
And - I'm pleased my words helped. I didn't realise I had so much to say until I got going!