Summary

The website outlines the practice of writing "Morning Pages," a technique for mindfulness and creativity involving the daily writing of two to three stream-of-consciousness pages without judgment or the intention of re-reading them.

Abstract

The article titled "Write Two Crappy Pages Every Morning" introduces a unique approach to mindfulness through a journaling technique known as Morning Pages. This method, originally proposed by Julia Cameron, is aimed at helping individuals clear their minds of everyday worries and negative thoughts by writing freely without any constraints on content, grammar, or coherence. The practice requires writing for a substantial amount of time, enough to push past superficial thoughts and reach a state of flow, which is considered beneficial for mental clarity and creativity. The author shares their personal journey with journaling, emphasizing the importance of consistency and purpose, and details the transformative effects of this habit, such as reduced self-judgment, increased mindfulness, and the ability to trap worries on paper to prevent them from hindering daily activities and creative pursuits.

Opinions

The author initially struggled with maintaining a journaling habit due to a lack of consistency and clear purpose.
Morning Pages are presented as a tool specifically for creative individuals to enhance their ability to create freely by "emptying" their minds.
The technique is described as a form of "brain vomit," where the act of writing without judgment is more important than the content itself.
The author believes that the process of writing until reaching a state of flow helps to clear mental space and can lead to a form of mindful meditation.
There is an emphasis on the benefits of not re-reading the written pages, as it encourages non-judgment and acceptance of one's thoughts.
The practice is recommended as a way to start the day with a clear mind, suggesting that it can help individuals better tackle their daily challenges and goals.
The author suggests writing with pen and paper to avoid distractions and enhance the effectiveness of the Morning Pages exercise.

Write Two Crappy Pages Every Morning

A different path to mindfulness

Until a few months ago, I’ve never understood how journaling worked.

More than once, I bought a Moleskine or a Leuchtturm notebook and I jotted down my thoughts for a week or so, quickly getting tired and abandoning the habit.

I think there are various reasons why I’ve never been able to make journaling stick, but among those, I believe consistency and purpose to be the most important.

Four months ago, after reading the nth article about journaling, I’ve decided to give it a go again. This time, I wanted a mean to catch on paper worries and negative thoughts, to be more mindful and examine progress in my life.

I’m using the Morning Pages technique, firstly introduced by Julia Cameron as a mean for creative people to “empty” their mind of everyday worries and start creating freely. After listening to how well it works in a Tim Ferris podcast, I thought this was a nice way to start my day.

How Does it Work?

Two to three crappy pages of brain vomit per day. That’s it.

No need to follow a theme, no need to be correct or formal, no need to have some sense at all. Just pure and free writing.

It’s important to write for a substantial amount of time, at least two full pages, as you train the mind to write everything without judgement. We often retain things because we think they’re too obvious, too negative, too ugly, too whatever, and in this way, they keep occupying mental space during the day.

Forcing ourselves to write, at some point, it gets harder and harder to come up with something to jot down. That’s where we want to go. In that precise moment, our mind has reached flow and we can start dancing.

Bear in mind, you don’t need to read again what you’re writing, it’s brain vomit, isn’t it?

Just write. It’s all you need.

The Benefits of Two Crappy Pages per Day

But why should I spend time writing things that I won’t read again?

For two main reasons.

Firstly, in doing so you learn not to judge yourself and your thoughts. If you’re not reading that crap anymore, who cares what you write, amirite?

We spend too much time judging and defining ourselves so that sometimes we become the biggest obstacle to achieving what we really want.

Secondly, even if it seems stupid and embarrassing at first (yes, dealing with your mind-poopoo could be embarrassing at times), you will start to be more mindful and think clearly during the day, because you would have trapped your worries on paper.

It doesn’t mean they will disappear. Just that they’re temporarily trapped and won’t bother you in your creative endeavours. You’ll also reach flow state more easily and for longer.

It’s some kind of mindful meditation, but instead of sitting down with hands on your lap, you’re actually emptying your mind and capturing what comes out of it.

How can I best benefit from Morning Pages?

Just grab a pen and a notebook first thing in the morning and start writing.

Try to write at least two full pages, focusing on what worries you at the moment in your life, what obstacles are you trying to overcome to reach your goals, what pains you, etc.

Do not judge what comes out of your mind, the purpose is to observe and let go, possibly trapping worries and negative thoughts on the page.

I would suggest using a pen and paper because it’s so simple and you have no distractions at hand. Try to leave your smartphone and other devices in another room, so you’ll be more effective.

I usually write my Morning Pages while sipping my morning espresso, and once I’m done I’m ready to conquer the day.