Morning Pages
I keep hearing and reading about the benefits of writing Morning Pages, and heard it yet again on a Tim Ferriss podcast during my commute this morning. It’s the daily practice of writing (not typing) stream of conscious thoughts on paper, preferably first thing when you wake up. So after lunch today I walked to Walgreens and bought a cheap, 1 subject notebook. I didn’t want to be one of those people who spend a bunch on a fancy, leather bound notebook only to see it sit there empty, making me feel guilty because I failed at making it a daily routine.
I’m combining this attempt at creating a new habit with trying out an app called Habit List. My hope is that the app helps increase the likelihood that Morning Pages becomes a thing I do every day. I’m also putting a few other things on the app, such as finishing up whatever I’m doing and going to sleep at 11pm every weeknight. That’s a hard one for a night owl like me, especially when I get engrossed in something.
Here’s what came out of my brain for my first Morning Pages attempt:
Well, this is a new experiment. I hope it sticks and makes me a better, more thoughtful person. I’m sure it will kinda suck because my hand tends to hurt when I write. But, who knows, maybe I’ll get better at that too. One can only hope.
Does it count as “Morning Pages” if I do it at 2:38 in the afternoon? Sure. Why not? It’s morning somewhere. #amirite?! Wow, I just wrote a hashtag on paper. They say it’s important to just write whatever comes to mind without thinking too deeply about it. That makes sense. I think. Wait, I’m not supposed to think. Hmm…a paradox. Ok, this is kinda fun! I’m sure it will suck sometimes and feel like a chore, but the benefits should outweigh the suckiness, shouldn’t it? I hope so.
Anyways, I’m going to move on to something more substantial now. I’ve been thinking a lot about the podcast where that woman talked about the categories of people. What were they again? Rebels, obligers…and like two others I think? Pretty sure I’m an obliger. Oh yeah, questioner was another one. So, how can I utilize this knowledge that I’m an obliger? I need others to help me stick to things or push me to continue beyond when something’s just the shiny new thing or latest thing. Maybe be less compulsive? I guess everyone deals with this stuff to a certain extent. So, yeah. WIP. But that’s cool.
One day at a time.
