12 surprising benefits of Morning Pages

Aside from the daily existential crisis.

Hello friends,

There are some new faces here, so just wanted to say WELCOME! To the newbies, thanks for subscribing! To the oldies, thanks for sticking around while I figure this thing out. Last week, I published a piece about becoming a bestseller on Substack. It was quite the hit, but this week I want to focus on something equally important, Morning Pages. I’ve somehow managed to write mine consecutively (missing only one day) for almost six months. How? I’m not really sure. And tbh, sometimes (read: most of the time), they’re crap. Or I write about how annoying my boyfriend is when he farts and pretends nothing happened.

So let’s dig into the 12 surprising benefits of Morning Pages, shall we? Enjoy!

1. Unlock your inner chaos. Morning Pages are like a brain dump for all the weird, unfiltered thoughts you’d never admit to having. Suddenly, you’re confessing to things like wanting to try pickle-flavored ice cream or loving the smell of your partner’s (or maybe you’re own) farts. It's cathartic, right?

2. Save on therapy bills. Why pay $200 an hour for someone to nod at your problems when you can write “I hate my job” or “my in-laws are a pain in the ass” 300 times in your notebook for free? Your journal is now your therapist, minus the judgment and awkward silence.

3. Generate 57 new side projects. Writing Morning Pages will unleash your most random, impractical ideas. Yesterday, you were a successful lawyer. Today, you’re convinced you should start a candle company that only sells scents inspired by 90s rom-coms. (“Eau de You’ve Got Mail,” anyone?)

4. Perfect your illegible handwriting. Morning Pages are less about “readable” and more about vibes. By day three, your scribbles will look like ancient runes. If someone finds your journal in the future, they’ll think it’s a lost artifact, not just your to-do list for laundry.

5. Develop top-notch complaining skills. Get ready to complain about things you didn’t even realize bothered you. Yes, your upstairs neighbor’s tap dancing is annoying, but so is the word “moist,” apparently. You’re now the Master of Whining.

6. Become a master of self-deception. You’ll convince yourself you’re doing deep inner work while actually spending three pages wondering if raccoons have best friends. Spoiler: They probably do.

7. Discover your future memoir title. Somewhere in your stream-of-consciousness ramblings, a gem will emerge. Titles like “Why Am I Like This?” or “Adventures in Overthinking” will practically write themselves.

8. Outsource your grocery lists to your subconscious. At some point, you’ll catch yourself scribbling, “Don’t forget the oat milk,” between existential musings. Morning Pages double as a life planner you didn’t ask for.

9. Channel your inner detective. Reading back your Morning Pages is like unraveling a mystery. “Who is Karen, and why am I mad at her?” Future you will appreciate the drama, even if current you has no idea.

10. Invent new words. With enough Morning Pages, your brain will throw out gems like “procrastimaker” or “snackitude.” Forget Shakespeare—you’re the new king or queen of linguistic innovation.

11. Prove to yourself you’re a morning person (sort of). Technically, you are awake and writing. Does it count if your thoughts are entirely about napping? Absolutely.

12. Earn the right to be smug about your morning routine. “Oh, you don’t start your day by hand-writing three pages of uninterrupted genius? That’s a shame.” You’ll finally have a reason to feel superior to everyone else at brunch.

Questions & comments

1. What benefits would you add to this list?

2. Do you write Morning Pages?

3. Do you tell your partner/kids/friends to burn your notebooks if/when you die?

4. What’s your longest Morning Pages streak?

5. Could you care less about Morning Pages?

6. Are you wondering WTF Morning Pages are? (Check out The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.)

7. How’s your week going?

Until next time,

Alexis

P.S. I write here on the side. Thankfully, I have a day job where I make a decent living, but you can support my independent writing and help me earn a Substack bestseller badge by becoming a paid subscriber. I only need 97 more paid subscribers to make it! LOL. Whatever you decide, thank you for reading!

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In case you’re new here… Hey! I’m Alexis, a New York-born and raised freelance tech writer living my best life in cozy Amsterdam. I’m also moonlighting as a humorist here at Humor in Progress, at least that’s what I tell myself. Thanks for reading!

More fun reads (from me):

• 5 steps to become a Substack bestseller (even if your mom is your only subscriber)

• How to crush your New Year’s resolutions (or at least look like you’re trying)

• How I make a 6-figure living as a freelance writer

More on Morning Pages (from other Substackers):

• Five years of morning pages by

  Lexi Merritt

• the art of a quiet morning by

  rachel

• Breaking Free from Morning Pages by

  Tanya Lynch

• Morning Pages: Because your brain deserves a place to wander before breakfast by

  Briar Harvey

• Why morning pages are the best thing I've done for my creativity and mental health by

  Joe Sereni

• Morning Pages and Meditation by

  Susan Telford

• When it helps to read your old Morning Pages by

  Miranda R Waterton

• A late night conversation with Julia Cameron by

  Emma Gannon