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Morning pages: A life-changing habit

CLAUDIA BERMUDEZ-HYUN, The Philippine STAR
- 4h ago

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Let’s face it. Life is hectic. That’s no secret.

We all have so much going on simultaneously: jobs, kids, schools, bills, trips, deadlines, goals,
accomplishments and worries. There’s a constant clatter in our brains that we carry with us
wherever we go and, while it may sound like a normal burden of being human, it does
eventually take a toll on our mental health and well-being, triggering excess anxiety and stress
if not properly channeled.

Our minds are constantly active, even during periods of sleep: regulating, monitoring, sensing,
interpreting, reasoning and planning. We know through scientific research that the average
person typically has more than 6,200 thoughts in a single day. That’s a big load of mental data.

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Morning pages is a practice that involves handwriting three pages (A4 size) in a stream-of-consciousness manner first thing
in the morning.

I began my routine some years back, changing my mornings from slow and lingering to
uplifting, optimistic and energizing.
There are four main pillars to completing this routine: breath, gratitude, movement and a
journaling technique called “morning pages.” The latter one is paramount as it delves into your
stream of consciousness or interior monologue, a potent and introspective tool to explore.

How to develop amorning routine

The way you start your morning sets the pace for the rest of your day. A few moments of
conscious silence, affirmations, visualization, stretching and journaling should be part of your
practice before you talk or connect in any way to the outside world, turn on your phone or look
at the morning newspaper.

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Morning pages: A life-changing habit

Breathe. The moment you wake, place both hands on your abdomen and become aware of
your breath by deeply inhaling and exhaling a few times. Feel your hands raising and lowering.
Two sets of six breaths will do.

Gratitude. Through a prayer affirmation or visualization, connect with your spiritual practice by
acknowledging the fact that you are, indeed, alive and with a day full of opportunities ahead.
Whisper the words “Thank you” to your universe.

Movement. Have a yoga mat close by and do a few stretches that feel good for your body.
Start by holding a child’s pose for two to three minutes, and feel your spine decompress. A
dozen cat/cow movements will allow you to unlock your lower back, activate, massage and
stimulate organs in the belly like the kidneys and adrenal glands. Lastly, stand up and bring
your arms above your head, hold your hands with palms facing the ceiling, and extend as much
as you are comfortable with. Feel the stretch.

Now do your basics. Wash your face, brush your teeth, etc. Do not check your phone or
connect with anyone. Pour yourself a cup of hot tea or coffee and grab your journal to begin
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What are morning pages?

Morning pages is a practice that involves handwriting three pages (A4 size) in a stream-of-
consciousness manner, first thing in the morning. Stream of consciousness refers to a
technique that aims to capture the natural flow of ideas going through our brain: free and
uncensored thoughts.

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“There is no wrong or right way,” Cameron says, the only condition is you must write them right after you wake up in the
morning. buzzspeeds.com
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With Microsoft
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nine million views on the #morningpages Terms of use Advertisealone, this phenomenon
on TikTok
has gone viral, sweeping the internet, despite first being coined in The Artist’s Way by Julia
Cameron, a book designed to help artists and writers harness and recover their creative skills.
“There is no wrong or right way,” Cameron says; the only condition is you must write down
your thoughts right after you wake up in the morning and “before your ego defenses are in
place.” They are “spiritual windshield wipers.” Celebrities, authors, artists, entrepreneurs and
politicians swear by this technique.

To quote her further: “Once we get those muddy, maddening, confusing thoughts (nebulous
worries, jitters, and preoccupations) on a piece of paper, we face our day with clearer eyes.”

How to start and what to write about?

Sit in a quiet place with your journal and start writing. It does not matter what you write, the
idea is just to write. It could be about your dreams that night, the movie you are going to
watch, what you need to do today or the taste of your morning coffee. Whatever pops into
your head, pay no attention to syntax or grammar.

Search the web

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Never censor yourself when writing. You can curse, swear, be politically incorrect, angry and downright rude if that is what you
feel.
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be a difficult of use Advertise but keep in mind that
to swallow,
the content is secondary to the practice itself.
Allow the pen and your thoughts to guide you through. The magic comes from pushing
yourself to complete the three pages. That rule is key. It is only then that you will have the
breakthrough expected.

If you draw a blank here are some other ideas you could start with:

Your worries for the day

Things you need to get done

What you are hopeful for

Regrets you have from yesterday

That person who triggered you at lunch

Things you wish you had said to someone

Prayers for people

Irritation at yourself

Dreams you have, and so on.

What are the benefits?

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Keep your morning pages private. If you think they may be found or read by someone else, shred, rip or burn them.You don’t
need to keep them.

Here are some of the ways morning pages can benefit you:

Helps clear your mind. This practice can help you wipe the slate of the previous day clean.
Once you spill out your thoughts onto a blank page, they will no longer be taking up space in
your brain, setting you up for a more positive, peaceful and productive day.


Allows you to process emotions. Life can be overwhelming. On top of personal stress, we
are bombarded with heavy information in the news and social media — some of it tragic.
Morning pages give us the space to grieve and process, freeing our minds from information
that can weigh us down and affect our productivity.

Unleashes your creativity. Being creative takes discipline. By writing morning pages, you’re
establishing a routine that will help you find a way to make time for your creative self.

Silences your inner critic. Stream-of-consciousness writing accesses only what’s on your
brain at that moment, leaving no room for self-criticism.
Morning pages is a straightforward
practice. Nonetheless, here are some tips to help you succeed:
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for stream-of-consciousness daily
practice. Your morning brain is fresh. Write your pages before you fill your head with any
outside influences. Set your alarm, wake up, and start writing. Before you know it you’ll have a
daily writing habit.

Write longhand. Write longhand only. Don’t type. Writing with pen and paper takes time and
allows you to process what you’re expressing. Also, handwriting takes longer to keep up with
your thoughts, leaving no time to edit what you write — the main component of morning
pages.

Fill up three pages. Some days you’ll find your flow will come easily. On other days, you might
be blocked. Whatever you do, don’t stop. Keep writing until all three pages are filled.

Avoid distraction. Stay away from diversions with people, your phone, or your computer.

Get comfortable. Find a quiet spot in your home, make a cup of tea or coffee, choose a pen
that feels good in your hand, and start with a clean, new journal. 

Don’t read your journal. The true purpose of morning pages is to transfer thoughts to clear
your head. It’s a mind cleanse that needs not to be revisited.

Be authentic. Never censor yourself when writing. You can curse, swear, be politically
incorrect, angry, and downright rude if that is what you feel. Your entries need to be authentic
to serve their purpose of purging and raising self-awareness.

Keep them private. It’s not because you will necessarily pour out dark deep secrets in them,
but because it’s liberating to know you could. Once the writing is over, the purpose has been
achieved. The point is that you are able to freely write what you feel without limitations, shame
or fear. If you think they may be found or read by someone else, shred, rip or burn them. You
don’t need to keep them.
We all need to be helping ourselves operate with a full tank. So set
aside some time just for you and your journal. It’s a powerful exercise. You will know that from
day one.
It promises to calm anxieties, produce insights, resolve dilemmas and bring many
“A-ha” moments. If you can get through a month of writing, I know that, like me, you will not
want to stop.

This article Morning pages: A life-changing habit was originally published in PhilSTAR L!fe

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14 standout Filipiniana dresses at SONA 2022 red

carpet
Nikko Tuazon
- Yesterday 8:25 PM

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It seems SONA fashion is making a comeback.

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14 standout Filipiniana dresses at SONA 2022 red carpet

On Monday, July 25, 2022, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his first State of the
Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City as the
country's 17th chief executive.

Aside from looking forward to the president's speech, many Filipinos were also
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Heart Evangelista, the wife of Senator Chiz Escudero, was a shoo-in on anyone's
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The 37-year-old Kapuso actress flaunted her curves in a detailed, form-fitting

Filipiniana dress by Mark Bumgarner.

Heart also made heads turn in her all-white Mark Bumgarner terno when she
accompanied her husband to the first session of the Senate's 19th Congress.

LUCY TORRES-GOMEZ AND JULIANA

GOMEZ
Ormoc City mayor Lucy Torres and her daughter Juliana Gomez went twinning in
their Filipiniana dresses for #SONA2022.

The mother-and-daughter tandem wore custom dresses by Filipino fashion

designer Lenora Luisa Cabili, the founder of local brand Filip + Inna, which is
known for using indigenous weaves and local fabrics.

Their dresses perfectly matched the Barong worn by Lucy's husband, Leyte
Representative Richard Gomez.
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Ian Cruz
@_iancruz · Follow

Si Rep. Richard Gomez kasama ang misis na si Lucy Torres-

Gomez at anak na si Juliana. @gmanews

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