by Stacy Bremner, MA, RP
A Long Relationship with the Page
I’ve been journaling for a long time — since January 1st, 1998. I know the exact date because I documented it. Journalers tend to do that. Writing has been one of the ways I stay connected to myself — a place to sort, to listen, and to grow. It has been a steady companion ever since, changing shape as I’ve changed, meeting me in different seasons of my life with different tools.
Morning Pages and the Early Years
When I began offering self‑help groups, the very first one I taught was in 2002, based on the bestselling book, The Artist’s Way. Author, Julia Cameron, encourages a daily writing practice she calls Morning Pages: three pages of uncensored, unedited writing. She talks about the “page‑and‑a‑half truth point,” that moment when we finally move past our defenses and into what’s actually asking for our attention.
By the time I encountered this book, I had already been journaling for 4 years — but Morning Pages changed the rhythm and depth of my practice. I began writing every day, and for longer. For me, it wasn’t three pages; it was forty‑five minutes. That was the amount of time it took for my process, and for something wise and helpful to emerge. It felt deeply valuable.
Julia Cameron emphasizes Morning Pages for several reasons:
- They clear out the mental clutter. Most of us wake up with worries, irritations, and looping thoughts. Morning Pages act like a daily “mind sweep,” clearing the debris so we can think and feel more clearly.
- They bypass the inner critic. Because the writing is uncensored and private, the perfectionist or critic can relax. When we stop editing ourselves, we start hearing ourselves.
- They help you reach the deeper truth. Cameron teaches that it takes time to move past our defenses. The first page is often surface noise. Somewhere in the middle, the real material emerges — the insight, the longing, the fear, the next step.
- They reveal patterns and desires. Daily writing shows you what you truly want, what drains you, what you keep avoiding, and what keeps calling to you.
- They unblock creativity. Her central belief is that everyone is creative, and creativity flows naturally when internal blocks are removed. Morning Pages dissolve those blocks by clearing the channel.
- They build a relationship with your inner self. Cameron sees Morning Pages as a spiritual practice — a way to hear your own voice beneath the noise of the world.
- They create momentum. Showing up every day builds inner reliability. You write, and something inside you learns to meet you there.
Morning Pages didn’t just deepen my writing — they deepened my relationship with myself.
Discovering Stream‑of‑Consciousness Writing
Years later, I encountered another approach in Richard Moss’s book How Can I Live? — a mindfulness technique he calls stream‑of‑consciousness writing. Instead of exploring a theme or a problem, you simply write whatever you notice, without pausing, for twenty or thirty minutes:
clock ticking, tired eyes, sore back, deep breath, thinking, curious, wrist pressure, weather shifting, thinking, saliva in mouth, loud car outside, irritation, clock ticking, blinking, sad, thinking….
It’s a way of catching the mind in real time.
Why This Practice Helps During Difficult Times
Moss teaches that this practice can be especially helpful during grief, transition, or overwhelm because it:
- interrupts the trance of suffering
- reveals the stories we add on top of our pain
- builds inner steadiness
- creates a compassionate inner witness
I’ve done this practice outside, sitting beside a creek, in my living room, with clients, and also with a group of mental health professionals who were attending one of my Mindfulness workshops. It’s simple, yet powerful. And I enjoy the realizations during the practice, and after, as I contemplate the experience. I often notice what I failed to notice, afterwards.
Creating a Ritual Around Your Writing
One thing I’ve learned is that journaling works best when it feels like a personal ritual rather than another task. You can create a gentle container in such a way that helps the nervous system settle and signals that this is your time.
You might try:
- Choosing a spot you enjoy. A chair by a window, a porch, a café corner, a patch of sunlight.
- Adding something sensory. Herbal tea, a candle, a soft blanket, a favorite pen.
- Letting the space be unhurried. Even ten minutes can become a sanctuary.
- Beginning with a breath. Taking a moment to land.
- Letting the page be a friend, not a test. No grammar, no polish, no audience.
For me, it’s most often a cozy spot in my home and the familiar feel of a mechanical pencil in my hand.
Some people worry that others will read their journal. That’s real. If privacy is important, you can hide or lock up your pages, shred or burn them afterward, or keep a password‑protected file. The form doesn’t matter. What matters is that you feel free to devote yourself to the practice.
An Invitation to Try It for Yourself
Journaling has been one of the most reliable ways I tend to my mind, body, spirit, and relationships. It helps me stay honest with myself, soften what hurts, and grow in the direction I actually want to go — not by force, but by awareness.
You don’t have to write every day.
You don’t have to write for long.
You don’t have to write beautifully.
You only have to show up.
Some days you might fill pages.
Other days you might write a few lines.
Either way, the page meets you where you are.
If you’ve been curious about journaling — or if you’ve drifted away from it — consider giving it a try. A quiet corner, a pen, a few honest sentences. See what happens when you pause long enough to hear yourself.
A blank page can be a doorway.
You might be surprised by what opens.
500+ Journaling Ideas and Prompts for Every Situation | Journal Prompts Blog | JournalPrompts.net
Not sure how to begin? Here is a nice list of journaling prompts for every situation.
