How Writing Every Morning Changed My Life | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

How Writing Every Morning Changed My Life

30 Minutes A Day Isn't That Bad, Shannon.

108
How Writing Every Morning Changed My Life
Pexels

This past summer, my brother bought me a book called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. In the book, Cameron explains her strategies for keeping her creative energy alive even when she lacks inspiration. Her secret weapon? Thirty minutes of writing every morning. At first, I was skeptical (and lazy). Morning pages seemed like a lot of work for no payoff.

Eventually, I gave in and tried it. I woke up 30 minutes earlier every morning and wrote my lazy heart out in bed. Summer is the time for self-improvement, right? Those first weeks, pages were filled with complaining, mostly about how I wished I was sleeping. But, soon I started to notice that I found myself wanting to write throughout the day too. My creative energy was back. I don't know if this was just the placebo effect, or the cleansing effect of verbal vomit every morning, but it worked. By the end of the month, I had a 125 page story finished and ready for editing in addition to a journal full of my morning pages.

So, how have I managed to continue this routine? First off, I realized that the first three weeks of any new habit were going to be difficult. I'm sure if I looked back at the first few weeks of my journal it would only be full of complaining and dreading the day ahead. Some mornings, that's still all I have to say. It doesn't matter what I write, it's more about the act of putting the pen to paper. The end result does not matter. Turns out, it's a lot easier than when I tried to write journal entries in Greek without knowing any of the Greek language (at that point in my life, “it’s all Greek to me” really applied to how I was handling drama).

The act of writing early in the morning has become my new way to meditate. Sometimes I'll write down something I didn't even realize I was worried about. Other times, I'll come up with a new idea for a story, drawing, or video. I now look forward to sliding out of my creaky dorm room bed every morning to write my morning pages.

I also have learned about myself. I see new trends and patterns in the way I think and deal with problems in my daily life. I also learned that the older I get, the worse I am at cornhole. Writing every morning surprised me the most by fueling my desire to write more throughout my day.

With a great new habit, came more useful habits. I've always liked the idea of lists. I once vowed to make a list of the funny things that my high school friends said to me but I forgot so there's only one entry that states: “I can’t tell if you’re trying to be seductive or not in this yearbook photo.” After that failed attempt, I gave up.

Now my phone is full of lists. I write down those weird thoughts I have during class or in the shower. Trust me, it's easy to forget them all when you've got plain 'ole daily sensory overload. For example: In fifth grade, this girl on the bus tried to convince me she was an extra on the show Hannah Montana and I pretended to believe her because I felt like she deserved her moment of fame. How would I have ever remembered that without writing it down?

Practice makes you proficient, passion makes your work worth it. That’s what I always say. Actually, I don’t know why I’m lying. I just made that up five seconds ago, but from now on I firmly believe in it. I’ve decided to dedicate time searching for creative outlets that send me hurtling into a black hole where time and existence are irrelevant. That's my definition of passion: it's those things that act like a personal time machine. Writing is one of my time machines and I make sure to charge it every morning for thirty minutes.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

84623
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

10771
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments