My simple secret to a clearer head and a wiser heart

At times, clarity and perspective elude me. But I found something that makes all the difference in the world. I do it first thing in the morning, and it’s extraordinarily simple.

Almost everybody has tried keeping a journal at one time or another. I tried it in the fourth grade, and wrote mostly about my dog. But what I’m talking about is very different from that. And I was totally unprepared for the impact that this particular practice would have on my life.

So what is it?

It’s simple.Every morning when the sun rises, I sit at my desk with a pen and notebook and a commitment to fill three pages. Longhand. Before I do anything else.And it’s amazing.What do I write?

• Stream-of-Consciousness writing. I usually get started on my pages with this, while my thoughts start to crystallize.
• The thoughts that float around in my head when I get up. I write them out and see that yes, some are rather silly and based in fear of things that never happen. But other times, I write them out and discover strains of truth and beauty. Ah, sweet clarity.
• The challenges that I’m facing, no matter how big or small. And it's amazing the direction I discover once I get through the complaining and the rants.
• Lists -- lists of things I have to do, things I'm grateful for, things I'd like to write about, things I want to discuss with someone. Anyone who knows me on a personal level knows I cannot live without my lists.
• My goals and plans, and what I accomplished yesterday. Sometimes even a reminder to buy cat litter. Nothing is too big or too small for my morning pages.
• Any single thing that comes to my mind. And I refuse to judge myself. The goal is to keep that pen moving across the page.

By doing just this one thing I’ve found:

• I have a clearer head when I need it most
• The negative self-talk in my mind starts to quiet
• I feel more generous, more connected to other people
• I experience more creative freedom in my life and work
• I am more focused on the positive, abundant, delightful things around me every day.

In short, it has raised the baseline of happiness in my life, adding more meaning and fulfillment to everything I do. And it’s absurdly easy.All that’s truly important is my commitment to really show up and write, to clear my head of whatever is lingering on my mind. And reading back over what I've written, I find that amidst the drivel, the mundane, the ridiculous, is the occasional shimmer of the sublime.I didn’t make this up. Julia Cameron wrote about it in her book The Artist’s Way. This book has been a signpost to me as I have been traveling the path of understanding myself better. I cannot recommend it highly enough. And there have been literally scores of studies about the impact of writing longhand on our thoughts and brain patterns. The results they have found are astounding. But the only thing I can tell you for sure is that for me, in my own life, the effect has been enormous. Life-changing. And unexpectedly delicious.My morning writing ritual clears my head and my heart. Want to give it a try? Grab a pen and some paper and get started -- no time like the present.If you have rituals you use to keep yourself on track, tell me in the comments below -- I'd love to hear!With appreciation,Lisa