Three Morning Pages Reset
Clear mental clutter, then capture the insights worth keeping
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 98%
Adapted by Carlson from Julia Cameron's morning pages in The Artist's Way, this routine uses three handwritten pages as an unfiltered mental download. After meditation, Carlson writes about whatever is present: a business problem, frustration, family concern, opportunity, or creative idea. She does not treat the raw pages as polished records and usually discards them. The important second movement is extraction: useful ideas are transferred into a separate working journal or digital category so they can become actions, podcast topics, products, or talks. Carlson believes the routine gives her space to think and says it has helped her avoid feeling burned out, but that is her personal account rather than a medical guarantee. The method is flexible and explicitly has no single right form.
Origin
Carlson says she adopted morning pages from Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way when she started Kikki.K.
Core principles
- 01Write without trying to produce polished prose
- 02Give problems and emotions a private place to land
- 03Separate disposable processing from durable insight
- 04Adapt the practice rather than chasing one correct method
How to run it
- 1
Create a private container
Choose an ordinary notebook and a consistent place in your morning. Decide in advance whether you will keep, shred, burn, or discard the pages.
Pro tip Use a notebook you will not hesitate to write in freely.
Watch out Protect privacy if candid writing could be read by someone else.
- 2
Download three pages
Write whatever comes to mind without editing or organizing it. Include practical problems, emotional reactions, excitement, and unfinished thoughts.
Pro tip Keep the pen moving rather than searching for a profound topic.
Watch out Do not turn the exercise into a performance.
- 3
Extract useful insights
Review what surfaced and identify ideas or decisions worth retaining. Move those items into the journal or digital system you use for action.
Pro tip Capture only what deserves a future place; the raw processing can remain disposable.
- 4
Close the reset
Dispose of or store the pages as planned, then move into the next part of your morning. Carlson follows the practice with a walk or run on many mornings.
Pro tip Attach the routine to an existing morning cue so repetition becomes easier.
Watch out Treat the practice as reflection, not a substitute for professional care.
In the wild
Carlson described reflecting on a conversation and realizing she should contact EO about more speaking opportunities. An insight from the writing practice can be moved out of the disposable pages and into the system where she tracks speaking work.
→ A passing thought becomes a visible follow-up rather than disappearing with the raw pages.
Common mistakes
Trying to journal perfectly
Carlson says there is no single right method. Polishing the pages works against their role as an unfiltered download.
Losing the actionable insights
If an idea matters, transfer it before discarding the raw pages. Otherwise useful observations can vanish with the reset.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people who think through writing and want a private morning reflection practice.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for anyone who expects journaling alone to diagnose or treat a health condition.
From the transcript
“I start my morning by three morning pages.”
“I just download whatever comes to mind.”
“I always have a few insights.”
From the episode
563: From $500 to 120 Stores - How She Lost It All
Kristina Karlsson