Morning pages breakdown

February 28, 2026

I’m always talking about morning pages, but what are they? Maybe you think of journal prompts copied from Pinterest, or something. To me, the concept is wider than one task — it’s a sequence. A full ritual of going through multiple notebooks with specific purposes. It’s the smoothest initiation into a new day.

I’ve been into writing since forever. By the time I was 6, I wanted to be a writer. When I was 8, I started writing diaries and kept that going. At 15, the pandemic happened, and with that I unlocked new resources and developed ways to turn this core habit into a personal growth tool. When in comes to journaling, consistency is key. Consistency was no struggle back in 2020. Being at home at all times, I tapped into a certain pace. It made sense to journal every morning, in the same way I had breakfast every morning. FOMO wasn’t a concept, either, as everyone was stuck at home, too. The world had stopped for a bit and I wasn’t rushing to do anything else. I was privileged enough to be healthy, safe and living in a welcoming home — all these factors created opportunity for me to invest in myself. I recall 3 main influences.

The first one was Sophia Kelly (@wellnesswithsoph back then) and her e-book Paradigm Shift, a PDF containing simple yet effective journal prompts. Diaries were my primary container for unguided streams of consciousness. Sophia “introduced” me to the idea of journal prompts, and how to use them to identify and work on specific blockages. I don’t think the e-book is available anymore, so I’m glad it came to me when I most needed it.

Also prompt-related, I found out about The Isolation Journals, one of which featured the one and only Maggie Rogers. This project was in the form of a newsletter. There would be daily prompts and various people such as Maggie would be invited to respond to the prompts. It felt transformative to accompany the challenge in real time and have a new prompt to look forward to on a daily basis.

Last but not least, it was around that time that I started using Headspace, and meditations really triggered on-paper reflections and revelations. Overall, to this day, I’m still figuring out what works for me, what no longer serves me, and how I can stay consistent — one day at a time.

I keep a tray with all my notebooks, plus a Muji pen, on my bedside table. That way, when I wake up, they’re easy to reach. I meditate first thing in the morning: still half-asleep, grab my airpods, sit on my bed, open Headspace. I journal after. My tray contains 4 notebooks and a book, which I open in no particular order.

Agenda, Edition Julie Joliat

This works like a physical format of my calendar in Notion. While it’s more practical to take note of every errand on my phone, writing down what’s planned for the day/week/month helps me memorize important dates that might be around the corner. The agenda contains weekly spreads with space for me to add personal and business tasks. I check it in the morning for an overview of my day.

Diary, Mishmash

For dumping thoughts of any kind. Thanks to my 8-year old self, my whole existence is documented in Moleskine-like notebooks (though the most recent ones are from Mishmash and I’m forever sold). There’s something cathartic and purgative about writing a diary that I can’t seem to find elsewhere. Whether you read it some time later or decide to burn it. In my diary, I enjoy opening a new entry in the morning, and keep on writing throughout the day if needed.

Journal, Muji

I’m a list kind of girl, so I love prompts you can answer to with a list. Lists of things I’m grateful for, of seasonal themes, of ways to sync with my cycle, of energy givers, of energy drainers. It’s like doing an inventory of things that make me, me — while getting to know myself better. I’d love to dive deeper into this topic, if you’d like that.

Business journal, Flecha

I’ve had a business journal since launching Magu Cerâmica. Started with a boring bullet journal from Tiger, and since 2026 switched to this classic one from A Vida Portuguesa. The business journal was always a bit hectic, contemplating brainstorming, notes on custom-orders, raw mug sketches, and so on. It’s still hectic, but I began to journal there in the same way I do in my personal journal. Trying new prompts. Journaling for abundance. Setting short-term goals, in addition to yearly goals. So now I begin my work days with a gentle business-driven prompt.

Journey to the Heart (extra)

This isn’t a notebook, but it is profoundly linked to my journaling practice. As mentioned before in Join me on a solo date, this book contains 365 daily meditations (as in short reflections), one per calendar day, to guide you through a compassionate, spiritually developed path. It’s nothing mystical — just easy-to-read paragraphs that give you something to think about as you go about your day.