The Art of Evening Pages

Creating an experience for reflection and rest.

Welcome to Unconventional Intelligence, a weekly post dedicated to sharing tools and knowledge that allows you to rest, reclaim, and restore your life after burnout.

Read our About Page and learn about our evaluation system—The Energy Score.

What are Evening Pages?

Energy Score (7 out of 9)

Learn about our evaluation system—The Energy Score.

Five years ago, journaling was something that I knew would be beneficial, but I could never find the time. Or when I did find the time, I would stop after a few sentences because I was distracted by my hand hurting or a social media ping. The reality was that journaling was a rote activity that required presence with yourself, and I was honestly not interested. I preferred talking it out because it felt more natural until one day, my partner said:

“I appreciate that you speak to me about everything, but you never ask if I am in the space to receive the information. You just come in the room and dump on me, and I am left with the heaviness as you bounce off with joy because you got what you needed.”

Well, damn

He wasn’t lying, though. I had never considered the emotional toll I was taking on people as I mindlessly shared my woes with the unofficial therapists in my life. I realized that I had become emotionally expensive. From that point, I decided to no longer share my unprocessed feelings with him, but instead of picking up a journal, I just called my bestie. 🤣

It wasn’t until just over a year ago that I began journaling as a regular practice through Morning Pages while reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron that I experienced its benefits and found my way back to myself. After a year, my morning ritual had evolved so much that morning pages were not as beneficial as they once were. Morning pages felt like another checklist in my morning ritual, but I knew I needed a space to express myself, so I began doing evening pages instead.

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The Energy Score Breakdown

Learn about our evaluation system—The Energy Score.

Accessibility (2/3)

Evening pages allow us to reflect and process information we miss when we are living in our heads. It allows us to connect with our feelings and create solutions that keep us grounded and less reactive.

I often found myself going to sleep feeling defeated, focusing on what didn’t get done and the fires that awaited me in the morning. This constant mental noise kept me from resting fully. By shifting my journaling practice from morning to evening pages, I created a dedicated space to acknowledge my efforts, process my thoughts, and release lingering stress.

If this is a new practice, it will take energy to make it a sustainable habit. Commit to one day for at least 25 minutes to gain momentum.

Implementation (2/3)

1. If this is a new practice, it will take energy to make it a sustainable habit. Commit to one day for at least 25 minutes to gain momentum.

2. Schedule a time to journal until it becomes second nature. Use your digital or physical calendar. I use Google Calendar.

3. Get a dedicated notebook and writing utensils.

4. Write in an environment with minimal distraction.

Sustainability (3/3)

Once you see the benefit of evening pages, they are easy to sustain. Commit to a minimum number of days and keep your promise to yourself. Create guardrails to ensure you do not miss multiple days in a row.

Please share how you are enjoying our new format by leaving a comment.

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A of Couple Journal Prompts

At the end of your day, take a moment to reflect. I prefer free writing over journal prompts, but I intentionally reflect on these two things:

1. What is one thing you accomplished today that you're proud of, no matter how small?

2. What is one thing that you can change to better honor yourself tomorrow?

This allows you to honor your progress and make incremental adjustments. At the end of the week, I take a picture of each entry and upload it to ChatGPT with the following prompt: Please review my journal entries and provide me with the themes for the week and suggestions for improving my life.

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Writing as a Way of Healing - Book Recommendation

📚Writing as a Way of Healing - How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives by Louise DeSalvo 

Cover Image from Writing as a Way of Healing

I stumbled upon this book at Half Price Books a month ago, and it has been the most transformative resource in my journey as an author. It’s the first writing book that truly encapsulates how writing transforms and heals us emotionally and guides us to care for ourselves physically throughout the process. This book covers everything from crafting outlines to creating writing schedules and exploring the more profound spiritual purpose behind why we write. If any of this resonates with you, I recommend checking it out.

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Journaling with Tea

☕ Ground Yourself Tea by Loveyenergy 

Journaling is better when it’s an experience. I have been studying herbalism for five years, and tea is my favorite way to consume herbs. I prefer loose-leaf tea over the pre-packaged version because it allows me to use a medicinal dose of herbs (1 tablespoon) instead of the teaspoon found in most tea bags.

I found Loveyenergy teas at my local spiritual shop and have been a faithful user for almost a year, but they were so expensive that I had a field day when I found them only directly from the seller on Etsy for half the price.

This week, I have been using the Ground Yourself Tea blend of: 

• Hibiscus Flowers (calming and cooling)

• Calendula (reduced inflammation, calming, cleansing)

• Lemongrass (mental clarity and focus)

• Orange Peels (Invigorating, uplifting, balanced)

I also added: 

• Lavender (reduces stress and anxiety)

• Passion Fruit (calming & I like how it tastes)

TIP: If you use teas for medicinal purposes, use at least one tablespoon per 12-16 oz of water for maximum benefit.

*This is not a sponsored post.

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Synchronicities and ‘ish

When you are on the right path, you will begin to see synchronicities in your life, affirming that you are on the right path. Below is a collection of synchronicities I noticed this week in my world that I wanted to share with you.

@bigtajjj @bigtajjj ♬ Deep Understanding - Dominic DiTanna

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Bringing it Home

Connection with the self and source is key to regaining a sense of humanity. Writing is just one form of expression that heals us. It is easy to make our experiences concrete when they feel foreign.

Please share your thoughts on this in the comments.

I’m honored to be in community with you.