Recovering a Sense of Integrity

I’m going to be honest — Week 4 of The Artist’s Way could easily be split into two. Every chapter could. There’s just so much to unpack, and the volume of tasks alone could carry you through a month if you let them. I’ve been dancing around this book for years, dipping in and out of it, circling back when something resonates differently. So I’ve got some seasoned thoughts on how to scaffold this chapter to stick.

Honest Changes & Morning Pages (With a Twist)

Julia Cameron opens Week 4 with the idea of “honest changes,” and yeah, it all centers around Morning Pages. I’ve been writing daily since I was a teenager, so just freewriting for three pages isn’t new to me. What has been transformational is what I do after the brain-dump — I end with a message to myself. An affirmation. A little note of power to carry into the day.

Now, let’s be real: not every note is dripping in sunshine. Some mornings are rough, full of heavy truths or “ick” that lingers into my coffee hour. But even when the pages are messy or moody, they keep me grounded. Morning Pages work better for me than meditating in a silent room.

Cameron says, “If you want to work on your art, work on your life.” And that hit me. Dumping the noise on paper each morning helps me move into the day with clearer energy. Sometimes I realize what I need to let go of. Sometimes it’s where I’m leaking energy. Sometimes it’s just a list of half-whispers I might not have admitted out loud. But oddly? A few of those wishes have crept into reality, indirectly.

My takeaway: Morning Pages aren’t about neatness — they’re about honesty. And they subtly train your mind to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. You either believe your thoughts can shape your day — or you sit in the loop. I choose the former.

Buried Dreams, Aching Knees & Small Comebacks

The chapter also invites us to revisit buried dreams, and for me, that brought up roller skating. I miss dancing on wheels so much. Right now, it’s not realistic — knee injury life — but I’m doing my leg raises, visualizing the comeback. I may be 42, but dreams don’t really expire, they just get detoured.

I looked through some old photos and remembered a time I was hiking almost every day, blogging about it, living in my body and the outdoors. I can’t imagine doing that daily here, in this town — but maybe I could reclaim weekends. A little reconnection with nature, one trail at a time.

Takeaway: If something is calling you, start by imagining the feeling — then work backward and map out a small, doable step. You don’t need to leap; just face the direction.

Reading Deprivation… Or Call It What It Really Is

Let’s talk about the spicy part: reading deprivation. I think Cameron was onto something, but in today’s world, it’s less about books and way more about screens. Honestly, I’ve been practicing what I’d call “social media deprivation” for six years now. It started with one boundary: no phones in the bedroom. That’s the rule in my home. No negotiations.

Over time, I realized the more available I made myself, the more I was depleting my value. No one has ever respected me more for responding to a text instantly. In fact, I’ve usually just handed over my time to people who didn’t deserve it.

These apps — we know the game. They’re built to hook us and drain us. I’ve installed, deleted, reinstalled, deactivated… it’s a dance. But I’ve learned to ask myself, “What are they selling me today?” Because it’s always something. And after I scroll, I never walk away smarter or lighter. Mostly just irritated.

Takeaway: Create your own disconnection rituals. Leave the phone behind. Set blackout hours. Delete the apps you know aren’t serving you. No one needs Instagram. Let your brain get bored enough to discover what it actually craves.

I made a cozy little reading corner in my art studio — just an old mattress with a velvet cover. Now it’s a sacred space to just be. You can create that, too. A no-input zone. A pause.

Conclusion: Living Our Way Into Integrity

Week 4 isn’t about perfection — it’s about peeling back what’s inauthentic and making space for the stuff that feels true. Whether it’s skating again, reclaiming your time from the grip of algorithms, or simply showing up for yourself with a pen in hand, recovering a sense of integrity means listening. Not to noise — but to yourself.

This process asks a lot. And if you’re like me, it might take longer than a week to untangle the threads. That’s okay. There’s no rush in becoming who you already are under the noise.

So start where you are. Let it be messy. Let it be slow. Just let it be yours.

✨ Try This: A Mini Challenge for the Week

Morning Pages Reboot:
Write three pages each morning this week — but at the end of each, write a single sentence to yourself. It can be an affirmation, a reminder, or just something you needed to hear.
Name a Buried Dream:
Write down one dream you used to have that you haven’t made space for in years. Don’t judge it. Just name it. Bonus points if you write one small step you could take toward it.
Digital Detox Starter Pack:
Choose one of the following:

Delete one app for seven days
Set a “screen-free” hour every evening
Keep your phone out of the bedroom

Notice what bubbles up when the distraction quiets down.

🌿 Milna Cultivates

Good Things Good Days — essays on creativity and becoming.

Originally published on Medium by Milna Cultivates.