BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert, book review

Image result for big magicHolly cow she can write! She writes so well that she inspired me to commit to writing for 30 days staring (my blog and a page for my first book – because turns out I love to write! But this is not about me, this is about the brilliant gems that I am here to share with you from her book).
“My creative expression is the most important thing in the world to me (if I’m to live artistically), and it also must not matter at all (if I am to live sanely).”
Elizabeth goes in depth to explain this as she sees it as she believes that thinking about our creativity this way IS the best way to think about it as it serves us so well.

It makes it so easy to create all the time with no pressure to succeed and at the same time we DO make it a high priority to CREATE whatever it is we love to create – we will always make time for it and seek out even 15 mins a day just to do it.

I absolutely love that concept and have experience the powerful effect of it directly on my own life and how I approach creating value in the world. It becomes so light and fun and sustainable!

“When people are having an affair, they don’t mind losing sleep, or missing meals.  They will make whatever sacrifices they have to make, and they will blast through any obstacles, in order to be alone with the object of their devotion and obsession – because it matters to them.” 
Here Elizabeth Gilbert compares our relationship with our creativity(whatever shape it takes for you) to the relationship one has when they are having an affair.

She suggest that if we can see our art from that perspective and approach it with such willingness to do it whenever, wherever we will be so much more excited and inspired to give it our time!

This is what I always do myself and I love that about me.

If I have 30 mins, or even 15 mins I will sit down and write something or I will sit down and read something or learn something that I’m passionate about.  I am always squeezing in time with my ‘lover’ whenever I have. And this is the one affair my husband is supportive about:) He sees how happy it makes me.

“You must learn how to become a deeply disciplined half-ass.”
Elizabeth talks about how laziness and perfectionism are the two things that will always come in the way between us and our vocation.
Therefore we must, must, must learn to “become a deeply disciplined half-ass.”.
Work, work, work, work and don’t mind that it’s not perfect. Just get it done.
Amen.
“Possessing a creative mind, after all, is something like having a border collie for a pet: it needs to work or otherwise it will cause you an outrageous amount of trouble.” : “ eating a couch, digging a hole through the living room floor”
“If I’m not actively creating something, then I’m probably actively destroying something (myself, a relationship, or my own peace of mind.)”
So true! Love this quote.
“Passion makes you get divorced and sell all your possessions and shave your head and move to Nepal. Curiosity doesn’t ask nearly so much of you.”
Elizabeth encourages us to be curious with ourselves instead of looking for our passion.  This is her argument.
It’s just such a gentler approach than ‘I need to find my passion’, which can involve changing your life; which is not necessarily momentum building.
“Sometimes I think that the difference between a tormented creative life and a tranquil creative life is nothing more than a difference between the word awful and the word interesting.”
I love, love, love this perspective.
Brilliant.
All of my breakthroughs are going from ‘horrible’ to ‘interesting’ perspective.
Try this! It works!
“What would you do if you knew that you might very well fail?”
And for the final quote I picked this one.
If you are looking for a way to find what you want to do with your life, try this question.  What are you willing to fail at to do?
What would be exciting to fail at for you?
What is worth all the failure for you to pursue?
For me it is hands down this work, coaching myself and others and learning.
I thinks this is THE most fun!
Have a beautiful day everyone!
Natalia

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