Big Magic: Elizabeth Gilbert

This book was perfect. Just what I need. I loved it. I think I had 12 sticky notes in the book marking quotes. The book really spoke to me. The book was about creativity and living without fear. Elizabeth Gilbert is the author of the book Eat Pray Love as well as many other novels. And as you probably know Eat Pray Love was a major success and turned into a movie with Julia Roberts. So she knows what success feels like but also what failure and working hard looks like. I wasn't even necessarily

inspired by her success I was more inspired by her philosophy on creativity and making. I loved when she said "if you like making and creating then that is reason enough to make." Basically you don't need to make a million dollars or sell stuff or get recognition if you love doing something that is reason enough to do it.

I also loved when she spoke about fear. Everyone is afraid and she was clinging to being afraid as her identifier. Which is so boring because everyone is afraid. That totally spoke to me because I have been fearful lately, of the future, among other things. But reading the book made me realize that everyone is afraid of something as some point so being afraid isn't special so don't let that identify you because that is boring.

My favorite quotes:

"The sooner and more passionately you get married to this idea - that it is ultimately entirely up to you - the better off you'll be."

"And always remember that people's judgements about you are none of your business."

"I am not exclusively chained to the grind of mere survival."

"It has taken me years to learn this, but it does seem to be the case that if I am not actively creating something, then I am probably actively destroying something (myself, a relationship or my own mind.)"

"If the art legitimates cruelty, I think the art is not worth having." - Adam Phillips

"Interesting outcomes, after all, are just awful outcomes with the volume of drama turned way down."

And it's funny because I think this book spoke more to me then just creativity or fear (which what it was about) but it kind of made me want to apply her philosophy to just life in general. Not to be afraid and if you love doing something that is reason enough to do it whether it is creating or just living a life you want to. And you don't need to make a million dollars or even one dollar. If you love the life your living then that is 100% reason enough. If not, then maybe change some things up to be happy with the life your living. Idk. Anyways, I love it. 
love, Carlee

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