READ: Big Magic By Elizabeth Gilbert

I find power in others telling their stories and I hope you do too!

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I'm sure you've heard people buzzing about Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic. It's definitely an inspiring book to read for anyone living a creative life. Some of it is a little out there but in general, I love her laid back, go-for-it attitude when it comes to living a creative life. 

Here's one of my favorite quotes from the book: 

Honestly, this is about where I feel about my writing at this point. I've been writing for about five years now and I keep promising myself that I just need to keep going. In the newsletter I sent out over the weekend, I shared my thoughts on the word persist. What I know best about the writing process at this point is that I just have to keep going. 

"Do whatever you want to do.
Pursue whatever fascinates you and brings you to life.
Create whatever you want to create - 
and let it be stupendously imperfect, 
because it's exceedingly  likely that no one will even notice.
And that's awesome."

"Do what you love to do, 

and do it with both seriousness and lightness.

At least then you will know that you have tried and that

- whatever the outcome - 

you have traveled a noble path."

I love her thoughts on curiosity. She talks about passion being a scary and maybe elusive thing but that we can be curious and follow our curiosity and it feels possible and fun.

"I believe that curiosity is the secret. Curiosity is the truth and the way of creative living. Curiosity is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. Furthermore, curiosity is accessible to everyone."

 She gives us permission to live a creative life. For whatever reason, there are so many things - people? society? - that hold us back from living a creative life and thinking it's worth living. But she says just be curious, be creative, make time for it. Just do it. It's okay to let our creativity out.

"Just say what you want to say, then, and say it with all your heart.

Share whatever you are driven to share.
If it's authentic enough, believe me - it will feel original."

Too often we get stuck. Either we are scared to start or we aren't sure where to start or we don't want to make a mistake. But in the end, we just have to beign. 

"Begin anywhere. Preferably right now."

If you're looking for a soul-filling type of book to help you think about, embrace, get started or keep going with your creative life, this is it!