Holla beautiful people out there!
It’s been long time
since I was supposed to write this and finally I am doing it! So without
further due let’s get down to it!
‘Big Magic’ is written
by famous author Elizabeth Gilbert who also wrote the famous, fabulous and my favorite ‘Eat Pray Love’. To know more about the author, click HERE.
This book will not only
inspire artists but will also inspire all those who create. And in my opinion, every
one of us is a creator! Because, knowingly or unknowingly we are creating on a
daily basis. And you never know you are so talented, and its making you happy
and making your life easier. You can be a student, a manager, a YouTuber, an
engineer, a blogger, a singer, a dancer, a photographer, who loves to create
things according to your profession or something totally not related to your
profession. Author of this book however, is talking about creating with
passion, that gives you immense pleasure
and completeness to your life.
Here are some interesting things you will find out
in this book:
- If you are Elizabeth Gilbert fan especially, You will find her life stories related to ‘Eat Pray Love’
- Her conclusions about creativity that sound funny and childish but if you look at it deeply, you cannot deny them, because everyone who has an experience of sitting down to create something has surely experienced them.
- You can relate with what author has to say, and you will have experience of having heart to heart conversation with the author.
- Want to explore yourself as a creator? Author tells you some really brave things you can take up in your life; you just got to pick those while reading.
So, let me give you an
idea what author is discussing in this book from each part of the book,
Obviously I cannot and will not cover everything, I am going to reveal enough
to make you to want read more! And I do want you to read the book. Whole book
is divided in to 6 parts, so let’s get started with the first one!
Part 1: “COURAGE”
Yes, it definitely takes
courage to live a creative life. Elizabeth explains why people do not go ahead fearlessly
and create things they are passionate about. She gives a list of reasons of
what could be holding you back from creating, and definitely you will find
yourself somewhere in the list (well, that’s
the best thing). So go ahead, find your reason, know how stupid that reason is
and give it up. Create fearlessly and live a creative life.
In short, make time and
gather courage to do what makes your soul happy, whatever brings smile on your
face and makes you forget pain and worries! All this, takes courage and this
part of the book tells you why and how!
Part 2: “ENCHANTMENT”
I believe this chapter
is for those who sit down and think for the ideas, may be artist (all kinds of
artist) or may be business people who deal with employees and finances. I found
it funny when Elizabeth says that, ideas have mind of their own and they search
for that person who can convert them into a creation. She adds that they travel
around the world seeking for their creator and if you don’t pay attention to
them they will leave you and will search another creator. I found it very true because
I have experienced this, when you see someone executing the same idea as yours,
it is just that they brought that idea into life and you didn’t. Or it could be
the case that two people have done something in similar way! Same scientific discovery
being made by people living in different parts of the world is an example of
this.
These were just couple of
examples among many ideas to which you will totally resonate. There are lot
more interesting things in this part of the book that will blow your mind.
Part 3: “PERMISSION”
As the name suggests
author talks about permission to live a creative life. And, obviously, as
author says, “you don’t need anyone’s permission to create something you love”.
Probably the only person who is stopping you from creating is only and only ‘YOU’!
Sometimes we stop
ourselves by saying that, my creation looks like a copy, or its nowhere close
to whom I am inspired by, I stand nowhere in this, I am not that great at it so
I better not write this poem, not make that painting, I am not doing a justice to
this creation, people would laugh at it or I would receive criticism.... and
there are thousand other things in our mind that stop us from receiving
happiness out of creating. Well, you know what Elizabeth says? NOBODY cares!
You will start getting to know your own style only when you start creating in
the first place! May be you need to copy, copy and copy until you make
something Unique!
Elizabeth, by end of
this part will make you believe, that we must create for ourselves, not for
others; so that there would be no fear left of criticism. Create because it
makes “You” happy!
Part 4: “PERSISTENCE”
We all know that
Persistence is essential when you want to achieve the next level. Author says
when you will decide to do something because it makes you happy; you have to be
persistent at it. (Basically, that’s how much you should love it!) And she
specifically highlights the parameter of “age”! It doesn’t matter what your age
is! Age is just a number and has nothing to do with your passion to create. And
once you start creating, you shouldn’t be worrying about failure. You shouldn’t
be afraid of failing at it even if it is so, for years! Until and unless you
are learning from it, it is worth Failing. Fail, Learn, educate yourself and
may be, fail again and keep educating yourself, but never ever give up. Don’t worry
about people not appreciating or not appreciating it “enough” when you publish
your work.
Should you just believe
in all this just because a famous author is saying it? NO! You should go and
read the book and take an experience of being convinced to everything I stated
above.
Part 5: “TRUST”
Do you believe that as
much as you love your passion, it loves you back? NO? Well, It does! Find answer
to this question in this part of the book.
Further, she tells that
the process of creating, failing, educating for years, must be a journey of curiosity
and happiness. If the process of creating is making you suffer, maybe you
should go ahead and find something else to do. The process of creating is
supposed to make you happy and should bring clarity and understanding towards the
problems you are facing in personal life. It is supposed to bring sunshine in
your soul. And if all it brings is pressure? Or all it needs is something
bitter to come up from the past, in order to create your masterpiece? Please
feel free to walk away from it. Because it is not supposed to make you suffer,
it is supposed to pull you out of your sufferings.
In the next chapters of
this part, she discusses the “creative block”. Do you have nothing to write on
your blog? Do you feel the writer/poet in you has left you? Do you feel you
just made a mess out of your painting? Do you feel you are running out of
ideas? Cannot think of anything new or unique? Go away from it for a while. Do
something else. And while going away, have faith that you will get back to your
passion to create something as fabulous as you’ve created in the past.
Part 6: “DIVINITY”
This is the shortest
part of the book. And I am leaving this for you to read. This includes an
interesting story about author’s stay at Bali.
So, those are the glimpse
of each part of the book, hope it makes you want to read more! After reading
this book you would surely be motivated to live as a Creator. Because we all
are wonderful creators and creating with passion is fun life to live or let’s
say it will make you feel more fulfilled in life.
So, Go grab your copy
on following links as soon as possible and I wish you a Happy Creative life!!
Links:
If you love this book,
please share it to as many people as you can, because ‘Sharing is Caring!’
Much love,
Chitra XOXO
