“Just listen to your creative heart.” This message is what Elizabeth Gilbert conveys in her latest book, Big Magic. Perhaps it is a coincidence, but I’ve often noticed –  as I’m sure you have – experiences in life that seemingly come out of nowhere. These experiences could be ideas, thoughts, or visions that come to you when you’re least expecting them. These visions, let’s call them visual cues, could appear to you as say a brand new book published at the very moment you need it. It’s synchronicity, and it’s proven time and time again. 

Elizabeth Gilbert encourages us all to act more creatively

Elizabeth Gilbert’s in-depth look at creativity and her understanding of it from many years of disciplined writing talks about how some of us live our lives without any real fulfillment as we get too caught up in the mundaneness of our day to day chores. For many of us, the lists we create tend to measure our benchmarks of achievement.  I know they certainly have for me over the years. But we must ask ourselves, is this really what we want at the end of the day? A long to-do list which has been crossed off. Until I read this book, these benchmarks left me feeling accomplished; yes, but I had a tremendous underlying emptiness. It’s as if I’m doing and doing for the sake of getting things done.

Why, instead, do we not go through life with intent and insist on living a more creative life?  What is this creative life? I think it’s that child within each of us that enjoys playing. Elizabeth Gilbert grants herself and encourages us all to act more creatively.  She advises us to “follow our creative dream into our everyday life.” We all have it in us. She suggests that through creativity we connect with our inner self. And that each and every one of us possesses that childlike magic, if only we practiced creative living on a regular basis. Don’t you agree?  What is it that gives you that child-like calm and happiness?

Learning not to let the perfectionist rule your creativity

Some of us might be more disciplined about accomplishing our creative projects. Elizabeth Gilbert’s suggestion for those of us who are not creative is to practice it by becoming a “disciplined half-ass”  and not letting the perfectionist rule your creativity. She believes that perfectionism is fear camouflaged to protect and prevent you from taking any chance of receiving a rejection. I tend to agree.

So here it goes… I pledge to myself, to stop listening to the naysayers.  I promise myself to put the effort in, half an hour here and there. Awaken dear creativity, for it is now time to play.  You, my creative dreams, will not be dormant anymore. Yes, I’ve shelved you, and for that, I apologize. I pledge not to be upset anymore about messing up. I promise to put myself out there for the sake of protecting and honoring my creativity.  

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic has given me the freedom just to be me, and not worry about anyone’s opinions. 

There should be no fear of allowing oneself to explore. And so what if I can’t draw a perfect flower? It’s really about how my eyes see the in-perfect flower. Right?  My wish is to be creative for me and me alone. For the sake of making. I am perfecting my craft, my vision, my life, one step at a time while allowing myself the play time necessary to thrive in this universe.  I finally believe that no one is my critic and if you are, I’m ok with that. You are entitled to your opinion just as I’m entitled to draw or write as I see fit.

I feel great writing about this on my blog. It’s very freeing. I do hope you’ll read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic and pass it on to your friends and perhaps even your children who still are unbiased about their creativity.

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