I recently rediscovered a book that I haven’t looked at in a while. I was organizing my bookshelf and came across Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic”. You probably recognize the name as she is the author of the infamous Eat, Pray, Love. This is one of my favourite self improvement books partly because it is so beautifully written and the other part is that you can’t help but feel inspired by reading it. You literally discover something new every time you pick it up.

There are so many nuggets of wisdom in this book but there is one line that really resonated with me. In the book Gilbert writes, “Art is a crushing chore and a wonderful privilege.” That is now one of my favourite quotes partly because for any of us who love to create, she touches on this dichotomy of art. There exists this tug of war while you are creating when you swing between periods of great anguish and absolute elation. I can really relate to that and it is so important to remember this especially if you are starting something new. It is so easy just to give up because we all want to be perfect at the beginning but no one is perfect at the beginning. You need to work at your craft to reap the rewards of creativity which are magnificent and many .

Elizabeth Gilbert is such a treat to read. She is insightful, articulate and her words transport you on a wonderful creative journey that can’t help but inspire you to pick up a pen or a paint brush or implement of choice and prepare to ascend to your higher self.

Some of the things you can expect to learn in this book are:

1. You don’t need permission to be creative.
2. Stop complaining about your art.
3. Done is better than perfect.
4. Stop following your passions.
5. Your work doesn’t need a moral purpose.

Some of these points might seem pretty revolutionary if you are discovering this for the first time, right? Well, it is so much better than any review could describe. If you are in a creative rut or feeling like you might need to nurture your creative side, I highly recommend this book to get you started. You definitely won’t be sorry! I can’t say enough good things about it.

If you don’t have a copy already, you can grab one here.