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Ah….THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS reaches Florence! I WANT TO GO TO THERE! 🙂

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
Ciao & thank you Liz…. Just had to wait til Italy to read your latest writings – blessings and love from Firenze ????

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

HOW TO NOT BE OVERWHELMED.

Dear Ones —

So a funny thing happened to me yesterday at Oprah's The Life You Want Tour.

Or, rather, a funny thing DIDN'T happen to me.

I wasn't nervous. I wasn't overwhelmed. I didn't walk around all day thinking, "I can't believe I'm here!" or "I hope I don't ruin everything!" And every time Oprah came near me, I didn't squeal (internally or externally) "Oh my god that's OPRAH FREAKING WINFREY, OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD I'M STANDING NEXT TO OPRAH!!!!!."

Nope. I actually felt calm.

This is not what I had expected. Because that was a crazy situation, people — a giant arena, a big-ass spotlight, a potentially blinding amount of glamor, the possibility for humiliating screw-ups, and a lot of expectation piled right on top of me.

But I realized this truth, yesterday morning: If I turn this into a big drama or a thrill ride, then I'm making it all about me. Which isn't fair to anybody here, and won't serve anybody here. And I came here to serve.

Oprah invited me to this event because she wanted me to bring something very specific to that audience. It's none of my business why she thought I could do it — but she thought I could do it. And she didn't need me freaking out. And all those women in that arena who came there yesterday with real questions about their own journeys and their own lives didn't need me freaking out, either. They needed a calm, steady voice with a strong, honest message. Period.

So I said to myself yesterday morning: "Keep it together, Gilbert. Do what they need you to do. Be who you came here to be. There's no higher way to honor these people than to bring them your most dignified self."

Then I erased my drama, and did my job.

I fell asleep last night thinking that if I can hold onto that state of being (the drama-free notion that we are here to offer our services to each other, and that we are here to perform with grace whatever task destiny is calling forth from us next) then maybe life can be a lot less overwhelming.

Whether it's a painful task that we are called to, or an exhausting task, or an exhilarating task, or a joyous one — get your drama out of it, and do whatever you need to do with the highest dignity.

There's a lot of trust required for that state of being. Not so much trust in yourself, but trust in who is guiding you. Yesterday I relaxed completely into that trust.

I'm gonna try to hold onto that.

We were all invited to be here, and we all need each other's grace. Let's hold it together, Dear Ones.

ONWARD,
LG

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

GREEN DRESS IN ACTION…

We did it, you guys.

Me and the green dress.

Me and the green dress and Oprah Winfrey.

Me and the green dress and Oprah Winfrey and 10,000 of the most beautifully open and receptive and heart-filled human beings I've ever had the honor of sharing a day with.

It was glorious.

I can't thank you all enough for your encouraging words this morning. I carried your faith in me onto that stage and then I just opened my mouth and thought, "Dear God, if you ever had a reason to give me a voice, let it all come tumbling out now."

I spoke of women's quests and women's journeys — and becoming the hero of your own life's story.

The quote you see on the back screen is from Mr. Charles Dickens, my favorite author. It's the opening lines of DAVID COPPERFIELD, a book that Dickens himself always claimed was his favorite, of all his novels:

"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will belong to anybody else, these pages must show."

What will your pages show?

Go write your story. Write it in the heavens. Write it in your soul. Write it with your actions, write it with your courage, write it with your stubbornness.

As for me…now I have to go tumble into a long hot bath, and then into bed, while marveling at the amazing turn my own life story has taken.

I can't believe it.

I love you all.

ONWARD,
LG

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS reaches the Oprah tour…during my speech! Now THAT is awesome! Thank you, Natasza and Lindsay! 🙂

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
You have been watching the travels of "The Signature of all Things"… well, my friend @[150801423:2048:Lindsey Stricklin] brought it to Oprah's The Life You Want, and there you are in your fabulous dress!

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

IT'S TIME.

I'm going to put on this dress now and go over to the Oprah's The Life You Want Tour and speak to a stadium full of open hearts and beautiful faces.

Here's what I'm going to do today, Dear Ones, to get me through my fears and nerves: I'm just going to pretend that I'm talking to you — to all of you within this kind and generous Facebook community. Just like we do here every single day.

Except that I will be in an arena, not in my living room.

While wearing this dress, not my pajamas.

And Oprah Winfrey will be in the front row.

But otherwise…no difference. All I'm gonna do is what we do here together, every single morning — bring the love, and push ONWARD.

SO LET'S GO.

🙂

LG

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall