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QUESTION OF THE DAY: What is your biggest obstacle for living a creative life?

Dear Ones –

I am working on a book right now about creativity.

A small book, a guidebook, a (hopefully) helpful book.

It is largely drawn from conversations we've had on this Facebook page, and from encounters that I've had with many of you in person when I am out on the road. Let me put it simply: I want to help you.

Creativity has always been a source of uncomplicated joy for me, but I know that it is not a source of uncomplicated joy for everyone. I know that many of you suffer and struggle to express yourselves, to believe in your work, to put yourself forward. I know that many of you feel blocked, tormented, stuck, afraid.

What I want to ask you today, quite earnestly, is this — what is holding you back from living your most creative life, more than anything? If you could identify ONE THING that is stopping you from the fullest expression of your imagination, what would you name it?

Will you let me know, if you feel comfortable doing so?

Will you share this with your friends, and ask them?

I ask all this because I want to make sure, with this new book, that I address all your questions, all your fears, all your blockages. Or at least that I try to — as well and thoroughly as I can.

Because: ART.

ONWARD,
LG

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS GIRL, ALEX SILVESTRI?

This broke my heart. Please share — especially in the NYC area.

Blessings, Katie.

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
Dear Liz, I know this is a long shot, but I NEED the word to get out, and you've got so many amazing, kindhearted fans of your brilliant stories; looking particularly at any in the New York City area that might just read this post and share in order to help find a missing person.

My sister, @[1388400004:2048:Alex Silvestri], is missing. She recently (this past week) took a trip to the Brooklyn area and made it there, last we heard. She has not been heard from since this past Friday morning or seen by the person she was staying with since this past Monday. We are very worried about her, as she is new to the city and traveled alone without much money or consistent mode of communication. A police report has been filed, but there is not much that can be done because she is not a resident of the city itself. I have posted a somewhat recent photo; there are more on her facebook page. Please share this and PLEASE contact me if you have seen her or have been in contact with her. Thank you.

Katie Silvestri, Buffalo region — with Alex Silvestri.

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

Dear Ones — I wanted to repost this essay I wrote from last year, because the question came up again (as it always will) just the other day…hope it's helpful!

QUESTION OF THE DAY: IS IT SELFISH TO GO ON A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY?

Somebody asked me this the other day and it made me smile, because it reminded me of the years between 2006 and 2010 (what I call "The Eat Pray Love Years") when somebody (often a reporter or interviewer) would ask me this question EVERY SINGLE DAY.

It's been a while since I've had to answer it, so I will take a trip down memory lane here, and answer it once more.

The answer is: No.

No, it is not selfish to go on a spiritual journey. For that matter, it is not selfish to go a vision quest, or to embark on therapeutic/psychological self-examination, or to go on a pilgrimage, or to devote yourself to prayer and meditation, or to take any sort of creative or healing or investigative voyage into the self whatsoever.

Because:

1) It is your divine and intrinsic right as a human being to discover who you are, and who God is, and what your purpose is, and what your talents are, and where your joy is to be found, and how to ease your own suffering and the suffering of others. (In fact, seriously: What else are you going to spend your life doing, if not, at some point, taking a bit of time to try answering even one of those questions?)

2) Going on a true journey of self-exploration should not be confused with going to a spa for a weekend. It is not a way of spoiling yourself. It is not a luxury. It is not a mani-pedi for the soul. Nor is it a relaxing endeavor — as anyone who has gone deep into meditation or self-examination can attest. We don't necessarily take on the central questions of self and divinity (Who am I? Who is God?) because it's FUN. Often we are driven toward those questions by great suffering, and can only work our way through those hard questions with tremendous courage. Sometimes we don't even want to ask those questions, but simply must. What's more, these questions can be asked at any moment, from any place in the world, in the midst of any situation. These are not questions for the rich or the privileged only. You don't need a plane ticket anywhere to explore this stuff. I have a friend who is investigating these questions from within a prison cell right now — and trust me, even from within his seven-by-ten-foot cage, he is ON A JOURNEY.

3) Going on a journey toward the self is actually a public service. You know why? Because until you get to the bottom of yourself — until you humbly investigate the roots of your own suffering and nonsense and misery and destructive patterns — you will just keep causing mayhem, misery and trouble…not only for yourself, but for others. A friend of mine who has been savagely unhappy for years finally started therapy a few months ago, and he said to me, "It's super helpful, but I just feel so selfish, spending this much time and money on myself…" To which I replied, "Trust me, dude. It is benefiting ALL OF US." (His wife and children most of all. But seriously — all of us win whenever a loved one gets helped or healed.)

4) I was once told that in Mandarin there are two words that both translate into "SELFISH" in English. One means "Doing something that benefits you." The other means, "Doing something that benefits you at the expense of others." In English, we don't have this distinction. But there is a recognition in Chinese that these are two different notions — that it is not necessarily true that anything you do for yourself harms others. Sometimes you can do wonderful and important things for yourself without taking a thing away from another human being. This is the difference between self-care and greed. Self-care = GOOD. Greed = BAD. They are critically different. Never forget it.

5) THE END.

Have a nice day/quest,
Liz

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS in Portugal…a place I have never been, but long to visit someday!

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
First you've touched me deeply with your «Eat, Pray, Love» and now you've proved your success as a writer has nothing to do with luck. Maybe you could include Portugal in another book of yours!

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS reaches the Maldives…oh, if only I could follow the book wherever it goes!

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
I have saved Alma for my eastern travels … 30 days away celebrating being married to my best friend for 25 years. Our first week is here in Maldives to renew our wedding vows followed by a week in Bali after being inspired by EPL then on to Thailand. Im only 1 chapter in and I love it already.Thankyou Liz … Happy Sunday x — at Chaaya Lagoon, Hakuraa Huraa, Maldives.

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall