Life of Muslimah

Big Magic - Creative Living without Fear
(Elizabeth Gilbert)

Book Summary, Notes and Highlights

🚀 The Book in 3 Sentences

The full title of this book is "Big Magic - Creative Living beyond Fear". This book is basically the pep talk to any person that wants to do something creative, but is held back by fear. Fear that we are not good enough, we are not original enough, we don't have the time or the money to do the things we feel called to do. Everything that holds us back from creating and letting our spark out has been tackled in this book.

🎨 Impressions

Lifechanging. This book has truly been lifechanging to me. It is one of the reason why I have started to take this blog more seriously. It is the reason why I sacrifice my sleep, but also finally make it a priority to take time out to write, paint, draw & garden.

How I Discovered It

Elizabeth Gilbert is the Author of the books "Eat Pray Love", "Committed" and "The Signature of all things". I always enjoyed her way of writing, but what got me into wanting to read this book was an interview she had with Marie Forleo. This book has also been recommended to me by so many of my creative friends.

Who Should Read It?

I would recommend this book to literally anyone who has the desire or just even the thoughts of wanting to create something. Be it art, photography, music, singing, gardening, whatever it is that you feel like doing, I constantly see myself coming back to this book, its stories, ideas and quotes. Every time I have a conversation with another creative friend of mine, this book always comes up.

☘️ How the Book Changed Me

How my life / behavior / thoughts / ideas have changed as a result of reading the book.

This book has changed my whole outlook on life. I don't have to be good at doing the things I enjoy. I don't have make it profitable. I don't have to attach myself to it and make it my "baby". I can just create and move on to the next project. Just create for the sake of creating, not for any other reason.

✍️ My Top 3 Quotes

• “I have an idea, but I’m afraid it’s already been done.” Well, yes, it probably has already been done. Most things have already been done
• but they have not yet been done by you.
• But in order to let go of the addiction to creative suffering, you must reject the way of the martyr and embrace the way of the trickster.
• “What’s your favorite flavor of shit sandwich?”
• Sneak off and have an affair with your most creative self.

📒 Summary + Notes

Courage

This chapter deals with fear. Every single one of us humans has this supporting mechanism in us. It is here to save us and keep us alive and healthy. Fear shows himself whenever we are confronted with the unknown. Whenever we might be stepping out of our comfort zone, it is there to put us right back into our spot. Where we belong according to him. To be safe and sound.

The thing with creativity is though, that it loves the unknown. That is what creativity is at it's core! Being curious and following your curiosity, guided by creativity.

So here is what Elizabeth Gilbert does with her fear. She acknowledges it and emphasizes that fear is doing an excellent job at keeping us alive. However when we are about to embark on a journey with creativity, fear is allowed to come along and enjoy the ride, but it’s not allowed to make any decisions. It can sit in the backseat and watch.

Enchantment

This is probably my MOST favorite chapter. Elizabeth Gilbert has this philosophy that ideas live with us on this earth and they want be brought out into this world by humans so they wander from human to human asking “Will you bring me to life?” And if you don’t accept it, it will wander off to someone else and ask the same question again until they find their match. Someone who is willing to put in the effort to bring this creative idea into live.

This communion between humans and the magical is such a beautiful concept, that I can easily get behind it. The only rule to follow on this enchantment is, that you just have to make things don’t expect them to be big. Just be in love with what you get to create and move on.

Permission

You do not need anybody’s permission to live a creative life. Everything HAS already been made, no doubt. But it hasn’t been made by you! You do not have to give up your career nor do you have to be good at it, but if you feel like doing something, just do it.

Persistence

This chapter deals with the fact that some people can make a living out of what they love while others who are equally as good at their craft cannot sustain their lives from their passion. This chapter is for those who have been pouring all that they have into their crafts, but have gotten nothing in return.

“..., I will say this. If you happen to discover, after a few years away from writing, that you have found nothing that takes its place in your life—nothing that fascinates you, or moves you, or inspires you to the same degree that writing once did . . . well, then, sir, I’m afraid you will have no choice but to persevere.”

Trust

This part of the book is all about the notion that to be a creative soul, you do NOT have to suffer. Ill repeat it again, because it is so embedded into our culture, you don’t have to suffer to create art. As she says:

"My desire to work—my desire to engage with my creativity as intimately and as freely as possible—is my strongest personal incentive to fight back against pain, by any means necessary, and to fashion a life for myself that is as sane and healthy and stable as it can possibly be. But that’s only because of what I have chosen to trust, which is quite simply: love. Love over suffering, always.

Elizabeth Gilbert goes on to explain that we don't have to become a martyr to be creative. Rather than seeing a creative life as one of a martyr where you give up EVERYTHING for the sake of the art, see the journey as a trickster. The trickster has fun and enjoys his way of living, make it the same with your creativity.

In this chapter we also deal with "burnout" or if you don't know what to create next. Trust the process, just follow your curiosity and see where it will take you. Just trust the process.

Divinity

What we make matters enormously, and it doesn’t matter at all.