News & Blog

Brenda's lovely new HAPPINESS JAR…plus a really terrific Dr. Seuss-looking flower!

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
My Happiness Jar…
Thank you, Liz, for teaching me so many things through your writing. ♥

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

Eat Pray Love in Romanian…

Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
I hope soon to see The Signature of All Things translated into Romanian, until then I rererererereread Eat Pray Love :)))

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

Hi all! Hope you can make it to Frenchtown on Sept 7th…though just to be clear, I won't be speaking: Just HANGING OUT with the awesome Penguin Book Truck (they let me fill it with my own favorite titles from the Penguin classics line!) and also with two of my favorite local authors — the memoirist Rayya Elias and the poet John Smith. Hope to see you there! I'll be wandering about between the book store in town and the parking lot of Two Buttons…

🙂
Liz

Author Elizabeth Gilbert, along with Rayya Elias and John Smith, to speak in Frenchtown, Sept. 7
www.nj.com
Elizabeth Gilbert  Elizabeth Gilbert, with special guests Rayya Elias and poet John Smith, will join with local bookshop, The Book Garden in Frenchtown, to celebrate her favorite Penguin reads on Sept. 7, from 2-4 p.m. The Penguin Book Truck will…

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall

IN DEFENSE OF ENTHUSIASTIC PLUNGING…

Dear Wonderfuls —

We've spoken on this page about perfectionism already, right? You guys all know by now how I feel about it? (AGAINST.) For me, perfectly good has always been way better than perfect. Also, "perfect" does not exist (except perhaps in certain salted caramels) so when you're chasing perfect, you're chasing a myth. Which will probably leave you both tired and disappointed.

Perfectionism is the assassin of so many wonderful things (and remember: you can't spell "assassin" without two asses). Perfection can kill relationships, simple pleasures, holiday gatherings, entire months of your life…and most certainly creativity.

In women particularly, I've found, perfectionism can take an especially destructive turn — it can prevent you from putting yourself forward in the world. You don't want to speak out until your ideas are perfect. You don't want to try out a foreign language until your accent is perfect. You don't want to present your art, or music, or writing, or discoveries, suggestions to anyone until you are absolutely sure it's all beyond criticism, beyond reproach, beyond doubt — immaculate and masterful.

Boy, is that gonna slow you down.

What I keep trying to tell women — especially young women — is not to hold yourself back in the world until you're certain that you are perfect. Because there is not enough time for that. We need you here NOW, as you are, which is almost certainly GOOD ENOUGH. Speak now. Act now. Try now. Raise your voice now. Throw your ideas into the ring now. Show somebody your work now. Ask for the promotion now. Present your questions and doubts and suggestions now.

And please forgive me, but I just have to say it: Not being entirely sure if they were absolutely correct never stopped men from speaking out or plunging in. (See Mr. Allen, below…and a million other examples across the centuries besides.) So join them.

Plunge, everyone.

Plunge, plunge, plunge.

PLUNGE!

Liz

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall