Book Review: Big Magic

I thought I’d write this book review a little differently for you today because when I really thought about it the book “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert really addresses the misconceptions and fears that people have when it comes to trying something new in their lives. For me, that’s starting this blog. For you, it may be pitching a new idea to the boss at work, or starting a new hobby like yoga or salsa dancing or making a big change in your life. Here’s some of the key questions Gilbert responds to in the book. 

Are You Creative? Gilbert tackles this common misconception in the first section of the book, saying that creative living goes far beyond being an actual artist as a profession. She explains that a creative life is simply a life that recognizes that we are more than the sum of our daily duties and that pursues joy always. “A creative life is an amplified life,” she says. “It’s a bigger life and an expanded life and a hell of a lot more interesting life.”

She goes on to say, “Are you considering becoming a creative person? Too late, you already are one.

Am I Original Enough? This was definitely a fear I experienced when thinking of starting this blog. Will anyone listen or care about what I have to say? It’s been done before. Maybe you are thinking of starting a new project and work or at home and feel the same way. Gilbert says, “Creative entitlement simply means believing that you are allowed to be here and that merely by being here- you are allowed to have a voice and vision of your own.”

Even though something has been attempted before, it hasn’t been attempted by you. “Share what you are driven to share,” Gilbert urges. “If it’s authentic enough,believe me- it will feel original.” 

What If People Hate It? “I can only be in charge of producing the work itself. That’s a hard enough job,” she writes. “I refuse to take on any additional jobs, such as trying to police what anybody thinks about my work once it leaves my desk.” 

She later emphasizes this again when she says, “ Recognizing this reality- that the reaction doesn’t belong to you- is the only sane way to create.” 

What If It’s Not Perfect? Simply put, Gilbert says perfection should not be a goal. “It starts by forgetting about perfect. We don’t have time for perfect.”  She says that perfectionism is what tends to stop people from creating in the first place, which only holds us back from living fully. 

“At some point, you really just have to finish your work and release it as is- if only so that you can go on to make other things with a glad and determined heart. Which is the whole point. Or it should be.” 

Hey, I’m Meghan

I’m here sharing content all about pursuing your own version of more and loving how you feel doing it. If that sounds good to you, stick around and let’s be friends!

Book Review: The Home Edit

“As we always say, you can have the item or you can have the space, but you can’t have both!”

— The Home Edit by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

Why I picked it up: So many reasons! 1. I’m a bit of an organizational enthusiast, so I nerd out over this stuff in general all the time. 2. I follow them on Instagram and they are hilarious and 3. The book came out a perfect time for me, as we moved into our new house and spring cleaning season hit.

What I Learned:

1. In the book, the authors emphasize that their combination of organization combines function and design in a way that makes spaces not only look great, but stay organized for the long term. “Sprinkling this extra layer of pixie dust inspires people to maintain their organized spaces. Which is the whole point!”

2. It’s okay to get rid of things. I’ve discovered as I’ve tried to clean out our belongings before and after our move that I do feel a lot of guilt about getting rid of things that I don’t want, either because it was a gift, or it was expensive, or because I personally bought something that I shouldn’t have. When looking at an item you feel you bought by mistake, they urge “Don’t double down on the mistake by keeping it!”

3. Not every item will fall into the keep or discard pile. I loved that they spent time in the book to point out that there are some items that won’t fall into the binary choice of keep or toss. Something that is sentimental, but you don’t use everyday should be stored away in a basement or attic. That way it’s safe, but it’s not taking up valuable space elsewhere.

4. Label, label, label! As stated in the book, “We believe that this [labeling] is actually the secret to long-term maintenance.” This could be especially helpful in my case, as I’m the one doing all of the organizing. How’s my husband supposed to know where things go if I don’t tell him somehow? The thought of labeling things seems a bit too permanent for me, so I might look into labels that can be erased/changed if needed.

Do I think having a perfectly organized home is absolutely necessary? No, I really don't’t. But I do see the benefit in getting spaces organized if you have the time, brain space, cash and resources to make it happen. Getting the containers to organize every closet, cupboard and drawer in my house sounds daunting, so I’m going to try to break it into small pieces. Hey, they recommend starting with just one drawer.

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Hey, I’m Meghan

I’m here sharing content all about pursuing your own version of more and loving how you feel doing it. If that sounds good to you, stick around and let’s be friends!

Book Review: The Bravest You

““Refusing to be brave isn’t living-it’s called hiding.””

— Adam Kirk Smith, "The Bravest You"

Why I picked it up: When I picked this book up at the beginning of last year, I was facing a ton of change at home, at work and in my personal life and I was looking for any insight I could find on embracing that change. As a routine kind of person, I tend to resist change. I prefer the safety and security of things that are certain and proven by time. Bravery is not natural for me; I’m more of a cowardly lion. So… you could say I was asking the Great Wizard of Oz for some courage.

My Key Takeaways from the Book:

Complacency: Kirk Smith talks a lot at the beginning of the book about complacency and how being stuck in a state of complacency really comes from fear and doubt.. “It is in complacency that people keep to themselves, slog through a day at work, go home and then do it all over again, without ever moving outside of their comfort zone.” Fear of the unknown and the doubts I had about myself were keeping me in a place that was comfortable, but not a place that was challenging me to be better and moving me forward towards the life I wanted. He also points out that complacency is dangerous because “It isn’t always a quick jolt that knocks us off course. It is often a slight veering off course over a long period of time.”

Fear of Inexperience: In the book, Kirk Smith says that the fear of inadequacy commonly keeps people from moving forward, simply because they don’t think they would be good at doing what they really want to do, having never done it before. He challenges that by saying. “When we are passionate, we seek to know as much about our pursuit as we possibly can. In the process of doing this inadequacies- real and imagined- are almost guaranteed to fade away.” He goes on to say later that practice is the “enemy” to inadequacy and that “fear is only as powerful as your unfamiliarity allows it to be.” If you are afraid you aren’t good enough to (do that thing you really want to do), go and learn more about it. Taking action to learn more will prove to yourself that you are good enough.

Letting Go of the Past: “You cannot allow that which is already done and gone to hold you back indefinitely,” Kirk Smith says. It’s easy to chain yourself to the limiting beliefs you have about yourself because of something that has happened in your past or something that someone said to you in the past.  “You might as well begin using your past for good,” he urges. “The past chains us to our inadequacies.” We all have things in our past we aren’t proud of. But continually beating yourself up over them will not move you forward or help you reach a point where you are the exact opposite of what you were in the past.

Try It: Buy On Amazon

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Hey, I’m Meghan

I’m here sharing content all about pursuing your own version of more and loving how you feel doing it. If that sounds good to you, stick around and let’s be friends!