Good morning!
Last night Eric and I went out for Mexican food, stuffed ourselves silly on fajitas, and then headed to Chapters book store. Pretty much my dream night. I had gift cards to use and I bought Eat Pray Love and didn’t have to pay a dime.
My story with Eat Pray Love goes back a couple years. In 2008, I purchased the EPL audio book shortly after seeing Elizabeth Gilbert’s interview with Oprah.
I was going through a rough time in my life and this book really spoke to me. I felt like I knew Elizabeth and that I connected with her desire for self-discovery in some way. I thought having her voice in an audio book would comfort me during this tough time in my life and I planned on listening to the book during my commutes to and from work and school.
Ironically, not long after I downloaded the audio book onto my computer, my computer crashed and I lost everything, including the audio book. Life was busy and I just forgot about it assuming one day I would buy the book.
That day was yesterday!
I could not put this book down last night. Around midnight my eyes were drooping and I was literally falling asleep reading. I woke up with my head on Eric’s shoulder around 12:30am and I stumbled up to bed.
Sketchie also loves when I read because it means that I am actually in one spot more than 5 minutes at a time…
I love when he sleeps on me. :biggrin:
I also love how Elizabeth organized the book in terms of a short story representing each japa mala. I love how the book is divided up by the three countries that she visited, each for a different purpose along her journey. It is quite brilliant actually. The book just exudes symmetry.
I was excited when I woke up this morning for a few reasons:
1) I had a solid 8 hours of sleep
2) Today is my day off
3) I have a book to read
4) The weather is gorgeous and sunny
5) I have new music for my run today (‘Over’ by Drake is a new fav)
I used up the rest of my beet greens and some new spinach for Green Monster energy!
I also threw in some raspberries, Almond Milk, raw maca powder, 1 tbsp homemade almond butter, and 1 frozen banana.
I had another situation on my hands…
I had some Green Monster spillage as I juggled my GM and SLR camera while freaking out about walking through a HUGE cobweb. Story of my life.
It was good though.
I wanted to share with you a quote from Eat Pray Love that I think is really powerful:
“For years, I’d wished I could speak Italian- a language I find more beautiful than roses- but I could never make the practical justification for studying it…What was I going to do with Italian? It’s not like I was going to move there. It would be more practical to learn how to play the accordion.
But why must everything have a practical application? I’d been such a diligent soldier for years- working, producing, never missing a deadline, etc. Is this lifetime supposed to be only about duty?…It’s not like I was saying at age 32, ‘I want to become the principal ballerina for the NYC ballet.” Studying a language is something you can actually do. So I signed up for classes at one of those continuing education places. My friends thought this was hilarious…But I loved it.”
This got me thinking a lot about my life, Eric’s, and whether there were things that we wanted to do, but didn’t think there was a practical application for. Eric is currently struggling with some decisions in his own life (that I can’t get into, but probably will some day in the future) and I know there are many things that he wants right now, but he doesn’t think they are practical to actually do. This makes me very sad to think about. Why must we live our lives ‘by the book’ or doing what others expect of us? As Elizabeth mentioned in the quote above, why must everything have a practical purpose? Can’t we just listen to our hearts sometimes?
So I ask you today…What are the things you want to do but you aren’t sure they have a practical purpose?
One of the things that we desperately want to do at this stage in our lives is travel. We always said that our free time in our late twenties would be spent traveling together, but so far we have not found a practical purpose (or free time) to try to put this goal into action.
Doesn’t it feel like somedays “you” are going through a quarter-life crisis (25 years old), just a few years late?! I know I did and I think it’s something we all naturally go through, but at the time you feel like you are the only one. Hope you guys are having a good Sunday!
The bookstore just got adding to my errand list today! Thanks…such a fun purchase :)
~Stacie
I will have to read that book, looks interesting.
My husband and I have definitely been on a self-discovery journey for a while. It’s been a process for us. We live in an area that neither of us connects with and we are trying hard to move to a place that we both feel excited about. It’s hard to make that kind of a change when it appears to most people that everything is great…we have a nice home in a great neighborhood, we don’t have kids but I can afford not to work (so I spend my time doing things I want to do, like volunteering), my husband really likes his job. But even with all of that, we’re not happy. So we’re doing what outsiders/family might think is risky and trying to move to an area that is more expensive, that will require that we downsize. In fact, it is a risk. We don’t know whether we’ll like it. But we know that we’ll regret living here for the next 10 years when we could have had a chance to see if we’d like living somewhere else. We’re ready to jump in with both feet and see what happens! It could end up that we don’t like the next place we live but even if that’s the case, we’ll know it for sure instead of just wondering.
I think that many of us were raised to do the “right” thing: get good grades, go to a good school, get a good job. We thought that was the formula for happiness. But if we’ve been following someone else’s dreams instead of our own, we can find that we’re not very fulfilled. When you’ve only got one chance at life, it makes sense to figure out what we want our life to look like and then take steps to make it happen. When I’m 90 years old, will I be glad that I lived in this place for the last 8 years? No. Because I haven’t ever really liked it here! Instead of focusing on that, we decided to do something about it and see where we end up!
This is an amazing comment, thank you for sharing! I agree :)
Sarah I hear you on that, you and your husband are not the only ones!
My boyfriend and I are doing well by the standards, we now both have good jobs, we live in a nice apartment in a nice neighbourhood, but we are really questioning our life, we have been for a while actually.
I have started shifting my priorities and have been on a journey of self-discovery, which is far from being over as I am starting yoga teacher training in September, after a couple of workshops. My boyfriend is struggling a bit at the moment and I can feel he’s not happy where he is. We both want to move but not sure where (we are both French and live in Belgium), and we are sort of fed up with life as we know it.
We really want to travel as well! This year we are going to Japan, which is a life-long dream coming true! We also would love to go to Canada and the US (hello everyone :-)), to India, Scotland and Ireland… And find our place in this world :-)
Good luck!
I would love to stop everything and take a month or two off and travel through europe. Maybe someday….
this post is totally hitting me at the right time. first of all, i’m reading elizabeth gilbert’s 2nd book committed right now and i love her :) but also i’ve been thinking a lot about what i really want to do. sell our house and move… where??? go back to school? have kids? i told my husband last night as we went out for coffee and dessert that we have a good life and i’m pretty happy but i wonder what else i want to do? the school/program i’m thinking about doing is not close to my house so i don’t know how *practical* it would be for me to try to do that. i’d also be leaving a stable, good paying job to do so. i’m pretty young (25) so i feel like i have time. i don’t know; decisions, decisions…
Make a plan of action to include Travel in the very near future. We always wanted to travel but did not. As time goes on, things change and there are often unexpected health changes that make traveling very difficult or impossible, even with doing all the right things such as exercise, yoga, meditation, healthy nutrition, because life offers no guarantees. Do it while you are young, healthy and strong, that makes a world of difference in the choices availableto us. We never know what tomorrow brings. Best to you and to Eric. Live your dreams !
Thank you so much. I think we always do assume that there will be another chance, but sometimes there is not. Good advice
another part of that book I thought was really interesting was when she told people in America that she was taking a year off just for herself and to do what she always wanted, they told her she was crazy and how could she possibly do that. Like she was being selfish for doing something for herself exclusively. But when she told people in Italy what she was doing they thought it was great! They welcomed and encouraged her exploration and time for herself. It’s all about perspective.
OMG yes, I think I underlined that entire part!
that book totally changed my summer, my (college) schedule for next year, and my priorities in life. LOVE IT. http://dulyquoted.wordpress.com/category/elizabeth-gilbert/ –>my fave quote at the moment is “And nothing pisses off a control freak more than life not goin’ her way” ;).
Learn French. I took French 101 (beginner) a few semesters ago, but because I’m not using it daily like I was, I’ve lost the majority of it. It is a beautiful language, and I hope one day I really get a grasp of it.
I too just started reading Eat Pray Love. I gotta tell you, I am sooo drawn into this story. I went through a rough divorce and I can relate to that emotional upheaval. I also found out about the book years ago but am only reading it now!! ;-) Too funny!
It was meant to be! hehe
I would also love to travel everywhere, and learn how to cook exquisite dishes and bake all kinds of things.
Unfortunately I’m a college student who has lots of other work on her plate, and at this point in my life, I just don’t have the resources to do everything I want.
However, my mom suggested that I go on vacation at the end of my summer research to a place I’ve never been before and although I was reluctant (it’s pricey!) I took the chance and booked my trip (Montreal). I am so excited to be able to go out and just enjoy life and explore a new place just for the sake of it. I can’t wait! :)
Wow have fun!
The “what if” question is key. Last fall my daughter completed her RHN, she had completed her BA in Psychology a couple years before. She was working for a business in Vancouver and wondering how to start her new career and quit the corporate job. But more than that she wanted a “winter of skiing” before starting this next phase in her career. As you can imagine many people had an opinion on what was practical, I her mother who knew how hard she had worked said go for it, now is the time to do these things. However one of her best friends said it best by asking her; Do not think of how you will feel if you do it rather think of how you will feel if you don’t? Her decision was made and she had an awesome winter, she moved to Banff and has found a place she loves to live, she has started the slow process of building a career as a RHN and I do not believe she has ever been in a better place emotionally, physically or mentally. So as long as you can afford what you would like to do I do not believe your choice could ever be considered impractical.
That is a great story Maureen, thanks for sharing :)
I just finished reading Eat Pray Love, and to say that I fell in love with the book would be an understatement. I suggest this book to everyone. It completely changed the way I am approaching life now. Enjoy it!
I need to sit and READ. I have about 5 books going right now and I just can’t find the time. I always feel like I need to be “doing” something. This has to stop! Once I get through my stack Eat, Pray, Love will be up next! We definitely have the same dreams of traveling…but that hasn’t’ worked out yet. I would even just love to travel around Colorado for a week..we have no jobs and still can’t find the time! As for me? I’m trying to figure out my next move…NO clue what it will be…but I’m not settling. [well, I might have to for a little while, just to get some money flowing..but you know what I mean ;)]
Your cat is much more courteous than mine! My cat will sit on whatever you’re doing that is taking attention away from her – book, laptop, person… Sort of a diva, as you might imagine.
Wow. I love this. I feel like I am heading in the right direction. My boyfriend and I just picked up and moved to Nashville with our dog. We had no place to live, no jobs, no furniture. We slept on the floor for weeks. We finally have a cute condo, just bought a mattress, I am about to get into roller blading to spice up my running routine, I am working part time at a dog kennel and wanting to experience waitressing and bartending. Wanting to go back to school for photo journalism. I feel like taking risks is hard and we were told we were crazy. And life is still a struggle. But I am so happy I feel I can fly! I love the inspirational posts like this…hope Eric ends up doing whatever he feels is right. Life is too short, you know? It’s too short. Must check out this book :)
Exciting! I wish you all the best with your journey :)
I have recently make some life-changing decisions that were purely about following my heart- and I couldn’t be happier! I got married about 5 months ago (we planned our wedding in 5 days!), moved 1500 miles away, and quit my high paying job. (We were in a unique situation… hence, the fast wedding). But I am with the love of my life in a beautiful place.
It is a little bit hard because I do not have the pay check that I did and the job situation is a lot different here. But I am ok with that. I have been contemplating a career change anyway. And now I have the time to think about what I want to do with my career.
What does Eric do for work?
He prefers not to talk about it on the internet (just his own preference) for privacy. Sorry about that!
Travel, especially on my student budget and debt! Yikes! I have always wanted to go to Japan (since I was in Grade 2!) but hopefully one day it will happen. I also want a house and a family but I’m 22, in university, and I have been dating the same guy for two years. I feel like I need to “wait” a certain amount of time before things become acceptable and practical.
I love, love, LOVE this book too. I also found this during a very rough patch in my life. I remember reading the part where she breaks down and felt an instant connection. Gosh. I don’t think I ever cried so much in my life during that year.
I think I may need to re-read this soon. Am having a very tough time money wise and I really need to put things in perspective.