Elizabeth Gilbert: It used to be that god was revealed in the wonders...

Of course, we all inevitably work too hard, then we get burned out and have to spend the whole weekend in our pajamas, eating cereal straight out of the box and staring at the TV in a mild coma (which is the opposite of working, yes, but not exactly the same thing as pleasure).

Elizabeth Gilbert

cereal weekend opposites

Your problem is you don't understand what that word means. People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave.

Elizabeth Gilbert

wall love mean

But if you can plant yourself in stillness long enough, you will, in time, experience the truth that everything (both uncomfortable and lovely) does eventually pass.

Elizabeth Gilbert

lovely doe long

I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore.

Elizabeth Gilbert

harbors unhealthy

Some days are meant to be counted, others are meant to be weighed.

Elizabeth Gilbert

meant-to-be

I can honestly say [that writing] is the best life there is, because you get to live within the realm of your own mind, and that is a profoundly rare human privilege.

Elizabeth Gilbert

privilege mind writing

And then, in that regal silence, finally - I began to meditate on (and with) God.

Elizabeth Gilbert

regal yoga silence

Nothing is less efficient than perfectionism.

Elizabeth Gilbert

perfectionism efficient

The appreciation of pleasure can be the anchor of humanity.

Elizabeth Gilbert

anchors humanity appreciation

The only boring people I know are bored people.

Elizabeth Gilbert

bored boring people

I am a better person when I have less on my plate.

Elizabeth Gilbert

dieting weight-loss food

And what will I be able to do tomorrow that I cannot yet do today?

Elizabeth Gilbert

able tomorrow today

To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced life.

Elizabeth Gilbert

balance sometimes love

I was the baby of the family, but I was never babied, and that allowed me to take whatever artistic temperament I had and apply learned discipline. I was taught how to work. I think that's everything. Creativity and imagination alone are not going to get you there.

Elizabeth Gilbert

creativity baby thinking

A glorious failure can sometimes be more life affirming than a cautious win.

Elizabeth Gilbert

life-affirming winning sometimes

Let me ask you something, in all the years that you have undressed in front of a gentleman has he ever asked you to leave? Has he ever walked out and left? No? It’s because he doesn’t care! He’s in a room with a naked girl, he just won the lottery

Elizabeth Gilbert

gentleman girl years

As for discipline—it's important, but sort of overrated. The more important virtue for a writer, I believe, is self-forgiveness. Because your writing will always disappoint you. Your laziness will always disappoint you.

Elizabeth Gilbert

self writing believe

I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism.

Elizabeth Gilbert

greatness disappointment love

Why they always look so serious in Yoga? You make serious face like this, you scare away good energy. To meditate, only you must smile. Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Even smile in your liver. Practice tonight at hotel. Not to hurry, not to try too hard. Too serious, you make you sick. You can calling the good energy with a smile. (From Ketut Liyer, the Balinese healer)

Elizabeth Gilbert

yoga practice dirty

I think I deserve something beautiful.

Elizabeth Gilbert

positive beautiful thinking

It used to be that god was revealed in the wonders of nature; now God was being challenged by those same wonders. Scholars were now required to choose one side or the other.