Kathryn
asked
Elizabeth Gilbert:
Have you ever felt so completely stymied by fear that you seemed to lose all creativity? If so, or even if not, what would you advise to overcome it?
Elizabeth Gilbert
Kathryn, to be perfectly honest, I haven't. I have always had a pretty loving and generative relationship with my creativity. I have, however, felt so stymied at times by fear in other realms of my life (interpersonal relationships, mostly, and difficult emotional confrontations) that I have felt like I could not go on. In these cases, I approach people who are more brave and more wise than I am, and I ask them for their help, encouragement, and counsel. There is nothing to be gained by suffering alone: Ask someone to help you. If you are full of fear, I would suggest trying to cultivate a community or a tribe of fellow-creators, who you can turn to when you feel overwhelmed. You can do this in person or in on-line communities, but it won't be difficult for you to find people who are striving to live a creative life, too, and who may suffer from your same anxieties. Those people can become a lifeline for you, to help you complete your work. Good luck!
More Answered Questions
Lila
asked
Elizabeth Gilbert:
Thanks for providing such inspiration through your writing. Who inspires you, are there certain authors who have inspired you, or maybe it is places or people? I had a yoga teacher who read from Eat, Pray, Love as the dharma talk for class so thanks for the inspiration to be the best version of ourselves.
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