372 - What Elizabeth Gilbert Wants You to Know About Sex, Creativity, & Grief
Aug 15, 2023
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Elizabeth Gilbert shares her writing process and the daily habit that helps her navigate grief. The episode also discusses finding joy in deep losses, overcoming creative challenges, and embracing transience in life.
In her novel 'City of Girls', Elizabeth Gilbert challenges the traditional narrative of women being ruined by their promiscuity, aiming to tell a story about promiscuous young women whose lives are not destroyed by their sexual desire.
Elizabeth Gilbert discusses how grief can be a creative challenge and an opportunity for growth, emphasizing that grief and depression are not the same.
Deep dives
The Power of Creative Work in the Face of Hardship
Elizabeth Gilbert discusses how our creative work can thrive in the midst of our hardest experiences, emphasizing the importance of approaching each new phase of life with openness. Through her novel 'City of Girls', Gilbert challenges the traditional narrative of women being ruined by their promiscuity, aiming to tell a story about promiscuous young women whose lives are not destroyed by their sexual desire. She explores the notion of female desire and the idea that women can survive their own choices and consequences.
The Inspiration and Research Process for 'City of Girls'
The idea for 'City of Girls' came from a collection of essays that Elizabeth Gilbert's aunt gave her, featuring interviews and profiles of famous actresses from the 1930s and 40s. Gilbert was captivated by the glamorous world described in those essays and wanted to set her novel in the New York City theater scene of that era. Over four years of research, she immersed herself in the history, language, and culture of the time period, consulting historians, reading novels from that era, and interviewing former showgirls and actresses. This research helped her create an authentic and vibrant setting for her story.
The Journey of Grief and Loss
Elizabeth Gilbert opens up about her profound experience of caregiving and grieving the loss of her best friend, Raya. She shares how grief can be a creative challenge and an opportunity for growth, emphasizing that grief and depression are not the same. Gilbert's approach to grief embraces vitality and acknowledges the sacredness of the grieving process. She finds solace and release through dance, using it as a way to let energy move through her and bring vitality back into her life. Gilbert invites others to embrace the adventure of grief and courageously create their lives after loss.
Living Life with a Sense of Wonder and Openness
Elizabeth Gilbert reflects on the mysteries and transience of life, highlighting the uncertainty and fragility of our existence. She encourages embracing the present moment and savoring the beauty and love that can still be found in the world. Gilbert sees life as a strange and interesting ride, filled with bizarre and fascinating experiences. She believes in living life fully, with curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to explore new possibilities. Gilbert's words serve as a reminder to approach life with a lighter perspective and to cherish the time we have on this planet.
Can you survive your worst choices? How do you get through heartbreaking grief? Why is sexual desire key to living a fully expressed life? When you get Elizabeth Gilbert and me together in a room, there’s no telling where the conversation will go. In this moving episode, she provides deep insight into dealing with knee-buckling loss and how to treat every setback as a creative challenge. This episode is funny, touching, and a little sexy. You don’t want to miss it. Click play to listen now.
WHAT’S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: An inside look into Elizabeth Gilbert's writing process [04:05] What 4 years of meticulous book research actually looks like [05:23] Why you don’t have to be a “good girl” to be a good person [11:24] The surprising daily habit that helped Elizabeth move through grief [18:22] How to find joy and inspiration in your deepest losses. [20:40] The biggest creative challenge you’ll face in life — and how to overcome it. [21:28]
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For more Elizabeth Gilbert wisdom bombs, listen to our episode about Big Magic and unleashing your most creative life here → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-marie-forleo-podcast/id1199977889
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