Friday, July 29, 2011

words worth reading

a few of my favorite excerpts from Eat Pray Love:

There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under the jurisdiction. I can decide how I spend my time, whom I interact with, whom I share my body and life and money and energy with. I can select what I can read and eat and study. I can choose how I'm going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life — whether I will see them as curses or opportunities. I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts.

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.

Operation Self-Esteem: Day Fucking One.

People tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will descend like fine weather if you're fortunate. But happiness is the result of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly.

— Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Happy Weekend, all!

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15 comments:

  1. samantha ramageJuly 29, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    totally agree. wish i could be happy with my man just as he is sometimes instead of daydreaming about how he could make a situation more romantic, etc. it is important to appreciate what you have and to realize what you are worth. good luck!

    xo
    sami

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  2. 17 PerthJuly 29, 2011 at 10:35 AM

    Oh I love this!! And I agree TOTALLY. Self esteem---Day fucking one is my favorite.....Haha. Elizabeth Gilbert was brilliant with her writing about happiness and what it is and how to obtain it.....Great post.

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  3. Ryan AdairJuly 29, 2011 at 10:44 AM

    Elizabeth Gilbert.. Ah.. I love her.. Have you seen her Ted Talk? It's one of my favorites on nuturing creativity. It's wonderful, funny and so right on, just like her.

    http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

    ^ there is the link just in case you haven't!

    Eat, Pray, Love really changed me in a way I didn't expect it to. I love the excerpt you shared. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. IvanaJuly 29, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    These quotes are just amazing! So inspirational! I especially love the last one about the happiness, so true!
    Thanks for sharing this, Alaina!

    xx Ivana
    http://styleinthecityen.blogspot.com

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  5. AmyJuly 29, 2011 at 11:37 AM

    I leave this book in my car and flip through my favorite passages whenever I'm having a bad day, or wondering where I'm going with my life. Those excerpts seem to capture my thoughts exactly, and have really helped me over the years.

    Thanks for sharing these words with us!

    Have a great weekend.

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  6. UnknownJuly 29, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    I just got chills, best book ever. I need to re-read it.

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  7. randaJuly 29, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    LOVE this book, LOVE elizabeth gilbert. genius.

    when i first read the passages you shared in her book, i stopped and made a mental note. it's especially important for me to remember that i have control over more than i think; specifically my thoughts. i have all too often fallen into the trap of 'wishing' a man into my expectations. it doesn't work that way. eat, pray, love helped me realize that.

    thanks so much for sharing. beautiful, just beautiful.

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  8. SamJuly 29, 2011 at 1:02 PM

    The reason why I'm wildly crazy about this book is because Gilbert tells it like how it is. There are ups and downs in life. That's LIFE. And she has this exuberant optimism about her that shows how anything is possible.

    Lovely post. :)

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  9. BradleyJuly 29, 2011 at 1:12 PM

    What amazing words. I have been wanting to read this book for a long time and thanks to your blog post it just got moved up to the top of my reading list!


    www.luellajune.com

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  10. ashley@decorologyJuly 29, 2011 at 1:26 PM

    Just thought I'd let you know that I featured you on Decorology today!

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  11. LucyJuly 29, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    A great selection from a great book. Strange timing too...because I am currently reading the follow-up, "Committed."

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  12. UnknownJuly 30, 2011 at 3:28 AM

    Love the excerpts you chose Alaina ..... I love this book and I think "Groceries" is an hilarious writer. It deserves a re-read (again!). Especially as I'm weeks away from travelling to Ubud (the Balinese location!)
    Basil x
    www.basilbe.blogspot.com

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  13. HolliJuly 31, 2011 at 9:44 AM

    This book is one of my all time faves... so many quotable passages....

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  14. CaitlinJuly 31, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    I just posted an entry with my favorite excerpts the other day. I've read the book about 3 times so far and always find myself going back to re-read my favorite parts. I love your blog, Alaina!

    www.simplegirlconfessions.blogspot.com

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  15. Tammy @ Lemons, Avocados and the BayAugust 3, 2011 at 11:11 AM

    Ahhh this book is my favorite. I've read it about 4 times, and keep the audio book in my car for long drives. Hehe
    Gilbert's poetic style of writing just pulls me in... and makes me wish I could pick up, travel the world, and reflect on my life. :)

    ~Tammy
    www.bayparkdream.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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