Eat, Pray, Shop

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for Julia Roberts' new flick based on Elizabeth Gilbert's novel, Eat, Pray, Love to hit theaters on August 13th. For you ladies out there, it's more than likely that this novel struck a chord with you. Many of us have grown weary of juggling and balancing the demands and responsibilities of our everyday lives. Work, families, social obligations and all of the nightmare bosses, screaming kids, and under appreciated efforts that go along with them have left us exhausted, defeated, and crestfallen. Somehow, we are always left feeling that we've missed the mark, fallen short, and otherwise failed to fully live up to our own expectations in a world where 'good enough' is never enough. We want a break from our lives. We fantasize about giving in to our hedonistic urges, indulging our self-centered fantasies, and just plain slacking off for a while.

Elizabeth Gilbert took 'me time' to a whole new level in Eat, Pray, Love and influenced an entire fleet of women in the last few years to follow in her footsteps in their own journeys of self-discovery. I got swept up with the best of them after reading E,P,L, & The Four Hour Work Week and set off on a sojourn of my own that took me to Europe and South America. I can't say I was going to 'find myself,' but I hoped that by getting out of my comfort zone, I'd create a shift in my own perceptions about my life and its possibilities. The journey was an experience of a lifetime in none of the ways in which I expected but in other ways I couldn't possibly have anticipated.

That's why today I really had to chuckle upon reading Simon Doonan's recent article in Harper's Bazaar. The article is so cleverly written and Doonan hits the nail on the head in asking his reader to 'take a moment to consider the notion that what your life really needs right now is not a new-age revolution but a few simple tweaks.' Doonan casts a vote for keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground and indulging in some good old-fashioned retail therapy instead of buying the next ticket to Santorini. Perhaps shopping doesn't provide the spiritual tune-up you're looking for, but Doonan makes a good point in postulating that sometimes that which we are seeking is really closer and easier had than we think.

The tag line for the the feature film version of Eat, Pray, Love is 'Let yourself GO.' Clever as it may be, and as much as I originally swooned over the premise of the book, I have to admit that throwing caution to the wind and jet-setting around the world in search of our authentic selves is just not practical for most of us. What's more, and what I discovered on my own trip, is that wherever you go, there you are. Granted, a change of scenery can set off a series of sensory responses that might alter our perception of our reality, but the truth is that we have the power to create our very own personal paradigm shifts on a daily basis and in our own backyard (there's a whole other blog in here about the limbic system, neuropeptides, and the power of positive thinking, but I'll save that discourse for another day).

Even if we can't take that once-in-a-lifetime escape of soul-itude, we can find other ways to care for ourselves. Simple, life affirming pleasures are in endless supply and merely waiting for us to discover them. Take Doonan's suggestion and buy that sparkly eye shadow you may have never considered (men, you may opt for a different indulgence here, but then again, maybe not), go to the museum, roll down the window in your car on the freeway to feel the wind against your face, stop and actually smell the roses. Whatever tickles and delights you, do it. Honor yourself by taking the time to slow down. The breakthroughs come in the in-between moments when we are open and present to the world around us. As Confucius said, 'wherever you go, go with all of your heart'. So if you can't let yourself GO, then learn how to let yourself grow.

By the way, I sell Real Estate in Los Angeles, so don't hesitate to contact me for any questions regarding the market here in Urban L.A.!