Say Yes to Your Creativity: How Big Magic Teaches You to Give Yourself Permission

One of the most revolutionary ideas in Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic is that you do not need anyone’s permission to live a creative life. Creativity is your birthright, inherited from ancestors who created long before formal institutions existed. Yet, many of us carry invisible shackles—internalized doubts, societal expectations, and the myth that we must be ‘ready’ or ‘worthy’.

Granting yourself permission is a radical act of self-liberation. Imagine standing in a sunlit field, broken chains at your feet, arms wide open to the sky. This image encapsulates the freedom that comes when you refuse to wait for external validation.

Gilbert recounts stories of people who overcame the need for permission, including a rebellious father who built a suggestion box only to suggest removing it. Such acts symbolize the rejection of imposed limitations and the assertion of creative entitlement.

Practically, self-permission involves daily affirmations of your creative identity, cultivating curiosity, and embracing imperfection. It means rejecting labels like ‘amateur’ or ‘fraud’ and focusing on the joy of creation itself.

Research supports that self-efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to succeed—is crucial for sustained creative effort. When you give yourself permission, you build this confidence and open the door to authentic expression.

This mindset shift also reduces the paralyzing effects of perfectionism and fear of failure, allowing you to engage with creativity playfully and persistently.

By saying yes to yourself, you begin a lifelong partnership with your creative muse, transforming your life from ordinary to magical.

Explore more stories and guidance from creators who have embraced self-permission and discovered newfound freedom and joy.

Sources: Julia's Books, Nick Wignall's blog, Lisa Wan on Medium 1 4 3