Eat, Pray, Love

"Eat, Pray, Love" is a book about one woman's real and life changing travels. Written by Elizabeth Gilbert she talks about her stories and lessons learned while traveling to Italy, India and Indonesia. As Elizabeth had recently been divorced she developed a case of depression, due to this she decides to travel, in order to regain happiness and balance in her life.

Photo Provided by Stephen Lyons

She first visits Italy where she learns to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. She eats amazing Italian food, learns the language, and shares bottles of wine with new friends. Here she learns to appreciate the important things in life like enjoying good food and good company. Being in Italy gets rid of her depression and allows her to get back to a healthy weight.

Photo Provided by Trey Ratcliff

Next she travels to India where she spends the majority of her trip in a monastery where she learns to meditate. At first she struggles with understanding mediation as it is difficult for her to clear her mind. But by the end of her visit she is able to meditate for hours and discovers that to find peace she must look inside herself.

Photo Provided by Fadil Basymeleh

Her last destination is Indonesia. Here she meets a ninth century medicine man that agrees to teach her how to devote herself to god in return for English lessons. While learning to devote herself to god she finds love and lives out her life in Bali.

Elizabeth Gilbert realizes the importance of a balanced life and discovered it by learning to eat in Italy, Pray in India and Love in Indonesia. It is a great book with plenty of culture and worthy life lessons that anyone could enjoy.

I think many people who have traveled can relate to this book. Personally I have recently traveled to Southeast Asia and found I learned a lot there. Being away in a foreign country allows you to get a new perspective on life. I realized how much I love my life and appreciate the people I have in it. I also learned a lot about myself, realizing what is really important to me and how my ambitions in life have changed. Some may not be as high on "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" as they use to be but that doesn't make them any less important. Some things just don't seem as important after traveling; you realize that material things won't make you as happy as you initially thought.

Furthermore I got to learn and grow with my boyfriend which brought us even closer than before. I know he also learned a lot about himself and valuable life lessons. He has definitely changed since our trip; he is more optimistic and determined to get what makes him happy. I am really proud of what he has taken away from our trip and applied to life back in Canada.

Traveling is an amazing adventure on its own but the things you learn while traveling are priceless. It is so beneficial because it allows you to get away from your daily life giving you the space and time to rethink your motives and understand life from a different view. Every country is different and every culture has different values and perspectives on life and what you take away from them is what makes it such a valuable experience.

If you feel that you are ever in a tough spot in life, I would recommend traveling it is the best medicine for the soul. As I'm sure Elizabeth Gilbert would agree. If you can't afford to travel then I would read impressionable books like "Eat, Pray, Love" and "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" which I have recently read and found quite endearing. These aren't just stories, they are lessons for life and full of new perspectives that can make an impression on the way you live your life.