Sometimes to lose balance for love is part Meaning Factcheck Usage

Sometimes to lose balance for love is part of living… it sounds like a contradiction, right? But that’s the whole point. It’s about how calculated risks for what matters actually create a richer, more complete life.

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Table of Contents

• Meaning
• Explanation
• Origin & Factcheck
• Context
• Usage Examples
• FAQ

Meaning

At its core, this quote flips the script on what “balance” really means. It argues that perfect, rigid equilibrium isn’t the goal; sometimes, the most balanced life is one that allows for passionate, beautiful imbalances.

Explanation

Look, we get sold this idea that a balanced life is this perfectly calibrated scale, right? Everything in its place, no drama, no mess. But that’s a static, almost dead kind of balance. What Gilbert is getting at—and I’ve seen this play out so many times with clients and in my own life—is that dynamic balance is the real deal.

Think of it like surfing. You’re constantly shifting your weight, leaning into waves, sometimes even falling off. That “falling” isn’t a failure of balance; it’s a necessary part of the process of riding the wave. Leaning into love, into a big project, into a new chapter—it requires that same kind of temporary, calculated imbalance. You’re not losing balance for just anything; you’re losing it for love, for something that gives your life depth and meaning. And that act, paradoxically, makes your overall life more balanced, more whole, more… alive.

Quote Summary

Context	Attributes
Original Language	English (3668)
Category	Love (89)
Topics	balance (95), devotion (4), risk (54)
Literary Style	concise (408), poetic (635)
Emotion / Mood	reflective (382), warm (182)
Overall Quote Score	83 (302)

Origin & Factcheck

This is straight from Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. It came out of her personal journey of self-discovery after a painful divorce, and it perfectly captures the philosophy she lands on. You sometimes see it floating around unattributed or misattributed to other self-help figures, but its true home is in that book, born from her specific, raw experience.

Attribution Summary

Context	Attributes
Author	Elizabeth Gilbert (39)
Source Type	Book (4032)
Source/Book Name	Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia (39)
Origin Timeperiod	21st Century (1892)
Original Language	English (3668)
Authenticity	Verified (4032)

Where is this quotation located?

Quotation	Sometimes to lose balance for love is part of living a balanced life
Book Details	Publication Year/Date: 2006; ISBN: 978-0-670-03471-0; Last edition: Penguin Books, 2010; Number of pages: 334.
Where is it?	Chapter 75, Indonesia section, Approximate page 293 from 2010 edition

Context

This isn’t some abstract theory for Gilbert. She writes this after her life completely fell apart—her marriage, her home, her sense of self. The entire book is about her rebuilding, and this quote is a key insight from that process. It’s the realization that a life spent avoiding any kind of emotional risk or “imbalance” is a life half-lived. She had to lose her old, unstable balance to find a new, more authentic one.

Usage Examples

So when do you use this? It’s a powerful reframe for so many situations.

• For the over-planner friend who’s terrified of any spontaneity, especially in relationships. You can say, “Hey, maybe skipping your color-coded spreadsheet for one weekend to see where things go isn’t a failure. It’s part of the balance.”
• For the burned-out professional considering a career pivot for a passion project. This quote gives them permission to see that temporary financial or logistical instability isn’t a catastrophe; it can be an investment in a more integrated life.
• For anyone navigating a new, all-consuming love—whether romantic, a new child, or a deep friendship—and feeling guilty for letting other balls drop. It validates that this intense focus is a natural, beautiful part of the human experience.

To whom it appeals?

Context	Attributes
Theme	Wisdom (1754)
Audiences	artists (108), couples (158), readers (72), seekers (406), students (3111)
Usage Context/Scenario	motivational speeches (345), relationship workshops (58), romantic essays (4), self-growth discussions (1), wedding readings (2)

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FAQ

Question: Isn’t this just justifying unhealthy codependency?

Answer: That’s a sharp question, and it’s a crucial distinction. The key is in the word “sometimes.” This isn’t a prescription for a perpetually chaotic life. It’s about conscious, temporary choices. Losing balance for love is different from building your entire identity on it. It’s a season, not the entire climate.

Question: How is this different from being reckless?

Answer: Intent and object. Recklessness is often impulsive and for trivial gains. What Gilbert describes is a deliberate leaning-in towards something profoundly meaningful—love, deep connection, personal growth. The “imbalance” has a purpose and, ultimately, leads you back to a stronger center.

Question: Can this apply to things other than romantic love?

Answer: Absolutely. 100%. Think of it as love in the broadest sense—passion for your art, devotion to a cause, deep care for your family. Any commitment that demands your full attention for a period can create this beautiful, necessary imbalance.