You know, “To lose balance sometimes for love” is one of those lines that sounds simple but hits you harder the more you think about it. It’s not about being reckless; it’s about redefining what true balance actually looks like in a full, passionate life. Let’s break down why this concept is so powerful.
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Meaning
The core message here is a beautiful paradox: that true balance isn’t a rigid, static state, but a dynamic dance that includes moments of beautiful, necessary imbalance.
Explanation
Look, we’ve all been sold this idea that a balanced life is this perfectly calibrated scale, right? Work-life balance. Everything in its place. But that’s a myth. A flatline is balanced, but it’s also dead. What Gilbert is getting at—and this is something I’ve seen play out again and again—is that a life well-lived has peaks and valleys. The “imbalance” of staying up too late talking to someone you adore, of pouring your energy into a creative project, of grieving a loss deeply… these aren’t failures of balance. They are the very substance of it. It’s the difference between a sterile equilibrium and a vibrant, pulsing, human equilibrium.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Love (89) |
| Topics | balance (95), relationship general (37), risk (54) |
| Literary Style | balanced (59), poetic (635) |
| Emotion / Mood | gentle (183), romantic (11) |
| Overall Quote Score | 81 (258) |
Origin & Factcheck
This quote comes straight from Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. It’s a key insight her character has while in Italy, grappling with the aftermath of a difficult divorce and learning to embrace pleasure and love again. You sometimes see it floating around unattributed, but it’s 100% hers from that journey.
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) |
Author Bio
Elizabeth Gilbert writes with clarity and heart about creativity, love, and self-discovery. After starting in magazines like GQ and The New York Times Magazine, she published Pilgrims, then broke out with Eat Pray Love, followed by Committed, The Signature of All Things, Big Magic, and City of Girls. Her 2009 TED Talk on creativity went viral and continues to inspire makers worldwide. She splits time between writing, speaking, and mentoring creative communities. For a full view of her work, see the
| Official Website | Facebook | X| Instagram
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | To lose balance sometimes 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 294 from 2010 edition |