- As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering
are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.
Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.
As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody
As I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time
was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this
person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.
As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life,
and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow.
Today I call it “MATURITY”.
As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance,
I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens
at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm.
Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”.
As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time,
and I stopped designing huge projects for the future.
Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do
and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in
my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.
As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for
my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew
me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude
a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.
As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since
I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.
As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry
about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING
is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT”.
As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me
and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my
mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this
connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.
We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems
with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing
new worlds are born.Today I know THAT IS “LIFE”!
Charlie Chaplin (aged 70!) 
This poem touched me as I’ve realised over recent years how only by learning to love myself am I happy. When I compromise or disrespect my worth or health I always regret my decision. Whereas decisions from my heart, from a place of self love are wise & good. They come from a place of respect & compassion & allow me a life of smiles rather than resentment.
When I learnt to love myself I cared for myself. I tried to ingest only that which nurtured me, in food, in company, in media influence & in choices. I think it’s probably the most important lesson I learnt and as this poem states…as we learn to love ourself we learn so many other things. We understand how to live in a different way. We learn to treat ourselves how we would treat others, and to treat others as we would like to be treated.
Being human however I don’t think this is a lesson, like riding a bike, that we learn once and can always remember after a few minutes wobbly practice. I think we spend our lives re learning how to love ourself, how to treat ourself with respect and compassion.
As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But as I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally. I learnt to listen to the wisdom in my heart.
I notice again and again how stress or sadness makes my body unhappy. Our yoga practice allows us time & opportunity to love ourselves. To love the space we reside within.to learn how positivity effects us positively…and how negativity from inside or externally depletes us.
Both mentally and physically. I think the most powerful component of our lives is our mind. It we don’t learn to turn inward, to notice our thoughts & control our mind then we don’t control our life. If we direct our mind positively then there’s so much more we can feel, we can achieve, we can believe 🙂 