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 if 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 stealing 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 worrying 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”!
Charles Chaplin.