As I Began to Love Myself

(attributed to) Charlie Chaplin on his 70th birthday: As I Began to Love Myself

Today I have received the  message below titled ‘As I began to Love Myself’ from a friend and I’ve felt right away that is meant to be shared further on. The message of Charlie Chaplin is in total harmony with EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) which I practice more than 10 years now. The introductory sentence of EFT is:

“Even though I have … this and this problem … I deeply love and profoundly accept myself anyway.“

 

And these are the words of Charlie Chaplin:

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 the 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“!

 

So what we all have to learn is: start with loving yourself and then start loving everybody else.

The short video below is the famous final speech from the movie made in 1940 titled The Great Dictator. The movie was written, directed and starred by Charlie Chaplin. The story goes about a poor Jewish barber who is mistaken for a dictator (Hitler) of a similar appearance and takes his place. One time he is forced to give a speech for soldiers. In his rejection of the position he ends up giving one of the most inspirational speeches ever recorded. The speech starts with the words :

I’m sorry but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, black men, white…

Please listen, and learn a lot about humanity.