...a poem of self love...

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

This poem teaches us that the greatest therapy in life is acceptance. To live in the moment and stop worrying about the future and set yourself free from the shackles of the past. Somehow I felt that this poem resonates my reality. My journey  towards a meaningful living. To self acceptance and stepping out from the fears of my worst past. I began to realized that what happened to me is part of my growth as a person. And now I began to accept the changes that came out from those experiences and use it as a reminder that I am capable of courage and happiness just by being what I am.

I have learn to accept that in a lifetime, I can only do what I can and stop blaming and pushing myself to what might have been. There is no measure to what I can be, great or small, I am what I am. Everyday I wake up to a meaningful life to breathe calm, serenity and contentment. And if I don't find myself fulfilling the needs of others, then I see to it that I don't neglect myself and love me for trying.

I realized that life is never complicated. But there is a choice to make and I hope that in every choice I make, I choose to love me more.