As I Began To Love Myself: A Poem On Self Love

 / 

,
As I Began To Love Myself A Poem On Self Love

“As I Began to Love Myself” is an adaptation of a poem from the book called “When I Loved Myself Enough” by Kim and Alison McMillen.The beautiful poem inspires people to see the positive side even when hitting the rock bottom of life.

Kim McMillen wrote the book and the poem โ€˜When I Loved Myself Enoughโ€™ in 1996, shortly before she died aged only 52. Her daughter, Allison McMillen, continued writing the book and first published it in 2001. Soon, this mind-blowing piece turned into an underground bestseller in the USA.

Please note though this poem has been wrongly attributed to Charlie Chaplin on many websites, it originally is written by Kim and Alison McMillen.

Here are the findings by Snopes.

Related: 9 Steps Thatโ€™ll Make Self Love Easier

As I Began To Love Myself…

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 โ€“ 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!

Related: Why You Should Always Choose Yourself First

Loving oneself can bring about true healing and transformation. When I came across this poem I was so inspired, that I had to share this wonderful work of art with each and every one of you.

With these powerful words filled with truth and intense emotion, the poem calls upon the reader to look at themselves and ask, โ€œDo I really love who I am and who Iโ€™m becoming?โ€ I invite you all to breathe these words in and reflect on what it truly means to love yourself.

Notice the world around you and how you relate to it. How have your misconceptions, attitude, self-esteem, and limiting beliefs all gotten in the way of you living a full and happy life?

Have you come to believe that somehow you are not deserving of self-love and that you do not merit all that comes with being gentle, kind, understanding, and most importantly, forgiving of yourself?

The poet brilliantly describes one’s journey of self-exploration and acceptance. With awareness of self and an open heart to accepting what Kim describes as the steps required to truly experience life in all its glory.

Be your authentic beautiful self each and every day. Respect all those wonderful parts of you that are unique and truly special.

Celebrate each day no matter the challenges and tests you are called to face. Evolution of self results when learn to accept that what happens to us in life is all part of a larger plan the universe has mapped out for us.

Related: 10 Steps For Practicing Self Love

There is no experience we arenโ€™t capable of overcoming when we believe in our abilities and purpose in this world. Allow the wisdom of your heart to shine through.

Let it guide you to the life you know you deserve. Love yourself and keep moving forward.


As I Began To Love Myself pin
As i began to love myself poem
As I Began To Love Myself pinex
As I Began To Love Myself pin

— Share —

— About the Author —

Responses

Leave a Reply



Up Next

Best Breakup Songs To Help You Move On

Top Best Breakup Songs To Help You Heal

Breakups are undeniably one of the most painful experiences in life. But thankfully, there is plenty of music to help you on your healing journey. Today, weโ€™re diving into some of the best breakup songs that will help you release those pent-up emotions and move forward.

No matter what you are going through, whether you feel like your whole world is ending or you feel freed, one truth remains, music makes it better. 

And there are plenty to choose from. While the love-ballad genre gets a lot of attention, once you move past the makeout songs and soulmate anthems, and enter the always-welcoming world of breakup songs, you begin to realize how much variety there really is. 



Up Next

How To Be Your Best Self: 4 Hacks To Set Effective Self Development Goals That Actually Work

Hacks To Set Effective Self Development Goals

The hardest battle youโ€™ll ever face is the one between your current and future self. To become a better person, you have to get rid of your inner weaknesses. The best way to do this is to set self development goals for yourself.

Itโ€™s a little hard to see the path to self-improvement milestones. Itโ€™s not as simple as waking up one day and being a better person.

It takes time and reflection, and a lot of people need help to get started. If youโ€™re looking for a sign to start your self-improvement journey, this is it! Itโ€™s never too late, so letโ€™s explore together!

Understanding Self Development Goals



Up Next

What Self Love Is Not? Understanding 5 Common Misconceptions About Loving Yourself

What Self Love is Not? Common Myths To Debunk

Self love is not just taking bubble baths and affirmations. It’s definitely not an individualistic ego thing. So what is it truly? This simple-sounding phrase has a broader meaning in our lives and in this article, we’ll discover what it means to love yourself!

The effect of post-modernism has made everyone quite detached from each other and there is an underlying promotion of living and being alone. Elements like self-love support this concept.

However, post-modern self-love has a toxic edge that is camouflaged under the original term. So follow the discussion to check whether you are going in the wrong direction with your self-love.

Read More:



Up Next

8 Ways To Build Self Empathy And Stop Beating Yourself Up

Ways To Build Self Empathy And Stop Beating Yourself Up

Stop the cycle of negativity and embrace compassion towards yourself. Learn these 8 essential ways to build self empathy, and shift from self-criticism to self-care!

(Adapted from The Genius of Empathy by Judith Orloff MD, 2024 Sounds True Publishing)

How you treat yourself profoundly effects your health and well-being.

What is self-empathy? Why can it seem so elusive when it is so good for us? It often seems so much easier to have empathy with others than yourself.

Self-empathy is a commitment to being caring rather than shaming or punishing with yourself, especially if youโ€™ve made a mistake.



Up Next

7 Warning Signs You Are Begging For Love

Are You Begging For Love? Warning Signals To Look For Before It's Too Late

Do you feel like you are the only one putting in the effort in your relationship? Like youโ€™re being taken for granted? It could be that you are begging for love from your significant other. Itโ€™s okay to crave love and attention; it is only natural. But when that craving becomes a desperate plea for affection, we have a problem.

But why do we beg for love? The truth is, it often happens without us even realizing it. Our need to feel loved and appreciated can become so powerful that it leads us to compromise our own well-being. The good news is that once we become aware of these patterns, we can take steps to restore balance in our relationships.

So, today weโ€™ll exp



Up Next

How Do I Stop Self Sabotaging Myself? 6 Things You Should Do Now!

How Do I Stop Self Sabotaging? Things You Should Do Now!

Do you ever feel like you’re your own worst enemy? Well, you’re not alone. “How do I stop self sabotaging myself?” is a question that haunt many people out there, including me. Especially when we notice patterns that hold us back.

Whether it’s procrastinating, doubting your abilities, or setting unrealistic expectations, self sabotaging behavior can sneak into your life and derail you from achieving your goals. However, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

Understanding why this happens and why you feel this way can make a huge difference and can actually help you tackle this head-on. Today, let’s talk about what does self sabotage mean, examples of self sabotaging behavior, and how you can deal with it.



Up Next

30 Things To Do Alone โ€” Learn To Have Fun By Yourself

Fun Things To Do Alone To Make You Happy

In a world that’s constantly buzzing, people fail to pay attention to the art of being alone. That’s why I’ve come up with fun things to do alone at home, on a Friday night, or the weekend.

Sometimes, you need to find things to do alone to make you happy because it is responsible for numerous self-discoveries and peace from within.

Itโ€™s not just about luxury but few minutes with yourself will help rejuvenate your soul. All those moments by yourself range from quite reflections to nerve-wracking escapades.

30 Fun Things To Do Alone To Make You Happy

Before you say, “I’m bored”, take pride in your own company and start off on a journey of <