Today, as I again read this poem attributed to Charlie Chaplin again, I thought:

Is this really by Charlie Chaplin?

Honestly, I’ve had this feeling in the past. Not that I knew much about Charlie Chaplin, for me it just didn’t seem to match.
 
Now, I took the time to do some internet research.


Among plenty of statements that named Charlie Chaplin as the creator, I found a few that named Kim McMillan as the creator of this work. The author had published a book titled “When I Loved Myself Enough” and this text was translated into Portuguese, then translated back into English and attributed to Charlie Chaplin. One source claims by a fan club.
Over the years other changes/additions in wording were added by unknown individuals.


Even though I have received what I consider validation for my intuition, in the end I don’t care who actually wrote the text.

To me, however, it shows three things:

  1. The poem’s message is so in line with my own experience!
    My work with people is exactly about accompanying them into this experience of self-love.
  2. This is another example of how something doesn’t have to be true just because everyone says it is.
    Follow your own truth!
  3. Some things cannot be clarified.
    Let them rest and direct your energies to the present moment!

Here are both variations. First a short excerpt from Kim MacMillen, below a version attributed to Charlie Chaplin.


When I loved myself enough… (Kim MacMillen)

When I loved myself enough I quit settling for too little.
When I loved myself enough I came to know my own goodness.
When I loved myself enough I began taking the gift of life seriously and gratefully.
When I loved myself enough I began to know I was in the right place at the right time and I could relax.
When I loved myself enough I felt compelled to slow way down. And that has made all the difference.
When I loved myself enough I gave up the belief that life is hard.
When I loved myself enough I learned to meet my own needs and not call it selfish.
When I loved myself enough I no longer needed things or people to make me feel safe.
My judgement called it disloyal. Now I see it as self-loving.
When I loved myself enough I gave up perfectionism that killer of joy.
When I loved myself enough I came to love being alone surrounded by silence, awed by its spell, listening to inner space.
When I loved myself enough I came to see I am not special but I am unique.
When I loved myself enough I redefined success and life became simple.

Oh, the pleasure of that!


As I Began to Love Myself… (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 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”.
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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”!

Do you also want more joy in your life?

Then take the first step. Go here, and if it speaks to you book a session with me.

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