Nourish your Mind…

A self-indulgent pleasure of mine….reading. Sometimes there is nothing I crave more than relaxing with a good book, absorbing my thoughts with the written words as they leave their imprint on mind.

‘With freedom, books, flowers and the moon, who could not be happy?’ Oscar Wilde

When I was a little child, I spent a lot of my time having to occupy myself as both my parents were working. I found the power of the written word. It wouldn’t be often you wouldn’t see me without a book close by. I would read in the day, the night, any time I could and the same books over and over. I would spend hours at the library and check out with no less than 5 books (just in case I couldn’t ‘get into’ one of them).

When was the last time you picked up a book?

‘Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.’ Benjamin Franklin

With the advancement of the internet, and ebooks, the real books are left gathering dust on the shelf. (Go to the library and give them some love).

One of my favourite things to do (judge me as you like), is to get a Green Tea (coffee when permitted/not on my cleanse) and stroll around the large book stores. Like a kid in a  candy store. Visually delighting in the chosen covers by authors, reading the back to see if it is in fact relevant to me, and strangely, like anything in life, I always seem to find the perfect book for what I am experiencing in my life right now.

‘We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.’ Mary Dunbar

It gives me great pleasure to find the ‘right’ book for what I am needing now. It could be self-development, business, health or romance (these were my favourite when I was younger, no wonder  am a hopeless romantic). The experience continues when I get to hide myself away from the world and open my mind to the power of it. This offers me is a great sense of happiness. I also continue experiencing feelings of happiness when I return to my bookshelf (I do hope one day to have a whole wall full of all great literature, the classics, the famous autobiographies, self help and inspirational books) and revisit my books contemplating which one to indulge in.

Knowledge is power. every single book you read will teach you something you didn’t know before. The great studys of happiness show that we must be continuously growing and developing ourselves to become more as part of the happiness equation.

‘Happiness depends upon ourselves’ Aristotle

To me, there is no sense of achievement like working on an assignment, or researching for an article by pouring over the words and finding the perfect information held within a book.

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”  Buddha

When was the last time you read to your child? These are some of the greatest memories we have, quality time with our parents and disappearing into the magical world of the book your reading. these moments matter. Reading to your children has been proven to have positive effects on communication, learning and speech skills.

Today, my self-love Sunday, I’m having some much-needed ‘me’ time…quiet time relaxing and reading, taking myself away from the ever hectic world and inspiring my mind. Alone, captured by the beauty of the written word.

Soul Happy.

Love & Light, Charlie.

 

As I Began to Love Myself – Self Love Poem by 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 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”!