Charlie Chaplin's Unforgettable 70th Birthday Poem

This is a poem by Charlie Chaplin written on his 70th birthday, on April 16, 1959. It is an utterly inspiring self-address that meant a great deal to me when I read it for the first time. It felt as if the great screen icon was communing with my spirit, understanding just what the journey of life is all about. I just had to share this touching and knowing poem with you, because I know it will ring true for many people like me who feel they have grown with age.

When I started loving myself

I understood that I’m always and at any given opportunity

In the right place at the right time.

And I understood that all that happens is right –

From then on I could be calm.

Today I know: It’s called TRUST.

When I started to love myself I understood

How much it can offend somebody

When I tried 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 know: It’s called LETTING GO

When I started loving myself

I could recognize that emotional pain and grief

Are just warnings for me to not live against my own truth.

Today I know: It’s called AUTHENTICALLY BEING.

When I started loving myself

I stopped longing for another life

And could see that everything around me was a request to grow.

Today I know: It’s called MATURITY.

When I started loving myself

I stopped depriving myself of my free time

And stopped sketching further magnificent projects for the future.

Today I only do what’s fun and joyful for me,

What I love and what makes my heart laugh,

In my own way and in my tempo.

Today I know: it’s called HONESTY.

When I started loving myself

I escaped from all that wasn’t healthy for me,

From dishes, people, things, situations

And from everything pulling me down and away from myself.

In the beginning I called it“healthy egoism”,

But today I know: it’s called SELF-LOVE.

When I started loving myself

I stopped wanting to be always right

Thus I’ve been less wrong.

Today I’ve recognized: it’s called HUMILITY.

When I started loving myself

I refused to live further in the past

And worry about my future.

Now I live only at this moment where EVERYTHING takes place,

Like this I live every day and I call it CONSCIOUSNESS.

When I started loving myself

I recognized, that my thinking

Can make me miserable and sick.

When I requested for my heart forces,

My mind got an important partner.

Today I call this connection HEART WISDOM.

We do not need to fear further discussions,

Conflicts and problems with ourselves and others

Since even stars sometimes bang on each other

And create new worlds.

Today I know: THIS IS LIFE!

12 Habits of Perfectly Organized People

It's true what they say: clutter (disorder) breeds clutter. There are so many of us who dream of running a less chaotic household or struggle to remember what our office desk looks like. We crave order, yet at the same time resist due to the negative connotations attached to being perfectly organized.

There are many who believe being perfectly organized is like believing in unicorns: it's just not going to happen. There are also misconceptions that being "organized" means being a control freak or a neat freak. That if you prefer to organize the food in your fridge a specific way, you're not being efficient, you're being OCD. That you're not truly enjoying your life because you're focusing on mundane details you "shouldn't" consider important.

I'm here to say that's a huge pile of crap! As someone who's gone from chaotic and spontaneous to organized and efficient, there are so many benefits to the latter this topic could be turned into a self-help book. The top three benefits of being perfectly organized are:

Not being in a permanent state of "catch-up" decreases your stress level by 10,000 percent and increases your self-esteem by the same amount.
You're able to work less and accomplish more.
You always know where your keys are!

By being perfectly organized, you're respecting your most valuable commodity: time. It helps you accomplish all you set out to, both professionally and personally. It gives you the freedom to be exactly who you are and live a life of minimal stress, not to mention how much more enjoyable the present moment becomes.

If you'd like to feel this way too, here are 12 habits of perfectly organized people I've observed, read about, and am currently attempting to execute:

Find out more Lifehacks: Why Being Popular Isn't as Cool as It Looks

1. They know who they want to be.

Perfectly organized people have an exact definition of how they want their life to be – from how they want their home to look, to how they want to dress, to how they spend their time – which makes it a lot easier to set goals and feel a sense of accomplishment.

2. They know how to say, "No."
Because they know exactly what they want, it's easier for them to say, "No": when they're offered a work project or invited to a social gathering that doesn't advance their lifestyle in some way, they're able to decline with confidence and aren't easily swayed by societal pressure.

3. They're mindful shoppers.
Just because something's on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it. Perfectly organized people always ask themselves, "Do I really need this?" before every purchase. Not only does this help keep your budget intact, it pushes you away from using instant gratification as a tool to cope with rough patches.

4. They've let go of their perfectionism.
If you try to do everything perfectly, it goes without saying you'll feel like a constant disappointment. Perfectly organized people channel their perfectionist tendencies into their most important tasks – work assignments, remodeling their home, exercising – and with tasks that aren't a priority, they do what they have to do to get the job done.

5. They don't believe in labeling anything "miscellaneous."
Though they don't have much to store due to their minimalist nature, when perfectly organized people do store items, they specifically label and index where everything can be found. Their bills are specifically filed, and their Christmas decorations are specifically cataloged.

6. They separate emotions from possessions.
They don't attach sentimental value to everything they own. For example, I still have my three favorite stuffed animals from when I was a kid, but not my entire collection. (I'm a big kid now!)

7. What they don't need, they don't own.
They don't buy anything until they know it's something they're going to use right away or in the near future. From personal experience, there's no worse feeling than cleaning an item more than you enjoy it. Trust me, you won't miss the dusting. At all.

8. They clean as they go.
Instead of waiting for the dishes to pile or the recycling to take itself out, the perfectly organized carve out chunks of time to maintain their lifestyle. This might sound like a drag, but there's no better feeling than having time off, andnot having to spend it running errands or cleaning, since they're already taken care of.

9. They understand the power of one.
One checking account. One savings account. One credit card. One email address. Perfectly organized people understand that consolidation and simplicity equals more freedom.

10. When it comes to planning, they're all about the details.
Perfectly organized people don't just plan in advance: they plan way in advance, and they plan in detail. Sure, their to-do lists look like scrolls, but it's only because they've broken down each of their tasks into manageable mini-tasks. Not only does this make each goal less overwhelming, it also helps you foresee any potential conflicts that could get in the way of your end result. BAM!

11. They don't procrastinate.
Because of how much respect they have for their time, perfectly organized people don't procrastinate, and they have no reason to: because of their maintain-as-they-go, to-do-list-Zorroing way of life, there's no need to.

12. They believe in quality over quantity.
To perfectly organized people, quantity equals clutter. They'd rather be surrounded by a minimal amount of items, all of which they use, enjoy, and actually have time to take care of properly. Professionally, they'd rather streamline their focus into a specialty where they can thrive, instead of working in more than one area and completing mediocre work.

Do you strive to be perfectly organized? Why, or why not?

Mountain Principle

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?"; And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!";The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!". He receives the answer: "Coward!". He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?". The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." Again the man screams: "You are a champion!". The voice answers: "You are a champion!".

The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life. Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

Your life is not a coincidence. It's a reflection of you!"
-- Unknown Author

Mountain Principle

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?"; And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!";The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!". He receives the answer: "Coward!". He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?". The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." Again the man screams: "You are a champion!". The voice answers: "You are a champion!".

The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life. Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

Your life is not a coincidence. It's a reflection of you!"
-- Unknown Author

Triple Filter Test of Socrates

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance ran up to the great philosopher and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?" 

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?" 

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be something I can use to benefit the world?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

The man stared at him, and without a word turned around and left, dejected.

10 Ways to Eliminate Anger

10 Ways to Eliminate Anger

For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do you become angry when you get your feelings hurt? What about when you're unhappy or feeling frustrated? Criticism is another common trigger for angry feelings. However, anger isn't something that happens to you. It's something you do to yourself.
Anger isn't a useful emotion. It drains your energy and damages your health. It can ruin relationships and hold you back from new opportunities.
While it's challenging to control external circumstances, you can learn to control your angry reactions and attitudes. Think about how powerful you'd feel if you had this kind of control.
Do you ever find yourself becoming angry over irrelevant issues? Your life could be much more joyful if you eliminate such anger. Make today be the day you start to move toward peace.

Gain more peace in your life with these suggestions:

1. Spend time each day reminding yourself how great life would be without anger. Create a positive image in your mind and keep moving toward that more peaceful existence.

2. Avoid taking everything so seriously. Remind yourself that life is short. Does the issue that's causing your anger matter in the grand scheme of things?

3. Try counting to ten. Your mom probably told you to stop and count to ten at some point in your life, and moms give great advice. This strategy is distracting and gives you the mental space to come up with a better alternative.

4. Take a drink of water. Again, this will distract you from your anger and give you a few minutes to regain your composure. To some extent, many of us are chronically dehydrated. A little water will likely make you feel better.

5. Focus on your breathing. By focusing on your breathing, you're taking the focus off whatever is making you angry. A few slow, deep breaths can have a calming effect.

6. Realize that everyone has an opinion. It's pointless to get angry just because someone doesn't agree with you. How would you feel if others became furious every time you didn't agree with them?

7. Decide to react calmly, regardless of the situation. Having good intentions can make all the difference.

8. Think about something funny. It's much more difficult to be angry while you're laughing. There's something funny in nearly any situation. If you're unable to find something at that moment, remember another time that was humorous.

9. Focus on being patient. Try slowing everything down and calming your anger. Your emotions are much less likely to get out of control if you react more peacefully. Those who are patient have more freedom and options.

10. Think positive thoughts. Anger is based on your interpretation of the situation. Avoid assuming the worst. Positive thoughts result in positive emotions and a happier life.
Anger is a sign of poor self-control and it's an emotion that rarely leads to a positive outcome. When you're angry, you're likely to make unfavorable choices. Poor decisions make life and relationships more challenging than they need to be.

Work on controlling your anger daily. Consider getting professional help if anger is prominent in your life. With a little practice, nearly anyone can learn to control their anger.

Taking Care of Yourself

A cobbler lived in a large village and he was the only cobbler in town, so he was responsible for repairing the boots of everybody else. However, he didn’t have time to repair his own boots. This wasn’t a problem at first, but over time, his boots began to deteriorate and fall apart.

While he worked feverishly on the boots of everyone else, his feet got blisters and he started to limp. His customers started to worry about him, but he reassured them that everything was OK.

However, after a few years, the cobbler’s feet were so injured that he could no longer work and no-one’s boots got repaired. As a consequence, soon the entire town started to limp in pain, all because the cobbler never took the time to repair his own boots.

This simple principle is so often disregarded. If you don’t look after yourself, after a while you’ll be no good to anyone else either. Your best intentions will mean nothing and you’ll be unable to do what you’re meant to do.

This goes for Professionals, Employees, Leaders, Social Workers, Teachers and even Parents.

If you don’t take the time to care for yourself, no-one else will.

Are you taking care of yourself?

Have a good time ahead and kindly take care of your health FIRST, only then you will be able to help others.

Self-care is not self-pamper, it is self-preservation…!!!