I have an everyday religion that works for me. Love yourself

Hear, O children of wisdom, the words of Lucille Ball, the radiant queen of laughter, who declared: “I have an everyday religion that works for me. Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line.” In this saying lies no call to temples nor to distant dogmas, but a commandment for the soul’s survival: that before you can truly love another, you must first love yourself. Hers is not a creed of ritual but a creed of dignity, a faith not bound by walls of stone but lived in the daily rhythm of the heart.

The origin of this truth flows from Ball’s own life. Known to the world as a comedienne, she carried behind her bright laughter the weight of hardship, rejection, and struggle. She rose from obscurity, endured the trials of an unforgiving industry, and carved a place for herself in a world where women were seldom granted power. Her declaration of an “everyday religion” was born of experience: she knew that without self-love, she could not withstand the storms, nor guide her life with strength. Thus her creed was forged not in theory, but in the fires of living.

Consider the power of loving yourself first. It is not arrogance, nor vanity, but the foundation of all wholeness. The one who despises themselves cannot love another rightly, for their giving will always be twisted by bitterness or fear. But the one who accepts their worth, who honors their own soul, is able to give freely, without resentment. Ball’s wisdom reminds us that self-love is the seed from which all other loves grow: family, friendship, and even the courage to face the world.

History itself confirms this truth. Think of Eleanor Roosevelt, who in her youth was shy and unsure, overshadowed by others. Yet through steady growth in self-respect and confidence, she became one of the most influential voices of her time, speaking for justice and human dignity. Had she not first embraced her own worth, she could not have lifted the worth of others. Just as Lucille Ball declared, once the soul learns to love itself, everything else begins to fall into its rightful order.

The meaning, then, is both intimate and universal. Ball’s “everyday religion” is not about dogmas or creeds, but about daily practice—choosing to treat yourself kindly, to forgive your failings, to nourish your spirit. It is about rising each day with the belief that you are worthy of love, of joy, of respect. In this way, you become a vessel strong enough to carry others, but without the bitterness of emptiness. To love yourself is to prepare the soil of your life for growth, for relationships, for purpose.

The lesson for us is clear. Do not despise yourself, for every life is sacred. Nurture your spirit, for without strength within, you cannot give strength without. Forgive yourself when you stumble, and believe in your worth, for that belief is the foundation upon which all your endeavors rest. This is not selfishness, but stewardship of the soul entrusted to you.

Practical wisdom follows: each day, take a moment to affirm your worth. Speak kindly to yourself, as you would to a beloved friend. Care for your body and mind, not as burdens, but as sacred trusts. Refuse to let shame or comparison rob you of joy. And when you falter, return again to the foundation: love yourself first. For when that love is strong, everything else—work, family, friendship, even hardship—falls into line with greater harmony.

Thus let the words of Lucille Ball endure: “I have an everyday religion that works for me. Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line.” For in them lies a teaching both gentle and mighty: that the first act of faith is to honor your own soul, and that from this faith flows all other strength, all other love, all other triumphs in life.