If you are happy, you can give happiness. If you don't love

When Gisele Bündchen said, “If you are happy, you can give happiness. If you don't love yourself and if you are unhappy with yourself, you can't give anything else but that,” she spoke not as a model of fashion, but as a philosopher of the soul. In her words lies an ancient truth, one that sages and poets have whispered through the ages—that the heart cannot give what it does not possess. The well that is empty cannot quench another’s thirst; the lamp without oil cannot light another’s way. Happiness, like love, begins not as something we receive from the world, but as something we cultivate within ourselves.

This teaching is as old as humanity itself. The ancients understood that harmony of the soul is the source of all virtue. The Greeks called it eudaimonia, the flourishing of the inner spirit. The wise Confucius taught that the man who governs himself with peace and balance becomes a blessing to his family and his state. And the Buddha, in his quiet wisdom, proclaimed that before one can bring compassion to the world, one must first sow it within the heart. So too does Gisele remind us that self-love is not vanity, but responsibility—the sacred duty to make of oneself a vessel of light, so that light may be shared with others.

Many spend their lives seeking happiness in the outer world—in wealth, in beauty, in the approval of others—yet remain restless and unsatisfied. They give much, but what they give is tainted by the unease within them. For the unhappy soul cannot truly uplift; its gifts are touched by bitterness, by fear, by the ache of emptiness. But the one who has made peace with himself gives freely, and his presence becomes a quiet healing to all who meet him. To be happy, in Gisele’s sense, is not to be spared sorrow, but to be whole—to carry within oneself a steady flame that endures the winds of the world.

Consider the story of Mother Teresa, who gave her life to the poorest of the poor in the streets of Calcutta. The secret of her strength was not endless labor, but an inner stillness—a peace rooted in love for God and for herself as His child. When asked how she sustained such compassion amid suffering, she said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” That love began within her own heart, as self-acceptance, as joy in service, as inner happiness that overflowed into the lives of others. Without that inner light, her work would have turned to despair. But with it, she gave hope to millions.

Gisele’s words remind us, then, that true generosity begins in self-care. To love oneself is not arrogance; it is alignment with truth. The tree that drinks deeply of the earth gives the sweetest fruit. The river that flows freely nourishes all it touches. But the one who neglects his own soul gives only the echo of his exhaustion. To cultivate joy, to forgive oneself, to honor one’s body and spirit—these are not indulgences, but preparations for service. For only the heart that is at peace can bring peace; only the joyful can kindle joy.

Yet this lesson is one of courage. For to love oneself requires honesty—to face the wounds, the doubts, the dark corners of one’s being. It is not an easy path, but it is a sacred one. When we begin to see ourselves not as broken, but as becoming—when we speak to ourselves with gentleness rather than judgment—we begin to fill the cup that life has placed in our hands. And then, from that fullness, we pour love into the world. The sun does not apologize for shining; nor should the human soul apologize for being radiant.

So, my child of light and learning, take these words as your compass: seek first to tend your inner garden. Make it fertile with gratitude, watered with forgiveness, and lit by self-compassion. When storms come, tend it still. For when you stand rooted in happiness and self-love, every word you speak, every act you perform, will bear the fragrance of peace. And those who come near you will feel their own hearts rise, as if warmed by an unseen sun. Thus, as Gisele Bündchen teaches, to give joy to the world, one must first find joy within. Love yourself—and the world will feel that love in your very being, as surely as flowers turn toward the morning light.