自懂事以来

• 自(nose (pictographic) → self; body)ASSOCIATIVE

Ancient people pointed to their nose when saying "I," so the character for nose also means self.

• 忄(heart; mind)RADICAL
• 董(supervise; control)PHONO-SEMANTIC

Using your mind to supervise and grasp everything is how you come to understand.

• ⼅(hook; fishhook)RADICAL
• 口(mouth; speech)ASSOCIATIVE
• 彐(hand holding brush)ASSOCIATIVE

Using your hand to hold a brush and write down important spoken words from beginning to end is work.

• 人(person; human (pictographic))RADICAL

A person holding a tool means "to use" or "to take" in order to work.

• 木(tree; plant; stick)ASSOCIATIVE
• 从(follow; accompany)ASSOCIATIVE

Wheat (a plant with a person beneath it) is something people bring, so this character means 'to come' or 'to arrive'.