When I loved myself enough

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My friend Carrie suggested that I read this book and I did.  It is a beautifully simple book written by Kim McMillan who wished to share her wisdom with the world and encourage others to love themselves for who they are.  She sadly died at the young age of 52 but left a legacy to us all.  Her work was taken forward by her daughter Alison who continues to share her mother's teachings. This is a lovely gift for yourself, your friends, family and anyone who needs to be reminded to love themselves.

About the author
By Alison McMillen, January 2001
My mother died in September of 1996, at the age of 52, only a few short months after writing this book. She was not ill and did not know that she was going to die. Her death was very sudden and it deeply shocked everyone who knew her. It has been very difficult for me, as well as her friends and family, to cope with live without her. She died too young, and I am aware of her absence every waking moment.
One thing that has made grieving for her more tolerable has been this book. Following her lead, I continued to publish it out of my home. It has been extremely rewarding work. I have received countless letters and phone calls from people all over the world who have been touched by the wisdom of my mom’s words. They tell me that they feel as though, through the book, they have come to know Kim McMillen. I could not agree more.
This book is my mother. Its message is hat she spent years mediating on, reading and writing about, and experiencing. It is everything she believed in, and everything she brought me up to believe in. it is her autobiography, her declaration, her soul.
Even though she didn’t know she was nearing the end of her life, she knew on some level that she had to express the things that she had learned to be true. After many years filled with self-doubt and self-criticism, she decided to devote herself to finding self-compassion. When she did, and was able to write her findings down for others to read, her life was complete, and sadly cam to and end.
I have a constant ache in my heart, a longing to see hear again in this world. She was an amazing mother, friend, writer, business consultant, chaplain, river runner, dog lover, neighbor and woman. Although I miss her terrible, I am comforted by the knowledge that, as this book is the truest expression of who my mom was, in its continued existence, what she had to offer to the world will live on.

When I loved myself enough
by Kim McMillen
It begins with the following introduction

For many years I lived with a guarded heart. I did not know how to extend love and compassion to myself. In my fortieth year that began changing.

As I grew to love all of who I am, life started changing in beautiful and mysterious ways. My heart softened and I began to see through very different eyes.

My commitment to follow this calling grew strong and in the process a divine intelligence came to guide my life. I believe this ever present resource is grace, and is available to us all.

For the past twelve years I have been learning to recognise and accept this gift. Cultivating love and compassion for myself made it possible.

The following steps are uniquely mine. Yours will look different. But I do hope mine give voice to a hunger you may share.

Kim McMillen

When I loved myself enough I quit settling for too little.
When I loved myself enough I came to know my own goodness.
When I loved myself enough I began taking the gift of life seriously and gratefully.
When I loved myself enough I began to know I was in the right place at the right time and I could relax.
When I loved myself enough I felt compelled to slow down way down. And that has made all the difference.
When I loved myself enough I bought a feather bed.
When I loved myself enough I came to love being alone surrounded by silence, awed by its spell, listening to inner space.

These are only a few of the lines from the book.  In the spirit of loving and appreciating yourself as the beautiful, unique and special person you are, I ask you to create your own verses starting with:

"When I loved myself enough"...I.....?

Love and Blessings,

Jean Fisher-Taylor x