Being gentle with ourselves helps us survive the challenging times in our lives. When we feel tired, stressed and overworked, our energy may be depleted, weakening our immune system and leaving us open to catching a cold or the flu.

Rather than pushing ourselves to do more at times like this, we want to ease up and give our body a chance to rest and recuperate. A friend calls this “exercising exquisite self care.” It includes nurturing our body by getting enough rest, exercising, eating healthy, and drinking water to stay hydrated.

By prioritizing our “to do” list, we can focus on the most important tasks and choose whether to let the others go or to ask for help from friends.

We also treat ourselves kindly when we acknowledge our emotions, accept our limitations, and silence our inner critic who thinks we’re not doing enough. If we don’t perform up to our usual standards, we can comfort ourselves with the knowledge we are doing our best in the moment.

By taking care of ourselves, we ensure we have the energy and stamina to be there both for ourselves and for our loved ones.