16. Being Alive is Hard, be Gentle with Yourself

We're often much harder on ourselves than we are on other people. Think about how you speak to yourself, and what you expect from your own performance in life, at work, with friends, colleagues and loved ones.

In contrast, imagine a friend or loved one in the same situation and compare how empathetic, supportive and understanding you would be and how easy it would be to suggest self-care and rest. We never do that for ourselves, and it's critical.