Part II, Getting to Where You Want to Be, Chapter 8, Being Kind to Yourself Summary and Analysis

Relating to others well is important but so is relating to yourself. Treat yourself gently. Be your own friend. Don't put yourself down or criticize yourself all the time. It is easy to feel disgusted with yourself when you are sick but you cannot wallow in that feeling. Treat yourself as a friend would. Being gentle to yourself is a bit like parenting yourself. Next, find ways to maintain a kind of privacy even when it is invaded by external reality. Privacy becomes very valuable when you are sick. There is always someone around when you need help twenty-four hours a day. Do your best to carve out time to be with yourself and communicating...