But life is not perfect: it is messy and imprecise and we are dealing with ourselves and other imperfect people and unexpected things can happen, sooner or later, which cause us pain and stress. It is not just about us making mistakes … the people we work with can make them, we can fall ill, or those around us can, human beings can behave in mysterious ways which make life more difficult than it need be. Sometimes even ‘success’ can come with its challenges for us.

Developing a practice of self-care when all is going well in our lives prepares us for the times of pain and stress which almost inevitably come, in whatever form, at some time over the span of our lives.

This series of articles looks at ways we can all care for ourselves when the going gets tough, offering some practical suggestions. While the principles of self-care remain the same, each situation has its own special needs.

You may never need these tips, which would be great, but just in case you do … it helps us to remember that we are not alone; that many people have been in times of trouble before us and many will again; and we are all in this together, to learn from and to help each other.