Here's the thing about stress: everyone around you can see it except you.

I've been there countless times—in the middle of a stressful period, completely denying I was stressed. People close to me could see it clearly. I was either too deep in it to notice or too ashamed to admit it.

When I first heard about "self-care," I pictured bubble baths and wine nights with friends. I thought I had it covered. Turns out, I was missing the point entirely.

Your body can't tell the difference between a predator attack and a stressful email. That's the problem.

We all have an inner critic. Mine can be vicious. Sometimes she has valid points I can learn from. The trick is knowing when she's being helpful versus when she's just holding me back.