It’s winter. The trees and plants have gone dormant. The grass has stopped growing. But what do us crazy humans do? We run around like energizer bunnies gone mad, running from party to party, store to store, gift wrapping to cooking to baking. Bright lights, big sales and big pressure to see and be everywhere.

Now compare that to the animals that live in the forest, that live lock and step with nature, following the natural cycle of living on earth. Take the bear for instance, what is he or she up to in December? Is she out canvassing all the holiday sales hoping to get that TV on sale? Is he running around from grocery store to grocery store worrying that he won’t have enough food to feed the guests for the party he’s planned? No way! This smart four-legged creature is getting her house (or cave as the case may be) in order, stocking up on all the goods she’ll need to get her through the frozen winter. She’s not spending her stock, she’s savoring and saving it, using it slowly. This wise animal has tuned into a station we too often ignore: nature. And for the entire month of December this station is broadcasting one message: SLOW DOWN!

But we humans, we ignore the memo from nature, and instead we speed up – the opposite of what the energy of the season asks. No wonder we are dead tired come Dec 28th. But we rally and pep up for one last go around on New Year’s and then spend the next two months trying to work off all the excess we sped up to create.

Now to be fair, bears don’t face the pressure we do. They aren’t bombarded with holiday advertising campaigns. Or relatives and friends that all want to share in their holiday cheer. Taking care of themselves without guilt or obligation comes easier to them. But these bears do have some behaviors you can employ this holiday season to help you SLOW DOWN and at the same time still enjoy all the love and fun that abounds, so that you can end the holidays full up with energy and nourished with rest, instead of full up with food and over-taxed with exhaustion.

1.  DON’T GIVE ALL YOUR HONEY AWAY, SAVE SOME FOR YOURSELF

The self-loving, smart bear loves to share her gifts, time and energy, with those she loves, especially her prized honey, but she never empties her shelves. And she never feels guilty for keeping honey for herself. So for you… yes, give to the people and things that you love this holiday season, and RETAIN energy for yourself too. Remember to GIVE to yourself. And do it before you run yourself into a cold or a sore neck. When you start feeling that run down sensation or the stress kick in, ask yourself, “What do I need to receive to replenish myself?” And then do something to replenish your tanks.

2.  SPEND EXTRA TIME IN YOUR CAVE

The self-loving, smart bear isn’t romping around the forest in December using up all her energy, she is spending extra time loving being in her cave. After all, she’s worked hard all year to make it cozy. December is a time of going inward and it’s more natural to want to cozy up at home than to flit from party to party every night. Pick your social outings wisely, doing the ones that fill you up the most. Don’t be afraid to pass on social obligations that don’t totally light you up. Decline politely, wish them holiday cheer, and then create a cozy, warm space inside your home full of self-love, magic and holiday beauty. Use that energy to fill you up.

3. DON’T APOLOGIZE FOR DOING WHAT YOU WANT

The self-loving smart bear knows that she knows what is best for her and she doesn’t waste her vital energy carrying around feelings of guilt or obligation. She does what she needs to do and wants to do, without apologizing to the other bears. She’s never rude, always full of love, and she has no qualms about setting healthy boundaries.

Make this a holiday that you do your way. @ChristineArylo (Click to Tweet!)

Set the intention that you will fill yourself up with energy, love and happiness this holiday, and anything that doesn’t fit those three bills, you can pass on, without guilt or obligation.

For more on how to make sure you focus your life force on what matters most to you this December, so you start the new year feeling revitalized, energized and ready to meet the new year, tune into Christine’s Feminine Power Time podcast episode “Wind Up Your Year the Wise Woman Way” – click here.

Christine Arylo, m.b.a., is an inspirational catalyst, transformational teacher and best-selling self-love author who teaches people how to put their most important partnership first, the one with themselves, so that they can create the life their souls crave. The popular author of the go-to book on relationships Choosing ME before WE and the self-love handbook, Madly in Love with ME, the Daring Adventure to Becoming Your Own Best Friend, and her newest Reform Your Inner Mean Girl. She’s affectionately known as the “Queen of Self-Love” for her groundbreaking work in self-love, including founding the international day of self-love on Feb 13th. Arylo is the co-founder of the self-love and empowerment school for women, Inner Mean Girl Reform School.  You can follow here on Twitter, FB or visit her sites here & here.