Finding Stillness in Holiday Swirl

Three super power tools for making sure you don’t give all your energy away this holiday – holiday stress relief that works!

It’s December, so what do us crazy humans do? Run around like energizer bunnies gone mad, running from party to party, store to store, gift wrapping to cooking baking. Bright lights, big sales and big pressure to see and be everywhere. It is a season that we spend DOING.
Now compare that to nature 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 or birds for instance, what is he or she up to in December? Are they out canvassing all the holiday sales hoping to get that DVD player on sale? 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! These smart creatures is getting their house (or cave or nest as the case may be) in order, stocking up on all the goods they need to get through the frozen winter. They are not over spending or over giving their stock, they are savoring and saving it, using it slowly.

These wise animals are tuned into a station we too often ignore: nature. And for the entire month of December this station is broadcasting one message: SLOW DOWN!

So what do we humans do? We speed up! The opposite of what the energy of the season is asking for. No wonder we are dead tired come Dec 28th, and then we 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 and birds don’t face the pressure you do. They aren’t bombarded with Christmas advertising campaigns. Or relatives and friends that all want to share in the holiday cheer. Self love comes easier to them. But they do have some behaviors you can use this holiday season that can help you SLOW DOWN and at the same time still enjoy all the love and fun that abounds.

I know you may not believe me, but it is actually in your nature to SLOW DOWN… when you tap into your Feminine Super Power of PAUSE, and choose what my friend, spiritual counselor and artist calls “finding the stillness in the swirl!” – i love that!!!

Here’s a video I taped from my backyard to give a sense of what that feels like to CHOOSE stillness in the swirl

Watch the video (its only 1 minute) and then choose one of these 3 Super Power Strategies:

1. BE SMART WITH YOUR ENERGY – DON’T OVER GIVE or OVER DO… GIVE ENOUGH, not more, AND SAVE THE REST FOR YOURSELF
The self-loving, smart bear or bird loves to share their gifts, time and energy, with those she loves, especially her prized honey or beautiful song, but they never empty their supplies. And they never feels guilty for keeping honey, branches, energy for themselves. 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, “Am I over-giving? Am I over-doing? Am I over extending myself?” if the answer is yes, stop drop and recalibrate your giving equation and ask “What is ENOUGH to give, to do, to offer?” and “What do I need to also GIVE myself?”

2. BE STILL – SPEND EXTRA TIME IN YOUR CAVE
The self-loving, smart bear or bird isn’t romping around the forest in December using up all their energy, they spend extra time loving being in their cave or nest. After all, they have 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. BE SELECTIVE – Say NO TO WHAT FEELS OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT YOU REALLY NEED & WANT, EVEN IF THAT MEANS DISAPPOINING ANOTHER.
Choose the FEW Things that really matter to you and say YES to those. The self-loving smart you knows what is best for you and doesn’t waste your 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. 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.

Which of these 3 Feminine Super Power of Pause choices will you commit to? And WHY is this important to YOU?

Here’s My Choice: #2
I choose to be still and spend extra time in my cave. This is So important to me because after 10 months of being out traveling in the world, and 3 months of supporting Noah to recover from his stroke, I need to regather and regroup internally, to connect really deeply with MY heart and soul, to hear what she is trying to say to me. This will serve me and everyone I love and serve so much better in 2014 if I do this now. .

And remember, to join me for the Winter Solstice Ritual on Friday the 20th – LIVESTREAMED to your house – my gift to you – go here to RSVP http://www.femininesuperpowers.com

The featured image in this blog was painted by Melissa Bingham, spiritual counselor, recovering super woman, and artist – all her stuff is hand painted in service to YOU finding your stillness in the swirl – check it and her out on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/FindingStillness?ref=l2-shopheader-name