Do you try to force a daisy to bloom in winter? Do you insist a bear comes out of its hibernation? Must the bee produce honey or cicada buzz out of tune with its own nature?

We, too, have our seasons. It’s okay. Winter is a season of winding down, of the rest phase before renewal. Our societies demand we maintain productivity when our bodies tell us otherwise, and we do what we must to keep food on the table and a roof over our head but beyond that it’s okay to rest.

The Danes and Norwegians have a concept called hygge that embraces the cold weather season. It’s also why a lot of northern hemisphere countries (can’t speak for elsewhere, feel free to chime in) make it a season of lights and festivity.

I’ve also got seasonal affective and take vitamin D, and the reasoning above is how I cope with each year. Accepting the hibernation feeling and adapting with gentle love instead of force is not weakness.