Diamonds Under Pressure: Creating Balance in Business This Holiday Season

By Tricia Scott.

Ah, December... how are you feeling? It's OK, you can be honest. This time of year notoriously brings up all kinds of feelings and emotions, and none of them are wrong or out of place (and you know nothing is off the table here, right?)

I spent the weekend visiting some of my favourite women in business, selling their wares at the Millin Charity Market and choosing a Christmas Tree (my first real tree ever), then pulling in help from friends and family (with the lure of food and prosecco) to put it together and make it lovely. Then it was a trip around a rammed Christmas Market yesterday, which seemed like such a great idea at the time, but after the 500th person stepped on my toes and knocked off my bobble hat (revealing unwashed hair, the horrors!), It was time to retreat to the comfort of the Christmas Tree lights and Fred Claus on Netflix.

While the festivities have been in full swing this weekend, I feel pretty tired today, and I've noticed that I do feel a little guilty if I'm not consistently jumping through tinsel-trimmed hoops at his time of year; perhaps you feel the same? But you know what? A lot is going on.

We're wrapping up work (and presents), we have additional family commitments to take care of, houses to clean and Christmas tables to arrange (if you know me, you already know the annual table drama I give myself). On top of that, there's grief to contend with, missed deadlines and the impending dread of looking through closed fingers at the list of all the things we would achieve this year (spoiler: I did not complete that list, and I never, ever do).

And then there are people.

Can we just talk about the people for a minute? 

We're already under pressure (quite frankly, I'm amazed we're not all pooping diamonds by January), but tis the season for everyone to be in super-close proximity and to have an opinion on what feels like everything. And while well-intentioned, with the additional pressure of the season, it can feel like the final hat on the Buckaroo donkey 💥

Listen, here's what I've learned. 

1) My eye roll game is strong this time of year. I can almost see the back of my own head.

2) You have no control over the words and actions of others, but you do have control over how you allow someone's words and actions to impact you (this is an unfortunate truth that requires radical self-responsibility). 

3) Most of the time, how people respond to you reflects how they're feeling and has nothing to do with you.

4) We are all doing our best, which is more than enough. If that means extending a pressing deadline, binning the turkey and eating a take-out lunch or allowing someone else to cook dinner and pour the wine, let it be so! 

Easier said than done? F*ck yes. But it is very much possible if we're aware of it out of the gate and by the gate, I mean at the beginning of December. 

So here's my challenge for you: Find your own little slice of peace this month, whatever that looks like for you. Maybe it's an unapologetically early night curled up under the glow of your Christmas tree, a long walk to escape the noise, or simply saying no to something that doesn't serve you (that totally includes shape-control underwear that that 5th Secret Santa request).

You deserve to experience this season on your terms—not by someone else's expectations and that means focusing on the work and the moments that truly matter, even if that means ditching the drama (and the occasional meeting) and choosing joy over perfection.

And remember, the only opinion that truly counts when it comes to how you navigate December? It's yours.

I believe in you, always.

👉🏼If you want to receive a Biz Love Letter directly to your inbox every week, I email our Hello CEO mailing list every Monday. To join, head to The Homepage and sign up!

Tricia Scott is a passionate startup business mentor and the Founder and Editor of The Female CEO - Create Evolve Overcome, a platform and digital magazine holding the space to showcase female entrepreneurs from all over the world. 

The Female CEO is gaining global recognition daily and Tricia is able to bring her own level of expertise as a start-up mentor and multi-company director to her very exclusive table along with her team of brilliant Guest Editors and Contributors. You'll usually find her with her MacBook in one hand and a coffee or a glass of something fizzy in the other. Reach out anytime!