The Magic You Don’t Have to Manufacture

By Tricia Scott.

Let me begin by saying I love this time of year. I mean, really love it. The lights, the smell of cinnamon and mulled wine, the excuse to wear sequins before noon — all of it.

But I’ve also been the woman giving herself stress hives trying to make it all oh-so-perfect. Saying yes to everything and everyone. The parties. The catering. The shopping. The workload. The guilt-fuelled “sure, I’ll squeeze it in” commitments that leave you smiling on the outside and silently begging for just half a day to watch Love Actually without answering seventeen phone calls on the inside.

By January, I’d be crawling into recovery mode — exhausted, puffy, and wondering why the New Year’s “fresh start” felt more like a hangover (and not the fun kind).

Sound familiar?

Here’s what I’ve learned over the years (and continue to learn): I was the architect of my own overwhelm. 

Every yes came from a place of love and wanting everyone to have a wonderful time — but it came at my own expense. And here’s the irony: by trying to give everyone more, I was actually giving them less. No one was getting my best self, just a glitter-covered Marley-esque ghost running on paracetamol and people-pleasing.

If you’re already feeling that festive pressure building this November — stop. Breathe. This isn’t a call to cancel Christmas, it’s an invitation to be intentional.

Courtney Carver of Be More With Less sums this up perfectly when she suggests honouring the yes AND the no. Courtney says, "When you have trouble resisting or saying no to everything that comes your way, remember how you feel when you say yes to too much. Then, think about how you feel when you say yes to the right things, to what matters most to you. When you say yes to what you care about and what you love, it feels so good. To do that, you have to say no to the rest."

This year, honour both your yes and your no.

Say yes to what fills you up. Say no to what drains you. Period.

You don’t owe anyone your exhaustion. You don’t have to earn your place at the table by doing the most. The magic of this season isn’t something you have to manufacture — it’s something you get to feel.

So if a party invite, a client request, or a “quick favour” this December costs you your peace, it’s already way too expensive.

Choose your own experience this Christmas — one built on presence, not performance.
I believe in you (always).

Tricia Scott is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Female CEO — a global platform, magazine, and community dedicated to helping women build confident, aligned, powerful businesses.

A startup mentor and multi-company director, she’s spent the past decade helping women move from overwhelmed and isolated to empowered and intentional.

Most days, she’s juggling her MacBook, her next big idea, and a very necessary caffeine supply. Connect with her at thefemaleceo.com.