You Do Not Owe December Your Sanity

By Tricia Scott 

I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but I went to Chatsworth House recently, so my Christmas spirit levels are now dangerously high, and now I have an immediate and irrational urge to transform my entire house into a Regency-era winter wonderland.

I spent most of the day wandering around in full awe, wondering how on earth I was supposed to go back to my normal life where my staircase does not resemble a Hallmark Christmas film. I added some pics to my Instagram if you want to take a look (be warned, there is no going back once you’ve seen the wonders!)

On the drive home, I was thinking about all things fairy lit (obviously), but also that this is one of the absolute gifts of working for yourself:

Yes, it’s hard.

Yes, we wear 147 hats sometimes within the same hour, but we also get to step away when we need to.

To refill our festive tanks.

To breathe.

Even at Christmas — especially at Christmas — we get to choose how we move through it.

Speaking of excitement levels…

🎙️ WE’RE STARTING A PODCAST.

I’m not even going to pretend to be calm about this because I am zero percent calm.

It’s something we’ve talked about forever, but the timing was never right. And then suddenly… it was.

Because now we have the perfect host: Mark Sephton — The King of Conversation himself, and from 2026, you won’t just be seeing The Female CEO...you’ll be hearing us across Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

And it means we get to bring even more incredible women’s stories into the world.

And because the universe clearly clocked my absolutely feral levels of excitement, the first ten podcast feature spaces are almost gone already — in one weekend. It’s a paid feature, and if you want in, just drop me a message, and I’ll send you everything you need.

And while we’re on the subject of magical things… Issue 61 has been read all over the world.

Did you catch it yet? Reading Laura Bartlett living her best, fully aligned post-acquisition life is exactly the kind of story that pairs beautifully with a candlelit bath and a cheeky glass of fizz. Trust me. 

And because I love you (like, seriously), here’s your December reminder — the one we all need at least once a week this month:

✨ You do not owe the season your sanity.

✨ You get to choose how you show up.

✨ You’re allowed to enjoy the bits you love and decline the bits you don’t.

If you need an extra reminder, read this: The responsibility for everyone else’s good time does not sit on my shoulders.

This week's love letter is your cosy, cinnamon-scented sign that even in the busiest season of the year, you are still the one steering the sleigh. 

Here’s to choosing what feels aligned, resting when you need to, creating joy on your own terms, and building a business and life that feels like magic all year long.

With love and completely unrealistic Pinterest-level staircase goals.

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 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.