It’s certainly ‘that time of year again’!
Last week, I caught myself whispering something I haven’t said in a long time.
“I just need to get to Sunday afternoon.”
You know that feeling. When the week is so full that you’re counting down the hours instead of actually living them.
It wasn’t work that tipped me over. It was everything around work. Christmas catch ups. Dinners. Markets. Drinks. End-of-year everything. It felt like every calendar in Melbourne had collided into one week, and somehow I’d said yes to it all.
Normally, I’m far more intentional about how I schedule December. I spread things out. I protect my energy. I honour my routines. But last week slipped through the cracks. And I felt it.
Even so, here’s what saved me.
1. I still moved my body
Exercise is my anchor. I reduced the intensity when I needed to. But I kept the habit alive. Consistency beats perfection every time.
2. I stayed mindful about fuel
Lighter meals. Very limited alcohol. Nothing that made the overwhelm feel heavier than it already was.
3. I chose an early exit when I needed to
No guilt. Just awareness. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply go home.
4. Breathwork. My nervous system reset button
I carved out small pockets of time to breathe properly, not the shallow autopilot breath we default to under stress.
Slow, intentional breath lowers cortisol, calms your heart rate, and signals to your brain that you are safe. It gets you out of survival mode and back into presence. Five minutes is enough to shift your entire state.
5. I protected my sleep ritual
Same time. Same pattern. Same wind-down. My body knows what to do when I give it consistency.
And now? This week is back to normal. Back to rhythm. Back to routines that I’ve ingrained so deeply that I can fall straight back into them. And thank goodness for that, because we’re heading to Newcastle for a Christmas weekend with my family and I want to arrive rested, not burnt out.
The truth we forget in December
Christmas is a time for connection, generosity and joy. But it does not need to be a time of over-committing, over-doing, or proving you can attend every catch up before the clock ticks over.
You’re allowed to choose ease.
You’re allowed to spread things out.
You’re allowed to say, “Let’s catch up in January.”
Give yourself some grace. Your energy is not unlimited and you do not need to earn your rest.
If last week felt a lot like your year… listen closely.
If you found yourself counting down to Sunday.
If you’ve been carrying too much for too long.
If you’ve been leading on empty, holding it all together, and promising yourself next year will be different.
Then make sure you tune in when Leading You returns on 2 January.
We’re talking about capacity, clarity, alignment and the choices that actually shift your life. Not the New Year platitudes. The real work. The work that changes how you show up, not just how you plan.
And if you already know that 2026 cannot be a repeat of 2025, then hear this:
You don’t need another year of holding your breath through December and calling it resilience. You need a different approach to how you lead yourself.
That’s exactly why my Group Mentoring Program exists.
It’s not another coaching program.
It’s the space where women stop shrinking themselves.
Where they stop waiting for timing, permission or a quieter season.
Where they build their leadership brand, their identity, their clarity and the courage required to stand out in a world that rewards those who own their value.
This is for the women who know they’re capable of more but are tired of carrying the mental load alone.
The women who are ready to step into the next level and lead their life and career with intention, influence and impact.
If your week felt like mine.
If your year felt heavier than it should have.
If you are ready for a clean, powerful start to 2026.
Then this is your moment.
And I’d love to see you inside.