📋 Episode Summary
In this episode of Still Figuring It Out, Marc and Emily Pitman reflect on how the holidays have shifted over the years—from childhood traditions to parenting young adults, and from being nonprofit staff with year-end intensity to running a coaching practice with more margin. They discuss how working from home affects their ability to truly pause, how their values show up in how they decorate and celebrate, and how they now approach holidays with more intentionality, spaciousness, and flexibility.
It's a conversation about embracing change, honoring rest, and refocusing on what matters most as the seasons (and family structures) evolve.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Holiday traditions evolve—and that's okay.
- Being self-employed means intentionally creating boundaries around rest.
- Decorating the home can be an act of meaning-making, not just aesthetics.
- The end-of-year season is an opportunity for recalibration and imagination.
- Quietness, reflection, and margin are gifts we can give ourselves.
🗣 Quote Highlights
- "I really want a cookie." – Emily
- "Being self-employed, you can always be working." – Marc
- "Setting space, setting home, fixing our attention and affection on each other in such a way that in the dark months, we are refilling ourselves." – Emily
- "There's less friction when you just sit back for a minute and look at the horizon." – Emily
- "Growing up, we had a lot of traditions. Some of them changed every year, which is kind of hilarious." – Marc
🧰 Tools & Mentions
- Gordon Lightfoot's Don Quixote album
- The "balcony moment" leadership metaphor (from Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky)
- Stephen Covey's Quadrant II framework
- South Carolina State Parks
👥 Who Should Listen
- Parents navigating changing holiday traditions
- Coaches and entrepreneurs working from home
- Nonprofit professionals trying to reclaim year-end joy
- Anyone feeling the pressure—or the permission—of the holiday season
- Listeners needing a gentle reminder to pause and recalibrate
🎺 That Music!
Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music.
Lexi Moreno – composing / mixing / mastering / guitar
Caleb Pitman – composing / mixing / trumpet
Zoe Czarnecki – bass
