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Welcome to Day 8 of the Christmas Advent Calendar podcast and we are bringing another inspiring episode with another fabulous guest. I’m your host, Lisa-Marie Elkhadraoui, Business coach and mentor, empowering women through business strategy and soulful mindset work and today we’re exploring a conversation that so many high-achieving women quietly relate to, but rarely talk about openly.

Joining me is the insightful and compassionate Parveen, who brings a powerful perspective on high-functioning anxiety,  the kind that hides behind achievement, perfectionism, and the constant drive to “keep it together.” Parveen opens up about the reality so many of us face: the pressure to perform, the fear of slowing down, and the belief that our worth is tied to our productivity.

In this episode, Parveen and I explore:

• How high-functioning anxiety often exists behind the mask of success
• Why we become so accustomed to pushing through until slowing down feels uncomfortable
• The importance of self-compassion,  especially for high achievers
• How taking a breath and recognising overwhelm is a strength, not a weakness
• Why you can still be ambitious and take things at your own pace
• And why true success cannot, and should not,  come at the cost of your mental health

This conversation is an invitation to soften, to pause, and to remember that you are more than what you produce. You can be driven, talented, and visionary while still honoring your well-being. Success is sustainable only when it’s supported by self-compassion and emotional.

Dive into Parveen’s world  

Follow Parveen on Instagram page HERE 

Join Lisa-marie and the women in the Design Boss Diary family, follow on Instagram HERE and find more about how you can work with Lisa in 2026. 

Join me in Birmingham on Friday 23th & Saturday 24th January 2026 for a luxury two-day retreat, Strategy & Soul.
Two days that will prepare you for your most powerful year yet.
Find out more HERE

This and other episodes are on our YouTube channel HERE

Our Christmas Giveaway

To celebrate Season 2 of the Advent Calendar Podcast, I’m giving away six incredible prizes:

• 4 women will join me in London for a private in-person strategy session + lunch in an exclusive location (worth £1,000 each)
• 2 women will receive a fully-paid ticket to The Visionary event in Birmingham (worth £540 each)

To enter:

1. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
2. Screenshot your review
3. Share it on your Instagram Stories and tag @Design_Boss_Diary

Every review + share counts as an additional entry — no limits.

This is your chance to begin 2026 with clarity, strategy, and a powerful reset.

And as always if you have loved this episode we would love for you to leave a review and if you screenshot this podcast and share it on your socials, tagging @Design_Boss_Diary in then we have a special gift waiting just for you. 

See you in the next episode you lovely lot! x