Navigating Major Life Changes During the Holiday Season

The holidays have a way of magnifying everything—joy, stress, uncertainty, and all the emotional “weather” we carry into the season. On this week’s episode of Second Wind, Joyce Buford sits down to talk honestly about navigating major life transitions during the holidays, when expectations run high and real life doesn’t always cooperate. Whether you're coping with an empty nest, a career shift, the loss of a loved one, a move, or the quiet shock of starting a new chapter, this conversation cuts through the noise and gets to what actually helps. Joyce blends her signature clarity and compassion with real-world strategies to steady yourself, reclaim your center, and find meaning even when life feels like it’s been turned upside down. She explores: Why big transitions hit harder during the holidays The emotional patterns that show up when routines and relationships change How to honor grief, nostalgia, and uncertainty without getting swallowed by them Practical grounding tools for staying present through the season Ways to create new traditions that reflect who you are becoming—not just who you were How to find your “second wind” even when you feel depleted Drawing from her coaching work, her own life experience, and themes from the upcoming novel Second Wind, Joyce reminds listeners that change is not a detour—it’s the doorway to your next chapter. And the holidays, complicated as they can be, offer a powerful moment to pause, reflect, and choose how you want to move forward. If you're heading into the season feeling tender, overwhelmed, or on the brink of something new, this episode will meet you right where you are.