What happens when the life you’ve built suddenly falls apart… and then, against all odds, you rebuild it again?
In this breathtaking, emotional, and deeply vulnerable conversation, I chat with author, former attorney, and certified grief coach Stephanie Duran - a woman whose life reads like a novel filled with courage, devastation, reinvention, and the rare kind of love that changes you forever.
Together, we trace some of Stephanie’s journey from an idyllic marriage that slowly eroded, to the courage it took to walk away when the world didn’t understand, to rediscovering her confidence after 15 years out of the courtroom.
Then comes the love story that stops you in your tracks, the magnetic poolside meeting in Las Vegas, the whirlwind connection, the interstate move, the business, the dreams, and the unimaginable twist that followed.
Stephanie opens up about fighting for more time, what it means to love someone through terminal illness, the devastating courage of saying goodbye, and how she found her way back to herself, and eventually, to love again.
This episode asks big questions:
What do we do when life breaks our heart?
How do we rebuild when the story changes?
And what does courage really look like when everything is on the line?
If you need a reminder that life can take everything from you and still offer new beginnings - this conversation will stay with you long after you listen.
Key takeaways:
o How childhood moments can unknowingly plant seeds of courage.
o Why “good enough” can be the most dangerous place to settle.
o How to know when it’s time to leave something the world thinks you should stay in.
o What happens when you start over from scratch - career, identity, confidence etc.
o How an extraordinary love story can begin with one bold statement.
o The unimaginable courage it takes to let go when your heart wants to hold on.
o How opening your heart again can start a whole new chapter in your life.
Get in touch with Stephanie Duran:
Website: Stephanie Duran
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
LinkedIn: Stephanie Duran
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
Podcast: Weaving Happiness through Grief with Stephanie Duran
Get her book:
Because I Loved You: Surviving the Unthinkable by Stephanie Duran – updated version released 20 Jan 2026. See all places books are sold.
Audio version available now on all platforms. ie. Audible
Where to find me:
Website: Kim Payne
LinkedIn: Kim Payne www.linkedin.com/in/kimpayne9rok/
Instagram: @iamkimpayne
Facebook: KimPayneBiz
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