Start Your Comeback: Rebuilding after Divorce, Empty Nest, and Loss of Spouse
Toni Thrash
115 episodes
1 week ago
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Holiday peace isn’t about getting every plan right. It’s about repairing well when plans break. We lean into a simple, steady framework—calm, clarity, and compassion—to guide tense moments, last‑minute schedule changes, and the emotional load kids carry moving between homes. You’ll hear scripts that lower the temperature fast, from “here’s what’s happening, here’s what we can do” to “I’m sorry—let’s reset,” so you can lead your home with confidence...
All content for Start Your Comeback: Rebuilding after Divorce, Empty Nest, and Loss of Spouse is the property of Toni Thrash and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Holiday peace isn’t about getting every plan right. It’s about repairing well when plans break. We lean into a simple, steady framework—calm, clarity, and compassion—to guide tense moments, last‑minute schedule changes, and the emotional load kids carry moving between homes. You’ll hear scripts that lower the temperature fast, from “here’s what’s happening, here’s what we can do” to “I’m sorry—let’s reset,” so you can lead your home with confidence...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Perfection is a myth, and chasing it steals the best parts of the holidays. We dive into the real work of building connection in a blended family season, offering practical strategies to calm the chaos, honor meaningful rituals, and create a tradition that’s truly yours. Instead of trying to recreate the past or outshine the other home, we focus on a simple, repeatable anchor that kids can count on—because consistency, not spectacle, is what turns ...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! The holidays aren’t broken; they’re just loud. Between loyalty binds, old traditions, and schedules that feel like a playbook, blended families can hit December at a sprint and wonder why small sparks turn into big fires. We open the door on that pressure and lay out a simple plan to lower the heat without losing the heart of the season. We start by naming what’s real: kids carry competing loyalties, parents bring history, stepparents want to belo...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! The holidays have a way of exposing what’s tender. We set the scene at a real Thanksgiving table—the one with burnt rolls, a too-long prayer, and a determined dog—and talk directly to anyone carrying a diagnosis, a breakup, a job loss, or grief that hasn’t moved on your timeline. If your voice shakes when someone asks how you’re doing, you’re among friends here. I share why transitions rattle identity, relationships, and routines, and why they sti...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! What if your comeback doesn’t start on a stage, but at the edge of your bed with a two-line journal entry and a quiet prayer? We take a reflective lap through the “Little Things Matter” series and map the practical steps that turn heavy seasons into steady momentum—no grand reinvention required. We dig into the small anchors that hold you when life feels loud: making your bed, taking short walks, a five-minute prayer, a single verse, a gratitude n...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Big life transitions can leave you staring into the mirror, wondering who’s looking back. We go straight to the heart of the comeback: rebuilding identity when the old labels don’t fit. From divorce to retirement to empty nesting and loss, we unpack a practical, faith-centered way to release what’s gone and build what’s next with clarity, courage, and small daily wins that actually stick. We start by naming the moment: titles are tools, not your w...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Change has a way of shaking the ground under our feet, and that’s exactly where this conversation begins: with the honest wobble of faith during big life transitions. We unpack a practical path toward steadiness, not through grand spiritual marathons, but through a handful of small, repeatable choices that anyone can sustain. If you’ve felt overwhelmed by the idea of “doing faith right,” you’ll find relief in a simple rhythm designed to fit busy li...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! When life flips the script—divorce, retirement, an empty nest, or a full-blown reset—the question isn’t “How do I leap?” It’s “How do I move at all?” I walk you through a practical, compassionate approach to rebuilding momentum using small wins that are easy to miss and powerful to stack. Instead of measuring today against your old life, we redefine what counts: getting out of bed, paying one bill, calling a friend, breathing through a trigger. The...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Big change can make even simple tasks feel impossible, but there’s a quieter path that actually holds: small, steady actions that bring your footing back. We kick off a four‑week series called The Little Things Matter by laying out six daily anchors that help you move through divorce, retirement, empty nest, loss, or a major identity shift without burning out or shutting down. First, we get practical about momentum: why a 20‑minute walk, a stretch...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Stop letting the clock boss your confidence around. We turn a birthday week into a working blueprint for a comeback—one grounded in gratitude, courage, and small, repeatable steps. The theme is simple and strong: aging isn’t decline; it’s refinement. Instead of measuring ourselves against old photos or past versions, we reframe age as a data point that offers insight into what matters, who we trust, and what we won’t settle for anymore. We start w...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! The question isn’t “what’s next?” so much as “where does safety live now?” That’s where our conversation with Karla begins—mid-shock, mid-limbo—after she leaves her marriage, her home, and the routines that once defined her. Karla is a violinist with The OK Factor and the founder of The Inspired Foundry, and she brings the kind of honesty that disarms you: panic attacks during a tour stop, court emails that feel like alarms, and the way sharing dog...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! We explore how structure and routine become anchors when transition blows up your playbook, from empty nest and retirement to divorce and the loss of a spouse. Small, intentional habits become scaffolding that restores safety, momentum, and meaning. • why a blank slate overwhelms after a change • routines as practice drills that build confidence • empty nest strategies for connection and mastery • retirement anchors that restore purpose and variet...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Have you ever felt trapped in an impossible situation with no way out? That's exactly where we find Benaiah in one of Scripture's most overlooked stories – facing a lion in a pit on a snowy day. The symbolism couldn't be clearer: a predator stronger than us, nowhere to run, and treacherous conditions making every move dangerous. This powerful biblical account perfectly mirrors those major life transitions many of us face: divorce, retirement, job ...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! What happens when our love of the familiar becomes the very thing that keeps us stuck? That's the question at the heart of this deeply reflective episode on breaking free from comfort ruts. As someone who thrives on routine and predictability—"If sameness has a fan club, I'd be president and treasurer"—I've come to recognize the subtle but significant difference between being predictable and being faithful. While predictability clings to what's wo...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Life transitions often force us into uninvited pauses that feel like being benched, but these pauses are actually opportunities for formation and growth. The stillness after major changes like divorce, empty nesting, or job loss isn't punishment but rather a necessary halftime that prepares us for our comeback. • Pauses feel terrible—lonely, confusing, and full of doubt—but they're where champions are made • Life's pauses trick us into thinking th...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! We've reached a milestone with our 100th episode, celebrating 100 weeks of showing up to share coaching, strategies, and stories about navigating life's transitions. This journey has been a joy, and I'm grateful for every listener who has allowed me to be part of their comeback story. • Understanding the three phases of transition: shock, limbo, and re-entry • Navigating the disorientation of shock—the first step in your comeback • Dealing with li...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! The classroom door closes behind you. It's just you and thirty expectant faces. Your teaching degree prepared you for lesson plans and pedagogy—but did it ready you for the real-world challenges of your first year? Whether you're a brand-new educator or a seasoned veteran, this episode delivers candid insights about navigating the often overwhelming transition into the teaching profession. Toni Thrash unpacks the common hurdles first-year teachers...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Brittany Tinsley, author of "Stories Our Scars Tell," shares her 20-year journey through self-injury, healing, and finding purpose in her pain. This raw conversation explores how scars—both literal and metaphorical—can become powerful storytellers of hope and redemption. • Brittany explains how her struggle with self-injury began at age 15 and continued into adulthood • The crucial role of hope in sustaining her through dark periods: "Eventually t...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! That gentle whisper of "it's time"—have you felt it lately? That nudge toward something new, even when everything familiar feels comfortable enough? In this deeply moving conversation with Andrea Ward Fernandez, we explore the complex emotions and practical realities of knowing when it's time to move. Andrea shares her remarkable journey from living her entire life in Spain to suddenly relocating to America to pursue teaching at a Christian school...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Ready to retire but feeling uncertain about what comes next? You're not alone. That identity crisis of "Who am I now?" hits harder than most expect when contemplating retirement. This episode dives deep into the emotional side of ending your career—something rarely discussed in traditional retirement planning. Drawing from my own experience leaving tennis coaching after 20+ years, I share the unexpected identity shift that comes when your career h...
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Have you ever found yourself questioning whether your workplace loyalty has crossed the line into simply being stuck? That gnawing feeling on Sunday nights, the constant daydreaming about being somewhere—anywhere—else, or the realization that your physical and mental health are suffering at the hands of your job? This deeply resonant episode tackles the complex relationship between workplace loyalty and personal growth. We explore the fine line be...
Start Your Comeback: Rebuilding after Divorce, Empty Nest, and Loss of Spouse
I would love to hear from you! Send a text! Holiday peace isn’t about getting every plan right. It’s about repairing well when plans break. We lean into a simple, steady framework—calm, clarity, and compassion—to guide tense moments, last‑minute schedule changes, and the emotional load kids carry moving between homes. You’ll hear scripts that lower the temperature fast, from “here’s what’s happening, here’s what we can do” to “I’m sorry—let’s reset,” so you can lead your home with confidence...
