This episode explains why holiday stress does more than tire you out. It actually disrupts the physiology that makes connection possible. Dr. Dael Waxman shows how small, intentional shifts can recalibrate your energy, reduce reactivity, and bring you back to what you wanted from this season in the first place. If you want to feel less drained and more genuinely connected during the holidays, these insights give you a practical way to get there.

In this episode, you will hear about:

• How chronic holiday stress affects your physiology, mood, and ability to connect, and why that is not a personal failure

• A simple practice of naming what gives you energy and what drains it, then reshaping your season around what truly matters

• Practical ways to reset your nervous system and your social life, from one minute mindfulness to tiny acts of kindness and connection at home, at work, and in your community

In this episode of Friendship Matters, we unpack what all the "overs" of the holidays do to our bodies and brains, why stress makes it harder to feel close to others, and how small, intentional choices can restore energy, connection, and joy. If the holidays tend to take more out of you than they give, this conversation offers realistic ways to reset without pretending the season is calm or simple.

Dael Waxman, MD, PCC is a professionally certified coach who works with individuals, groups, and teams to support leadership, life, and professional well-being. He is also a faculty member at the Healthcare Coaching Institute.

Previously, he served as Professor and Vice Chair of Family Medicine at Atrium Health – Wake Forest School of Medicine, where he also created the role of Medical Director of Physician Well-being for Medical Education.

Drawing on decades of experience in medicine and coaching, Dael helps people strengthen relationships, foster resilience, and build more supportive workplace cultures.

Outside of work, he enjoys travel, kayaking, hiking, cooking, and—most recently—learning barista skills.

You can connect with Dael at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dael-waxman-md-pcc-18917322/

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Friendship Matters™ is intended to help improve our Friendship IQ. While this generally signals an improvement in our overall wellbeing, this podcast is not intended in any way to offer specific counseling or medical advice. Please seek help from a trained professional.