Joy: Getting Out of a Negative Ditch

My newest coaching client is so negative and pessimistic about the world that it makes it difficult to get started on coaching her. Yet, she reached out to me after leaving a very lucrative position at a very successful company. People in the industry call it burn out.

Some are saying that the more AI is infiltrating our companies, the more unhappy workers (including the executives) are. A recent Gallup survey shows that where AI is integrated, 25%t say the workplace culture is getting worse. And workplace engagement in the US has been flat for years (at 31%. So when 25% say it is getting worse, that is really not good news! And what is the issue? Is in lack of emotional intelligence skills? Is it lack of communication? Or is it that this world is so distracting it is difficult to set your mind on things like work, relationships, family, etc. It seems to me that more and more people struggle to find any joy in their life. That is certainly where my coaching client is at the moment. I know because I asked her where she finds joy in her life. And her answer was “nowhere.”

The Pope said this in 2025; "We all need hope to live a joy-filled life, placing our hope in God and not letting the pessimism of this world bring us down. Hope is essential."

I had a conversation with my grandson last weekend. He said, "Grampa, do you know what I hope to become?" I asked him that same question when he was 4 years old, and he told me a professional baseball player or a dinosaur (and I laughed). This time I said, "Go ahead, tell. I promise I won’t laugh..." AND HE SAID A COMEDIAN! He set me up again. But he gives me joy with his sense of humor and he knows it!

I would have to say that over the last 15 years, God has helped me understand that joy is a choice. I have learned that I don’t have much control over my circumstances, but I can still choose to be joyful.

I have discovered that He gave us amazing minds with the ability to think things through and make decisions. I have learned that my thoughts are extremely important because they strongly influence my emotions and behavior. So, endeavoring to make good thought choices is well worth my efforts.

Here is what I have learned: Whenever I am feeling joyless, I need to pause and remember that He is with me. watching over me continuously. He is in our heartaches AND our hallelujahs. The Holy Spirit within me helps me line up my thinking with Scripture. His continual presence is a biblical promise, BUT I have to continue to find him in the midst of my circumstances.

As I seek him, at first I can only see my problems. In the past 15 years, I have had surgery for cancer on my carotid artery, another surgery for cancer in my lymph nodes, a year of chemo and immunotherapy, sciatic pain lasting 18 months ending with surgery, almost complete blockage of four arteries, a faulty left atrial valve and a bad car accident, etc. But as I kept looking, I saw the light of His presence shining on my difficulties reflecting sparkles of joy back to me.

Last weekend we were heading home from a baseball game, and we saw a huge house being built. My 4 year old granddaughter said, "Those people must be rich!" My grandson responded, “We are all rich in God’s love.”

We built a house a few years ago and while it was being built, we wrote scripture under the sub-flooring, on the ceiling, behind the walls, etc. One of the verses was the following: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing through the experience of your faith that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in HOPE and overflow with confidence in His promise."

As you set out in the world in the next few days, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace so that you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence.

My next steps are to get my client to abound in hope and overflow with confidence. I need to help her find the joy in her life. We are working on it!