Can Coaching Awaken Joy?
Posted on May 21, 2018 by Martha Pasternack, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
In a coaching conversation, you may have an insight into a perceived dilemma. That doesn’t always mean you will experience happiness or giddiness.
Can Coaching Awaken Joy?
That depends on your definition of joy. Does it mean pleasure? Being carefree? Happy? Giddy? Blissful? When you feel joy, do you rejoice? Laugh out loud? Cry?
Merriam Webster defines joy as “The emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” I define joy as a delightful feeling and being joyful as being delighted with the present moment. Because life is mysterious, joy can be part of any experience.
I once worked with a client who, after years of traumatic self-doubt, had the profound insight that she was still in control of decisions and opportunities. Yes, she cried when she realized this. Subsequently, this client went on to risk stepping into her goal and desire to become a professional nurse, which meant befriending her self-doubt. This is a practice, not an event.
My own experience of the sorrow of unexplained infertility opened me up to the profound joy of self-acceptance. That ultimately led me to adopt my two children as infants. When I opened to the potential of becoming a mother, I cried.
Neurochemically speaking, tears of sorrow and tears of joy serve the same purpose, and that is to bring us from an extreme emotion to a centered place, emotionally neutral if you will, so we can think clearly about next steps. Don’t be afraid of the tears.
In a coaching conversation, you may have an insight into a perceived dilemma. That doesn’t always mean you will experience happiness or giddiness. It may even bring on tears. You may still feel joyful because of your success. Well-being is emerging from your insight. This has the potential to unlock a delightful experience of forward motion on the pathway of empowerment. This may not feel “good” yet it may feel joyful.
Now you know that coaching can, indeed, awaken joy for you.
What could be more delightful than that?
