Three Steps to Greater Joy and Less Burnout
The words “How Joyful People Think” caught my eye as I scrolled through the YouVersion Bible App. I clicked and read the article, a devotion that broke down portions of one of my favorite passages, (Philippians 4).
The insightful article triggered some thoughts of my own on the topic of emotionally intelligent leadership.
I believe that leading with emotional intelligence includes cultivating positive emotions.
Three Reasons to Cultivate Positive Emotions
The Bible has a lot to say about cultivating positive emotions and I will come to that in a moment. First, let’s look at the psychological reasons to cultivate positive emotions.
Psychology tends to focus on the debilitating role of negative emotions. Increasingly, though, psychologists have come to understand the importance of positive emotions and those findings illustrate just why God insists we actively cultivate positive emotions.
Here are three examples. Researcher Barbara Fredrickson, in an article entitled The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology,[1] gave (among other findings) three facts about cultivating positive emotions.
First, You Can Drive Negative Emotions Out of Your Life
She discovered that “a positive emotion may loosen the hold that a negative emotion has gained on that person's mind and body by dismantling or undoing preparation for specific action.”
In other words, as you refocus on positive emotion, your stomach will stop churning, your muscles will relax, and your mind will clear! Sounds beneficial, right?
Second, You Can Bounce Back Quicker
Fredrickson describes psychologically resilient individuals as those who bounce back from stressful experiences quickly and efficiently, just as resilient metals bend but do not break. She says her research shows that, “In effect, then, resilient individuals may be—wittingly or unwittingly—expert users of the undoing effect of positive emotions.”
People who learn to cultivate positive emotions bounce back more quickly. They are psychologically stronger. Once again, science confirms what the Bible already tells us:
The joy of the Lord is my strength!
(Nehemiah 8:10)
Third, You Can Change the Downward Emotional Spiral into an Upward One
Frederickson reports, “Our data revealed clear evidence for an upward spiral. Individuals who experienced more positive emotions than others became more resilient to adversity over time... In turn, these enhanced coping skills predicted increased positive emotions over time.”
Who doesn’t want to feel better more often?
I do!
Positive psychology and the Bible both tell us how: cultivate positive emotions.
How Christian Leaders Can Cultivate Positive Emotions
Let’s take one example of a positive emotion that can and should be cultivated in a leader’s life: joy! There can be no question that joy characterizes the Christian life. Beyond that, leaders need joy to maintain their passion and thrive in ministry.
How did Jesus endure the hardships of His ministry?
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)
The fruit of the Spirit is joy. There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, said Jesus. Watching lives transformed by God’s grace provides the greatest joy and reward! It keeps us passionate and enthused about ministry.
Cultivating joy will maintain your passion and inoculate you against burnout. Your “joy level” is at least partly related to your energy level.
So how do you cultivate the garden of good emotions in your life?
Above all, take care what you think about! Thoughts of beauty, positive events, and rewarding moments increase peace and joy (as Philippians 4 asserts). Focusing too much on problems and negatives zaps our enthusiasm and our strength.
Here are three specific things we should all think about to cultivate joy.
Think about Jesus. Remember that verse describing how Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before him? Earlier, the same passage reminds us to think about Jesus in that context.
Think about your calling. Contemplate your calling, the high moments of reward and satisfaction. God encouraged the Israelites to remember the miracles and His works as an inoculation against discouragement in the face of obstacles.
Think about the small blessings. We can be prone to watch for threats and problems that require solutions. We can all relate to the tendency to focus on those things rather than on what is good, lovely and of good report. But what about the 100 small blessings of each and every day? (I don’t know what small things bless you but for me, an hour with my grandkids does my heart good.)
Here’s my challenge to you for the week ahead. Take some time daily to actively cultivate joy in your life. Let go of the negativity. Focus on the beauty of Jesus, the honor of your calling, and the small blessings that cross your path daily.
You will find yourself more resilient and energetic!
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[1] Retrieved on 2/19/20 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3122271/
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