We are excited to share with you the next interview in our “Beyond the Page” series featuring Darlene Berry.
What if joy isn’t the finish line but the fuel? We sit down with life coach and former crisis therapist Darlene Berry to reframe joy as a daily, practical practice that can live alongside pain without pretending everything is fine. Drawing from frontline experience, Darlene explains why suffering looks different for everyone and how gratitude becomes the bridge from “I’m hurting” to “I’m healing.” The heart of our conversation is simple and doable: slow breathwork to regulate the nervous system, short affirmations to anchor the day, and a three-line journal that captures one personal gratitude, one future-facing intention, and one small present joy.
We dig into how choosing joy reshapes relationships and work. If you’ve learned to overgive to feel worthy, this is your permission slip to set kinder boundaries and say no with clarity. Darlene connects the dots between positive emotion and measurable outcomes—better focus, higher engagement, and fewer sick days—without slipping into toxic positivity. Instead, we talk about grounded, felt joy that helps you navigate tough seasons with steadier hands and clearer choices. You’ll hear real language you can borrow, small rituals you can start today, and a mindset shift that makes room for both grief and gratitude.
In this episode, I talk with Darlene about her article published in our December 2025 issue.
Know of an author we should interview? Send me an email to podcast@choice-online.com
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