August 21, 2025

172. Daring Joy: Breaking Free from Fear, Cynicism, and Toxic Positivity with Therapist Nicole Zasowski

52 minutes

Have you ever found yourself afraid to feel joy - worried that if you celebrate, the other shoe will inevitably drop?

So many of us quietly hold joy at arm’s length. We tell ourselves it’s safer not to get our hopes up than to risk being let down again. What if joy isn’t a fleeting feeling for the lucky few, but a courageous practice we can all learn?

Dr Alison sits down with therapist and author Nicole Zasowski to talk about her journey of choosing joy in the face of loss. Nicole shares how she discovered that joy can be the most vulnerable emotion of all - and why learning to celebrate is one of the most important practices we can cultivate in our lives.

Together, you’ll learn:

The surprising reason joy can feel harder than grief or disappointment

The difference between toxic positivity and true, grounded joy

Why pessimism and cynicism are really forms of control

Practical ways to retrain your mind to savor what’s good—even in difficult seasons

What Scripture and neuroscience teach us about joy

📕 Learn more from Nicole: Check out her book What If It’s Wonderful? And her Daring Joy Bible study workbook for practical steps to cultivate joy.

📥 Download Alison’s free printable with the five boundary tools when you sign up for her weekly email.

Looking for more? Here are a few favorites:

Episode 168: How do I trust God after loss?

Episode 74: How to Find Hope in Hard Times

📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here

💬 Got a question? Call 307-429-2525 and leave a message for a future episode.

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Editing by Giulia Hjort

Sound engineering by Kelly Kramarik

Music by Andy Luiten

While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍

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By Dr. Alison Cook

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