The Joy of Movement
How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage
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Narrated by:
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Kelly McGonigal
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Written by:
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Kelly McGonigal
About this listen
The best-selling author of The Willpower Instinct introduces a surprising science-based audiobook that doesn't tell us why we should exercise but instead shows us how to fall in love with movement.
Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us feel it's a chore. But as Kelly McGonigal reveals, it doesn't have to be. Movement can and should be a source of joy.
Through her trademark blend of science and storytelling, McGonigal draws on insights from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and evolutionary biology, as well as memoirs, ethnographies, and philosophers. She shows how movement is intertwined with some of the most basic human joys, including self-expression, social connection, and mastery - and why it is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
McGonigal tells the stories of people who have found fulfillment and belonging through running, walking, dancing, swimming, weightlifting, and more, with examples that span the globe, from Tanzania, where one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes on the planet live, to a dance class at Juilliard for people with Parkinson's disease, to the streets of London, where volunteers combine fitness and community service, to races in the remote wilderness, where athletes push the limits of what a human can endure. Along the way, McGonigal paints a portrait of human nature that highlights our capacity for hope, cooperation, and self-transcendence.
The result is a revolutionary narrative that goes beyond familiar arguments in favor of exercise, to illustrate why movement is integral to both our happiness and our humanity. Listeners will learn what they can do in their own lives and communities to harness the power of movement to create happiness, meaning, and connection.
©2019 Kelly McGonigal (P)2019 Penguin AudioYou may also enjoy...
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What the critics say
"Part scientific exploration, part inspirational story, part intimate love letter to physical activity, The Joy of Movement reveals how what many consider as just 'exercise' is actually so much more - a pathway to not only physical and mental health, but also love, connection, and community. Kelly has written a fascinating book that is a must-read for everyone, really." (Brad Stulberg, best-selling author of Peak Performance and The Passion Paradox; columnist at Outside magazine)
What listeners say about The Joy of Movement
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- Amber
- 2020-01-25
I learned so much about my brain!!
This book was so captivating!
It’s not another preachy self-help guide to “just get movin’”, it’s a collection of scientific data that prove why you will benefit from movement - any movement!
I will never look at exercise the same again, thank you for this book.
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