The Joy of Movement Audiobook By Kelly McGonigal cover art

The Joy of Movement

How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage

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The Joy of Movement

By: Kelly McGonigal
Narrated by: Kelly McGonigal
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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 Audio
Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Physical Exercise Inspiring Suspenseful
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Critic reviews

"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)

Inspiring Stories • Scientific Insights • Soothing Voice • Motivational Content • Personal Reflections • Smooth Delivery
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Kelly McGonigal does a great job explaining how movement decreases anxiety and brings people together. She also explains how movement under certain conditions (outdoors or with music) get people to not only move better but feel better.

If I am ever set to a desk again, I will always keep finding a way to move. I remember how constantly sitting at desks made me depressed and feel like I was throwing my life away. Any form of movement will feel as if I am not.

Boy, Human Beings are Meant to Move

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Loved it. Very interesting and inspiring. Bonus points for mentioning Peloton and Tough Mudder. I wanted to join the groups mentioned.

interesting and inspiring

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If you want a reason to feel hopeful and inspired about humans, as well as reinvigorated in exploring your personal joyful movement practice, look no further than this book.

Cried multiple times

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I love movement and love to inquire it from all angles.
I love the simple way used to give the reader science’s based information along true stories. I recommend this book to those who still struggle with movement or exercise.
Anyone can find their own joy of movement

Joyful listening

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One of the most inspiring books I have read in a long time. It touches all the beautiful things about being human! It was like a remembering of a story that might have been read to us before we took on our human form…..it was a story of who we could become…a story of our possibilities!

Excellent!

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Admittedly, this book was really a case of preaching to the choir. Exercise is a vital part of my life; I've been a fitness instructor for 30+ years, so I certainly didn't need to be convinced that exercise is essential to a happy, healthy life. It was interesting, though, to read the summarization of multiple studies that support this, and I related to the author and the passion we share for group exercise. Very informative.

The joy of exercise

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Life is about movement and this books, tells you how you can find the Joy of moving

Must read

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I can’t say enough good things about this book!!!

I have never been a runner, aside from a short time on the track team in middle school. But as one of the many things McGonigal discusses, I now understand the runner’s high I hear so much about. I also understand precisely how exercise helps mood, and why sharing an activity with someone enhances bonding. It has helped me in so many ways and came at just the right time in my life!

Inspiring!

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Excellent, inspirational book. Kudos to the author, also for her reading performance. Read it!

A must-read for everyone on planet earth

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Thank you for covering movement of all sorts. Ableism is alive and well and we need to be sure folks in the disabled community get much worth from their movement experiences, too! My hope is for continued expansion of adapted physical activities to help all people benefit from the wonders of exercise.

Exercise for all

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