What if joy isn't something you wait for until life gets easier, but the very thing that helps you get through it? Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal joins me to talk about her new book, Joy Is a Risk Worth Taking, and how small moments of joy remind us that life is worth living, that we belong, and that good things are still possible. We talk about how joy and grief live side by side, why joy is contagious (you can actually smell it), and simple experiments you can try today, even when you're not feeling it.
Listen and Learn:
How joy shifts your brain and body, and why it can be an antidote to stress, hopelessness and loneliness
The meaning-centered coping strategies that helped people most during COVID, and how to borrow from your own past when times are hard
Why joy is contagious, from smiles and laughter to the chemical signals in your sweat
Joy experiments to try: asking “What brought you joy in the last 24 hours?”, trusting what you love, and finding your frequency
If you're not feeling much joy right now, don't count this one out. Joy may be just the thing that helps you through.
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About Kelly McGonigal:
Kelly McGonigal is a psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and the best-selling author of The Upside of Stress, The Willpower Instinct, and The Joy of Movement. She is best known for translating insights from psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies for increased well-being, strengthening community, and getting through difficult times without losing hope.
You might also know her from her TED talk “How to Make Stress Your Friend,” which is one of the most viewed TED talks of all time.
Her latest book, Joy Is A Risk Worth Taking, explores why finding joy in everyday life and sharing joy with others is an act of courage and compassion—one that is not only possible, but is especially important when life is difficult.
Three things that bring Kelly joy are her rescue cats, teaching dance at her local community center, and seeing someone help a stranger.
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