Time to Move
Next week, I plan (okay—hope) to move this newsletter blog to Substack. It should be simple… but let’s be honest. We’re talking about technology here, which means one tiny, undocumented detail could launch me into a spiral of YouTube tutorials, fruitless customer service chats (hello, bot negotiations), and some classic hair-pulling frustration.
I already know what I’m going to need to survive it: movement.
I’m so happy to be dancing again after my hip surgery last August. Dancing—or really, any regular movement—is not just fun; it’s a non-negotiable part of my brain-and-soul maintenance kit. With the tragedies rolling in daily, movement is what keeps me going.
And science agrees.
Dr. Kelly McGonigal, psychologist, author, and Stanford lecturer, explores this beautifully in her 2019 book The Joy of Movement. She illustrates how physical activity helps us access courage, joy, and resilience. One of my favorite quotes from her:
“Joy is not a luxury, it is an instinct: it is about recognizing meaning, community, and connection, and hope. So when we do things that bring us joy and acknowledge moments of joy, we are choosing a kind of courage, optimism, and trust to pursue what matters most in life, and our willingness to see the good in the world and one another. And that is part of what movement can do for us, too.”
To make movement even more accessible, she identifies six simple actions that can boost your mood in just a few minutes—perfect for those moments when joy feels far away (or when you’ve been stuck too long with a chatbot).
Here they are:
Reaching
Swaying
Bouncing
Shaking
Jumping
Celebrating
Here’s the article in the NYTimes that accompanied the video.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/24/well/move/joy-workout-exercises-happiness.html
You probably already know these moves—and they’re the essence of every Zumba class I take! But you don’t need a class. Do them in your living room, your backyard, your kitchen—wherever you are. When you need a fix of joy, just move.
And if swaying and shaking aren’t your thing? No worries. Take a walk. Ride a bike. Shoot some hoops. Play with the grandkids. Mow the lawn. Whatever works for you—just move.
These times aren’t easy, and the road ahead looks bumpy for a while. But moving—literally—can help us keep going, stay grounded, and reconnect with what matters.
So yes, as I wrestle with the details of moving this blog to Substack, you can bet my dance card will be full. Movement is part of how I’ll stay sane. And not just sane, but wiggling, squiggling, swaying and sashaying my way to joy.
