Upcoming Webinar Feb 15th- Kelly McGonigal Q&A: The Joy of Movement and Heart-Mind Well-Being

We caught up with psychologist, bestselling author and Oprah’s first ever O! Visionary, Kelly McGonigal (and her two cats!) to find out what you can expect from our upcoming Heart-Mind webinar on February 15, from 9:30-11am PST.

Let’s take a closer look at who this webinar is for and how Kelly will guide us through the links between movement and happiness through psychology, neuroscience and social interaction .

Q.
Sometimes we’re hesitant to sign up to a webinar when we don’t know what to expect - will I be participating? Will it be more lecture style? Could you give people a quick intro about what to expect from your session with us on February 15?

A.
Well this is a pretty long event - 90 minutes! So for those who want to just view it, it will be possible just to listen and learn. But I will be introducing ideas about how to experience the mental and social emotional benefits of movement, and interspersed throughout there’s going to be some opportunity for some simple movement and breathing. Near the end we will have a Joy Moves experience which will be a few minutes of accessible, joyful movement. But the focus is on giving people some ideas that will really excite them and inspire them - cool science, things they maybe haven’t heard before that are motivating, and also really practical advice. So you will have things that you can do, today or tomorrow, to start to harness the benefits of movement, and you will have a direct experience of it, because I’m not going to make you sit for 90 minutes just thinking about it.

Q.
Ah so it’s a kind of ‘choose your own adventure’ experience. That sounds fun! Okay, so who is the audience for this session?

A.
Anybody who wants to have a relationship with movement and who’s looking to find an activity that gives them enjoyment and meaning, that works for the body they have, and that really adds to their quality of life. It’s also for those who want to be able to help others in their lives find that for themselves. Prioritizing physical activity is a legitimate act of self and collective care; it contributes to your ability to serve in every other role and relationship in your life. So this is also for people who think they hate exercise! It will hopefully inspire you to find a form of movement that is appealing and workable for you.

Q.
How will you make sure that the movement and physical activity aspects of your webinar are accessible to everyone?

A.
I’m always thinking about accessibility in my work - movement should always be about moving whatever parts of your body can move, and that you want to move. For example the Joy Moves experience, which is a little bit like dancing and a little bit like playing, is 100% doable with hands, face, or whatever moves. So nobody has to show up to this webinar in workout gear, or with a body that has no limitations. It’s also about having fun and ‘trying on’ different forms of movement - so if your kids are hanging around there will be opportunities for them to join in too!

Q.
How does your work intersect with the work of the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education?

A.
I helped create the Stanford Compassion Cultivation Training Program, in collaboration with the Dalai Lama and his senior translator Thupten Jinpa, which is a program that’s now offered worldwide to teach people how to cultivate their empathy, self compassion and compassion for others. But when I think about the broader mission, what really resonates for me is how adult well-being and emotional and mental health skill set is a huge determinant of the well-being of children in a community. I believe that there is a movement for just about everybody - across the lifespan, and at every level of physical ability - there is some way of engaging with life through your body that can bring you joy, meaning or community. 

Q.
Your webinar is all about the links between movement and happiness, through the lenses of neuroscience and psychology - could you give us a little taster of this research or discuss some of the content you will cover in the session?

A.
Movement has both a long term and a short term impact on your brain chemistry - everything from immediate mood improvements (in as little as 3 minutes!), to changing the physical structure of your brain in a way that makes you both more resilient to stress and more responsive to joy and social connection. 

We’ll be taking a look at the types of movement that have the biggest mental health benefits, such as moving in nature, moving with other people and taking on challenges that feel personally meaningful. Movement is a powerful community builder - when we move with other people it creates bonds, trust and belonging.

We’ll have some self-reflection exercises around the role of mindset and how important it is to include motivations such as enjoyment, self-care and social connections.

And of course, we’re going to have fun with it! We’ll be exploring how music enhances all of these benefits and we’ll move together to a catchy tune to demonstrate it in action.

We can’t wait to move and be inspired with you on February 15! Get your tickets by donation (from just $10) at https://thejoyofmovementandHMWB.eventbrite.ca