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Back to Kelly McGonigal (on joy), with Kelly McGonigal.

Why Doesn't Joy Require a Happy Life?

Kelly McGonigal says joy does not require a happy life. Joy is the ability to find moments that make life worth living, independent of the wider context of your life. You can still laugh or smile, do things that matter, admire beauty, and feel close to someone.

She cannot imagine a life of being happy all the time, or a future where everything works out for herself and everyone she cares about. A lot of people aspire to get everything they want and to have everything turn out okay. She does not share that aspiration. It does not seem like a reasonable prediction or a reasonable goal.

The moments she cares about carry a feeling that one thing is good, or that you are okay, or that there is a fit between who you are and what is happening or what you are able to do.

Grokipedia·Kelly McGonigal

Transcript

Kelly McGonigal (on joy) ·

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

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