If you want to build sustainable exercise habits, you’ll want to think beyond self-discipline or simply sticking to a routine for a set period. Instead, envision integrating physical activity into your lifestyle in a way that feels natural, enjoyable, and maintainable over time. Rather than positioning exercise as a disruptive chore or burdensome obligation, sustainable habits make movement a seamless part of your daily life.

Intrinsic motivation, or the desire to engage in an activity for its own sake, is a critical driver for sustaining exercise habits. Studies have shown that when you find genuine enjoyment, you’re more likely to continue an activity long-term.

Joyful movement is any movement that encourages positive emotions. The definition isn’t attached to any specific type, intensity, or duration. It’s truly only about you and your experience, which is what makes it so special and potent.

When you anticipate that movement will bring you joy or positive feelings, you’re more likely to keep doing it. Joy fosters a positive relationship with exercise, leading to long-term adherence, and it enhances creativity and self-expression, allowing us to explore new ways of moving our bodies and discovering activities that truly resonate with us. Ultimately, joy infuses movement with meaning, making it a sustainable and enriching part of life.

Finding joy in movement isn’t just a process of discovery, it’s also one of cultivation. Here are some strategies for injecting some more joy into your activities.

• Put on Music: Create a fun playlist for your movement practice. Music helps people have fun and stay consistent.
• Experiment with Different Activities: Try a variety of movement until you find one (or several) that resonate with you. Whether it's dancing, hiking, swimming, or practicing martial arts, there's something out there for everyone.
• Focus on Enjoyment, Not Performance: Shift your focus away from metrics like calories burned or miles ran, and instead concentrate on how the activity makes you feel. More intensity does not equal higher happiness.
• Take it Outside: Exercising outside can be an instant mood booster. Even short walks outdoors can make a big difference on your mental health.
• Be Playful: Approach movement with a sense of playfulness and curiosity. Try incorporating games, interactive video games, challenges, or playful movements into your workouts to make them more enjoyable.
• Find a Partner: Having a movement partner that is supportive and encouraging can make an activity more fun and also motivate you to move when you might lack motivation.
• Find What Brings You Joy: Because joy is so personal, the best person to figure out what might bring you joy is you. To help you get your wheels turning, here’s what joy might look like to some people:
  • A feeling of accomplishment from reaching a milestone (eg. climbing a mountain)
  • A rush from an intense workout
  • A feeling of connection to your body (eg. a dance class)
  • A spark of connection from being in a group or with friends
  • The solitude and peace of going solo (eg. a 10-mile bike ride by yourself)

Whatever your flavor, tapping into and taking advantage of joy is a great way to juice up your intrinsic motivation and make movement not only a more organic part of your day but also a part of who you are.