Episode #70. The Well-Lived Life with Dr Gladys McGarey - re-release from July 2024
A very special re-release as we near the end of 2025.
This conversation with Dr Gladys McGarey was one of the greatest privileges of my podcasting life. We recorded it in July 2024, just a couple of months before she passed away, and I had no idea at the time that it would be one of her final interviews.
Listening back now, her wisdom lands even more deeply.
We talked about what it really means to feel “stuck” in life and how to find the true source of that stuckness. We explored her beautiful Five L’s; life, love, laughter, labour and listening, and the way she saw movement not just as a physical act, but as a way of staying connected to purpose.
She spoke about choosing to move toward light rather than fear, about ageing into health, about the joy that comes from simply being alive… and the gentle power of listening and caring for one another as humans.
As we head into 2026, it felt like the perfect moment to bring this episode back. It’s grounding, perspective-shifting, and it’s a reminder that we always have a choice in how we move through the world, both literally and emotionally.
I hope her words encourage you to take stock of where you are, reconnect with what matters, and step into the new year with a little more hope, joy, and curiosity.
This one is truly special. 💜
Chapters
Understanding Movement Blockages: The Power of Listening
Rediscovering Joy in Movement
The Harmful Effects of Comparison
Choosing Love over Fear
Moving Towards Acceptance
Choosing to Be Glad: Spreading Joy
Aging into Health: Living with Purpose
Setting Goals and Looking Forward
Trusting Your Own Voice
About this week’s guest:
Dr Gladys McGarey
Dr Gladys McGarey, who passed away in September 2024 at the age of 103, was often described as the Mother of Holistic Medicine — a woman decades ahead of her time in how she understood healing, purpose and the role of movement in a well-lived life.
Across nearly eighty years in family practice, she helped reshape modern medicine by bringing together allopathic and holistic approaches, co-founding the American Holistic Medical Association and becoming the first medical doctor in the US to use acupuncture. Her work, her curiosity and her deep compassion influenced countless clinicians and ordinary humans alike.
Well into her 100s she continued writing, teaching and sharing her Six Secrets for a life lived with intention, joy and meaning. Her bestselling book The Well-Lived Life captured that spirit — playful, wise and utterly rooted in hope.
Although she is no longer with us, the impact of her work continues to ripple outward. It’s a privilege to share this conversation again and keep her light moving forward.
Connect Here:
Instagram: @begladmd
(Dr Gladys’ account, where her son Bob McGarey and co-host Kathy Hauser continue sharing her teachings and hosting live conversations.)
Love the show? Here’s how to show your support
If you enjoy this podcast, please support the show and help me to keep making the podcast, please contribute by Buying Me a Coffee...or Tea! Thank you
More about your host, Wendy
Wendy (51) founded Reclaim Movement after a running injury at 40 turned into 4 years of chronic pain. In her search for answers and to reclaim her own movement again she discovered natural movement. The philosophy of training real life practical movements to be able to keep using them as we age, coupled with the benefit of using strengthening and mobilising whole-body movement patterns that are underused in today’s modern world made her realise she had found a way to move for life.
Wendy’s aim is to help people embrace a movement-rich life, at any age, to improve mobility, strength and confidence to keep moving well and doing the things they love for as long as they want.
MovNat Level 1 certified & Functional Range Conditioning certified, she coaches online group classes live & by replay in the Reclaim Movement membership as well as online and in-person private coaching in Oxford.
Find out more about Reclaim Movement:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/reclaim.movement
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@reclaim.movement
Facebook: https://facebook.com/reclaim.movement
FREE E-BOOK - 'Making the Ground your Friend for Life!'
NEWSLETTER: Sign up for the monthly(ish) newsletter, 'Just.Move'
RECLAIM MOVEMENT MEMBERSHIP - FREE 7-DAY TRIAL or £9.99 for 3-DAY Full Access: includes LIVE (& by replay) natural movement classes, all replays, mini movement videos, tutorials, community support, movement prompts, and regular motivation. Take a sneak peek at what's inside.
