Tag: new year’s resolution

5 Audiobooks to Help You Level Up in 2026

January 15, 2026

The start of a new year brings fresh possibilities. Whether you’re diving in with big goals or simply setting new intentions, audiobooks can bring inspiration and practical advice to every aspect of your life.

To help you stay focused and energized, Spotify’s audiobook editors have curated a selection of self-help and motivational titles. From optimizing your health to embracing your authentic self, here are five picks to help turn your New Year’s resolutions into lasting habits.

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

By Adam Grant
Narrated by Adam Grant and others

Bestselling author Adam Grant offers a new framework for raising aspirations and exceeding expectations. Through research and real-world examples, Grant sets out to prove that progress depends less on how hard we work and more on how well we learn. 

Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health

By Casey Means, MD with Calley Means
Narrated by Casey Means, MD

Dr. Casey Means explores the idea that many modern health conditions share a common root: our metabolic function. She explains how the body’s ability to create and use energy affects long-term wellbeing, offering a look at how everyday choices can support healthier cells at any age. 

Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time

Written and narrated by Rob Volpe

Empathy can feel scarce, but it’s a skill that can be cultivated. Brand strategist and thought leader Rob Volpe draws on thousands of interviews to illustrate his “five steps to empathy,” offering actions we can take to build a strong and reflexive empathy muscle.

Affirmations for Self-Love: 100 Lessons for Learning to Love Yourself Through the Beautiful Days, the Hard Days, and Everything In Between

By Zanna Keithley
Narrated by Amanda Stribling

Author and poet Zanna Keithley guides us on a path of self-improvement, mindfulness, and personal development. Chapter by chapter, Keithley’s affirmations and reflections encourage us to trust our inner voices and embrace our authentic selves.

Wisdom Takes Work: Learn. Apply. Repeat.

Written and narrated by Ryan Holiday

In the final installment of his Stoic Virtues series, philosopher Ryan Holiday focuses on wisdom: the foundation of all other virtues. Drawing on stories of ancient and modern figures, he explores how to listen more than we talk, think with nuance, question assumptions, and learn continuously. 

Discover more motivational titles on Spotify.

Keep Your Fitness Resolution with the World’s Top Workout Music

December 31, 2018

Admit it: Music plays a vital role in making your workout bearable. And as you bid farewell to 2018 and usher in a brand new year, resetting your fitness regime might be on your mind more than ever. So, whether you play hardcore dance beats or punk rock while lifting weights, running on the treadmill, or exhaling in child’s pose, be sure that good music goes hand in hand with your new year’s resolution.

With 43.5 million workout-themed playlists on Spotify, we get a kick out of checking in annually to see which songs are surfacing as the top motivators for our listeners, as well as where in the globe people are most physically active.

Perhaps due to the intensely motivational lyrics of Eminem’s “’Till I Collapse,” that track is, for the third year in a row, the top global song of all time for getting through that run or spin cycling class. And while Finland is the most active country in terms of the amount of workout music it streams, Sweden is the most zen, based on the Swedes’ enthusiasm for yoga-themed playlists.

Curiously, an area where we saw growth in 2018 was in the number of cryotherapy/ice-bath-themed playlists. It seems people are getting into the chill of this practice, which involves exposure to very cold temperatures in an effort to heal tissue. And the top songs in these playlists are—surprise!—Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” and Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice.”

Let’s step away from the cold for now, though, and warm up to the numbers:

Looking for the perfect playlist to light a fire after all that eggnog? Check out some of Spotify’s top workout playlists like Beast Mode, Motivation Mix, and Hype. Happy sweating!