They say spending time in nature can change your life. But in a world packed with indoor life pressures, how can you make getting outside just a part of who you are?
Welcome to the Humans Outside podcast, where we explore life in the great outdoors from our perch in Alaska, all while hearing from fascinating outdoor-minded guests.
The things we find comfort in as kids stay with us — even if we’ve forgotten what they are until we find them in an unexpected place.
That’s what Amy found when she stumbled upon the Palmer community piano sitting out on a patio on a cool fall Alaska day. And when she sat down she was transported. Hear about it in this Outdoor Diary episode.
[:46] Homeschool Amy friend problems
[1:21] So I did this instead
[1:33] Playing the piano was not actually an option but I liked it anyway
[2:15] The piano + beach = escape
[3:00] When I bought a piano for myself
[3:20] How this is like going outside
[3:51] What happened when I found a piano on the sidewalk
So you’re thinking about relocating so you can spend more time outside or be closer to the kind of nature you really love. Or, maybe you want to pack up and live the nomad van life. Or, maybe you’re looking for a fresh start and a life reset and think the best way to get is by relocating, even though you don’t actually really want to move.
Melody Warnick, author and place attachment expert, has heard all of these scenarios. She even included Amy’s story of relocating to Alaska to get closer to nature in her newest book, “If You Could Live Anywhere.” In this episode she talks through her best advice for picking where you want to live — and how to know if moving is actually what you want after all.
[2:48] First, a confession
[3:56] Melody Warnick’s favorite outdoor space
[4:53] What makes Amy especially fond of this book
[6:50] Why Melody is interested in this subject
[9:29] How people pick where they want to live
[14:10] The deal with nomading
[18:00] Did Amy regret moving to Alaska?
[19:50] Place picking vs. you changing
[25:00] Making yourself OK with moving
[29:40] Strategies + steps
[32:40] Why the military community makes this interesting
[36:15] How to know if you’ve made a huge mistake
[41:00] Why risk is OK
It started out as just a 15 minute break from computer work on a busy and exhausting Tuesday morning. But before she knew it, Amy was having an adventure in rewilding. Hear what she discovered when she took the advice of one recent Humans Outside podcast guest. Listen now.
[:45] Favorite podcasting stuff
[1:07] Which is how I got here on a Tuesday
[1:28] It all started with a walk break
[2:00] The question was the next step
[3:02] When one thing leads to another
[3:25] And when it was over. …
When it comes to nature, the idea of “pristine, untouched wilderness” is part of the American ethos. But the reality is most land was touched, valued and used — by indigenous landholders.
Recreating outside today means using that land in new ways. Yet honoring the past not only doesn’t have to be complicated, it can also broaden our appreciation for the land and what it gives us by connecting us with those who called it home for centuries before we arrived.
In this episode Aaron Leggett, president of the Native Village of Eklunta near Anchorage, Alaska and senior curator of Alaska History and Indigenous Culture at the Anchorage Museum shares with us his perspective on use of traditional Dena’ina lands and how outdoor lovers today can respect and honor the past.
[3:03] Aaron Leggett’s favorite outdoor space
[5:15] About the Native Village of Eklutna
[7:39] About growing up in Anchorage and getting passionate about Native history
[11:13] Who are the Dena’ina and what is their land?
[13:46] What is a Native Corporation?
[21:12] How to tell where Native land is and isn’t
[24:50] What the Native place name project is and why it matters
[34:00] What are the best practices for using traditional indigenous lands for recreation?
[35:50] What “leave no trace” has to do with it
[39:30] How to give back to a space while using it
[41:00] What just having it in mind does
[48:41] Aaron’s favorite outdoor memory
Blame it on the optimism of Past Me: she really felt like Future Me was going to have it so much more together than she actually does.
But making actionable outdoor plans for the upcoming winter season is key to getting out the door when it’s hard to want to. That means we’re spending time right now making some commitments for things we’ll do in the future — and hoping that it’s not the optimism coming to bite us yet again. Listen now.
[:45] We’re helping winter me
[1:10] The problem of the three Mes
[1:46] Facing the music
[2:15] This isn’t really a winter me problem
[3:00] Doing winter me a favor by making some plans
[3:40] Why now is great for this
[4:14] A quick privilege acknowledgement
[4:50] What I’ve got on tap for this winter
[6:15] Why having a new skill goal matters
[7:05] What I’ve been up to now
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode of Humans
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode of Humans