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.
How’s the end of winter going for you? Across the northern hemisphere hints of spring are popping up, with daffodils and flowers pushing through the ground. That’s even true in Alaska, where the longer daylight and temperatures closer to 30 than to 10 are warming things up and offering glimmers of hope, even if they do come between arctic blasts and falling snow. In this Outdoor Diary episode Amy walks through the power of those hints and why it’s important to seize them when it comes.
[:27] Finding moments of hope
[1:36] An almost-missed opportunity
[3:45] A hint of what’s to come
[4:21] Humans Outside Challenge
[5:09] Where to find Humans Outside
“Van life.” Sounds like something fancy for someone else, right? Someone who doesn’t have a job, or commitments, or a family, or stability, or … or… or.
Wrong! Using a camping van or having longterm adventures doesn’t have to just be for other people. It can be something normal people just like you use to get closer to nature near and far.
This week’s guest Kristen Bor knows that’s true because she’s lived all versions of van life as part of her work on her website Bearfoot Theory. On this episode of Humans Outside, Kristen shares with us her best tips for making van life a part of your regular outdoor adventures.
[2:50] Kristen Bor’s favorite outdoor space
[3:20] How Kristen became someone who likes to go outside
[7:05] What does “van life” actually mean?
[8:54] Why people like the idea of van life
[11:14] The security of vans
[12:53] How to make van life a part of normal life
[19:28] Why is van life different from RV life?
[24:01] How to buy a van without spending all of your money
[33:27] Kristen’s best three tips for getting into van life
What happens when you take your date day outside? As Amy knows all too well, it can go horribly wrong or be really great. The difference? Communication. In this Outdoor Diary episode Amy talks about two very different ski dates, and why one worked but the other failed spectacularly.
[:26]: Keeping busy
[1:00]: Who is Amy dating?! (spoiler alert: her husband!)
[2:00]: Dating challenges (like, the outdoor kind)
[4:45]: Sacred spaces
[6:09]: Where to find Humans Outside
If you’ve ever experienced a broken heart, you know how dramatically it can impact all aspects of your life. The ending of a relationship or loss of a loved one can be a traumatic, emotional rollercoaster than can last years. And in the midst of it you’ll likely find yourself wondering exactly how to make the pain stop and when it will stop hurting.
Heartbreak is both the subject and title of a new book by journalist Florence Williams. You might remember Florence from her work on one of her previous books, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative. She joined us to talk about the book in a previous episode of Humans Outside. In her new book Heartbreak (and the immersive audio book) Florence pairs her own experience with the kind of research she’s known for, and in the process lays out a map for using nature to heal from a broken heart.
In this episode Florence talks about her experience healing from heartbreak by heading outside and gives us our own personal how-to on doing so in our lives, too.
[4:33] Florence William’s favorite outdoor space
[5:46] All about Florence’s heartbreak
[7:00] The not entirely secret story of Amy’s heartbreak
[8:53] Why heartbreak becomes a book
[12:58] Why she decided to try a nature cure
[17:01] What she tracked for her project
[23:00] Exactly how to heal heartbreak by going outside
[29:00] Can healing happen close to home?
[32:55] Why this is all actually really simple — but not immediate
[40:05] One surprising thing Florence learned
Connect with this episode:
Read or listen to Heartbreak by Florence Williams (affiliate link)
Hear Florence Williams’ previous episode on Humans Outside
Listen to Amy and Luke Bushats with Florence on the Outside Magazine podcast
Follow Florence Williams on Facebook
Join the Humans Outside Challenge
The Humans Outside podcast hits its two-year anniversary this week. Two years! That’s two years of episodes with outdoor-minded guests who have taught Amy (and you) countless lessons about heading into nature. In this episode hear about why the Humans Outside podcast got started and just some of the things Amy has learned through podcasting for two years.
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
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