After a year focused for better or worse on only the nature within our bubbles, Florence Williams has learned a thing or two about making the most of what you have right outside your door and the tools you already possess to do so. Since Florence, author of “The Nature Fix,” literally wrote the book on how going outside creates positive impacts on our mental health and wellbeing, that’s really saying something.

We learned about Florence before we even started going outside every day. It was her book, published shortly before we knew we were looking for it, that gave us the 20-minute daily goal. We are so honored that she gave some of her time to share her latest lessons in exactly how you can harness the power of nature for your health, happiness and mental wellbeing.

[2:05] Florence William’s favorite outdoor space

[3:14] Why she started writing about outdoor benefits

[5:16] Why going outside makes us feel good

[8:01] Why going outside is good for your brain

[10:26] Why going outside helps trauma

[16:36] Why finding what speaks to you is important

[19:05] Why tuning in matters

[21:24] The difference between “seeking” and “available”

[23:48] Why many doctors love drugs and ignore nature

[25:49] How to find awe in what’s right outside your door

[35:30] Florence’s favorite and most essential gear

[36:47] Florence’s favorite outdoor moment


They’re calling it — the van project is done! (Is a van project ever actually done?). After buying a 1997 Coachman Ford E250 Econoline van in September, 2020, Amy and Luke have finished all of the remodel work they needed or wanted to do. So what does that mean? Here’s how they did their van conversion project.

[:27] The Vanimal

[:55] Buying and renovating the Vanimal

[3:35] Renovating the interior

[4:45] Work to be done

[5:18] Send us your tips!

We’ve all heard it: going outside is good for you. We also know from experience that’s true. From improved health thanks to exercise to simply feeling better after some fresh air, it’s clear that spending time in nature is a good thing, no other evidence required.

But have you ever once had a medical doctor actually prescribe simply heading outside as a solution to a health problem? Unless you see Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller at her Iowa integrated health and OBGYN practice, probably not. But that’s exactly what she does. In this episode she talks about the specific health benefits of getting out in nature, and reveals what it’s like to prescribe nature as a type of medicine, prescription pad and all.

[2:06] Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller’s favorite outdoor space

[3:30] How Suzanne got into going outside

[8:39] Why Amy and Suzanne both think running is the best-ish

[11:45] Amy knows you don’t want to hear anymore about running and moves on

[12:11] Why going outside is good for you

[16:55] What is a “nature prescription” and how it looks to give one to a patient

[19:31] What Suzanne thinks about dosage and Amy’s 20 minutes

[23:15] An uncanny mindmeld situation where no one copies each other but still has the exact same idea

[26:52] Does what you do outside matter?

[36:00] The importance of nearby nature

[38:11] 3 ways to improve your health with nature starting right now

[43:40] Suzanne’s favorite and most essential outdoor gear

[45:10] Suzanne’s favorite outdoor moment

It’s finally nice outside, but you’re still just as busy as ever inside. If you’re anything like Amy, you’ve noticed that you are getting nowhere near the amount of outdoor time you wish you could. So how do you make sure your summer doesn’t fly away without you even noticing? In this Outdoor Diary episode Amy shares her best tips for making the most of summer.

[:26] Staying intentional in the summer

[2:40] Make a summer checklist

[3:27] Pull out that calendar!

[3:56] A tool to keep you on track

[4:48] How to keep up with Humans Outside this summer

One of the best things about U.S. national and state parks is how accessible they are to every kind of user. Kids to Parks Day, organized by the National Parks Trust, looks to encourage families and kids into parks nationwide.

Chris Rief has made a project of taking his young daughter into the National Park units to do the Jr. Ranger program and collect the Jr. Ranger park cancellation stamps. In this episode Chris talks to us about what he’s learned about taking his own kid into the parks, how to make the most of the Jr. Ranger program and mistakes he’s made along the way.

[2:21] Chris Rief ’s favorite outdoor space

[3:32] How Chris became someone who likes to go outside

[6:31] How Chris became interested in the National Parks

[8:10] What is Park Geek?

[9:19] How many parks Chris has visited with and without his daughter

[14:30] Teaching his daughter to love the parks

[24:17] All about the Jr. Park stamps and Jr. Park Ranger program

[36:00] Biggest mistakes of visiting parks with kids

[39:40] How to do Jr. Ranger books and programs without driving yourself crazy

[44:21] Tips for making the most of parks with your kids

[46:26] Chris’s favorite and most essential outdoor gear

[48:50] Chris’s favorite outdoor moment

This time of year can be absolutely crazy as the season shifts. Projects and tasks seem to overlap. And it can be easy to forget the power of heading outside to help you deal with the busy. In this episode Amy remembers just how useful getting in nature can be.

[:30] Busy season

[:58] Amy’s recent retreat

[1:57] Brainstorming outdoors

[3:51] Using nature to beat the overwhelm

[5:15] Keep up with Humans Outside

Before Amy really started to learn how to get outside and long before her 20-minute daily challenge, she discovered the National Parks cancelation stamps program and the club of people that enthusiastically participate.

As Humans Outside celebrates National Parks week we couldn’t think of anything better than talking to the people who spearhead that club and bringing podcast guests the join of the obsession … we mean hobby … straight from the people who know it best. Yvonne Manske, the club’s current president, in this episode shares everything you need to know about the cancelation stamp program, and maybe even a little bit more.

[2:59] Yvonne Manske’s favorite outdoor space

[3:39] How she first found the National Park cancelation stamps program

[6:48] What exactly are National Park cancelation stamps

[9:18] What’s up with the photo sticker sheets

[11:05] How many stamps are there?

[12:57] All about the National Park Travelers Club

[13:51] Why do people collect the stamps?

[14:20] Why stamps go missing

[19:56] The best place looking for a stamp has taken Yvonne

[22:33] The worst place looking for a stamp has taken Yvonne

[25:00] The most difficult to get stamps

[28:00] All about good stamping etiquette

[33:26] What exactly happens at a cancelation stamp convention

[35:06] What to do if you missed getting stamps

[37:55] Yvonne’s favorite and most essential outdoor gear

[39:33] Yvonne’s favorite outdoor moment

When was the last time you paused to remember why you head outside? In this Outdoor Diary, Amy talks a little about her book project and remembers her “why” behind starting her challenge in 2017 and still getting outside everyday now.

[:30] Considering your why

[:59] Writing a book

[1:27] Amy’s why

[2:33] How the Bushatz family got outside this week

[3:39] National Parks + Giveaway!

You’ve probably been to a few National Parks. You might have even spent some serious time there. But have you actually truly experienced the ones you’ve visited?

That’s the goal of Liz and Dan Pollock, two National Parks enthusiasts based in Ohio. In this episode they talk about what has inspired them to tackle this project, why intentionality matters and the intense way they are experiencing Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the park closest to their home.

[2:30] Dan and Liz Pollock’s favorite outdoor spaces

[3:10] How they became people who like to go outside

[4:33] Why they decided to visit all of the National Parks

[7:21] The difference between experiencing the parks and just visiting them

[10:20] Their favorite parks so far

[14:56] What’s special about Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP)

[16:25] Why they decided to hike all of the trails in CVNP in 22 days

[18:59] The logistics of all of those miles

[20:40] Why they are fundraising for Remedy Alpine

[23:10] What they’ve learned from all of that hiking

[29:00] Why intentionality is important to what they’re doing

[32:46] What COVID had to do with it

[35:39] Liz and Dan’s most essential and favorite outdoor gear

[39:01] Liz and Dan’s favorite outdoor moments

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