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.
So you want to create a new habit — maybe it’s heading outside daily for that 20 minutes, maybe it’s something related, maybe it’s something else entirely. It can be easy to pick a really aggressive goal, or, on the flip side, toy with committing to something and then back out because you don’t want to disappoint yourself.
In the happy middle, though, is aiming for a habit that both improves your wellness life and gives you what you need. So how do you get there? In this episode of Humans Outside, Sarah Hays Coomer, a wellness coach and habit expert joins us for a third time to talk about creating a habit that focuses on what you need, gently. Listen now.
[2:34] Sarah Hays Coomer’s favorite outdoor space
[3:55] How Sarah became someone who likes to go outside
[7:33] The nuts and bolts of a habit
[16:27] The role of sustainability in habit picking
[19:35] How to create a gentle guide for what you need
[26:57] What counts as going outside?
[32:40] Is habit building a muscle?
[37:29] Some tips for a gentle wellness practice
Brave? Courageous? Those words don’t describe Amy. Or, at least, they didn’t used to. But thanks to her outdoor habit she’s now more courageous and adventurous than ever before. Why and how did that happen — and how can it happen for you? Listen now to find out.
[:35] How it was when I started my challenge
[1:05] OK, I’m pretty boring
[1:28] How this changes when I head outside
[1:44] My new outdoor toy
[2:10] Ice skating is walking on knives, fyi.
[2:50] A change of tune
[3:10] My first nordic skating adventure
[3:20] Am I courageous?
[3:45] The brave-building of heading outside
[4:11] Trusting the process and find rewards
[5:05] You can have this, too
December 21 marks the winter solstice — the official first day of winter and the shortest day of the year with the least time between sunrise and sunset. In Alaska and other places far north, the lack of light is noticeable from both a physical and emotional perspective. But the darkness can bring lessons of light. In this episode Amy lays out what the solstice and its darkness has taught her. Listen now.
[:45] Once upon a time, what is solstice?
[1:15] What I learned about solstice after we moved to Alaska
[1:50] 3 things solstice means to now
[2:00] A reminder to fight
[2:57] All light matters
[3:40] The light of people
[4:39] The real lesson of solstice
You’ve heard of the gifts from the 12 Days of Christmas? Well, the gifts of heading outside don’t include any lords-a-leaping (that Amy is aware of) but they do include a parade of other (probably better) things, especially in winter.
In this episode Amy talks about just three of the winter gifts she’s received during her outdoor time and the impact they’ve had. Listen now.
[:45] Gifts of the 12 days and what they have to do with any of this
[1:28] The gifts of my outdoor time — focused on winter
[1:35] But first, drama
[2:00] The first gift
[3:10] What getting involved has to do with anything
[3:30] The second gift
[4:27] The third gift
Looking for ways to add outdoor traditions to the holiday season. Over the years Amy and her family have added a variety of outdoor activities to how they celebrate. In this episode Amy shares a few ways you can easily do that with your family and friends, too. Listen now.
[:52] What I learned right off the bat
[1:26] Here come the traditions
[1:45] It’s not just me a thing
[2:10] Do you want to do it too?
[2:15] A little theme here
[3:00] Start simple with some lights
[3:35] Next: try community events
[4:40] One more idea for day specific stuff
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