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.
One of my favorite things I’ve gained from heading outside every day? The discovery that I have an incredibly useful superpower.
No, it’s not x-ray vision, time travel or flying, which is a bummer because those would all be very cool. It’s a move power — the power to make myself do things I don’t want to do. And you cannot imagine how helpful this superpower is in all sorts of circumstances.
I think you have a superpower, too. Let’s figure out what it is.
Listen now!
[:35] I was here when I remembered my superpower
[1:14] This is my superpower and why I love it
[2:35] I think you have a superpower, too — here’s what it might be
[3:29] Why these superpowers matter
If new habits or a wellness practice refresh is on your mind, you’re in good company. The start of a new year or new season often feels like the perfect time for a refresh.
But if you’re going to squeeze in a new helpful habit or practice, you might need to phase out an old, less-helpful one. And that’s easy to say, but hard to do.
In this episode of Humans Outside, wellness coach and habit expert Sarah Hays Coomer walks us through how to build good habits and get rid of old ones while talking through practical examples of how to make it happen.
Listen now!
[2:54] Sarah Hays Coomer’s favorite outdoor space
[4:28] How Sarah became someone who likes to go outside
[7:12] A little bit on the nuts and bolts of habits
[9:29] Some practical habit building
[14:41] The seasons of habits
[18:20] The cruel irony of flexibility vs. consistency
[19:30] Why some habits are hard to break
[22:23] What a growth mindset has to do with it
[24:00] The curiosity factor
[28:30] Microdosing wellness
[31:00] Fitting in the stuff you know you like even when the internet calls your name
[34:18] Breaking out of a ‘bad’ habit
[37:16] You really do have time
[39:52] Sarah’s favorite outdoor moment
It’s good to take a beat, think about the past few seasons and decide with intention how you want to go forward. My preferred method for memory? Photo scrolling.
And so I dove into some memories of outdoor time from the past year, and when I was done I had found two important outdoor lessons that I can take with me to make my future choices and adventures that much better.
… And they can help you, too.
Listen now!
[:35] Taking a cruise through old photos
[1:05] A few lessons from the past year
[2:03] The first lesson
[2:49] Lesson, the second
[4:26] My hope for you
In seasons of literal darkness it’s important to hunt for the light. And there’s plenty of places to find it — warming fires, twinkle lights or the Menorah, shining stars, headlamps and more.
But my favorite way is through a more figurative means: the light of other humans.
With winter darkness and the importance of light on my mind, now is a perfect time to briefly pause and appreciate the light of humans as we go outside together.
Listen now.
[:35] The question: where do you find light?
[1:00] The light situation around here
[1:48] Some light places
[2:45] My favorite source of light
[3:06] Here’s who they are and where to find them
If the deep, dark winter and cold are hitting you like a ton of bricks just like they are hitting me, it might be time to stand back and remember what you’ve done in the past that can boost your mood this time of year.
It’s OK to say you hate the darkness and winter weather. Saying it out loud helps me move through it. But what isn’t going to help me is giving up and hating it from my couch. So to fight back I’m trying a pair new outdoor habit experiments to see if they can help my mood and get me through the dark months.
Learn more in this episode.
[:35] We’ve got the outdoor blahs
[1:00] Oh, hi seasonal depression
[3:00] Let’s just acknowledge that everything actually is terrible
[3:39] Busting me out of this mood in two parts
[3:54] Chasing daylight
[5:20] One big adventure, one little adventure
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