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.
Outside is outside, but sometimes it’s more nature-rich than others. Does that matter? In this episode of the Humans Outside Outdoor Diary Amy contemplates where her family just spent a week of vacation, and why its decided lack of nature-scapes was totally fine.
[:26] Is all outside time created equally?
[1:29] Amy’s actual vacation
[3:07] Different types of nature
[4:45] Taking nature as we find it
[5:29] Where to find Humans Outside
When we talk about going outside every day, we usually mean in the daytime. But what if heading outside after dark for a little stargazing is just the boost your outdoor habit needs?
Vicky Derksen, host of the Night Sky Tourist podcast and a stargazing enthusiast joined us for this episode to talk about something almost completely new to Amy: stargazing. With tips and tricks for how to get into the hobby, this really informative episode is the perfect gateway to helping would-be starwatches step outside at night a little night sky viewing.
[2:39] Vicky Derksen’s favorite outdoor space
[3:53] How Vicky became someone who likes to go outside
[5:20] What is “light pollution?”
[8:38] How to stargaze close to home
[12:16] What you’re skipping by only going outside during the day
[18:18] What’s the best way to learn the stars?
[23:03] How the stars move
[24:03] Why people don’t want to go out after dark
[26:46] What to wear for stargazing
[30:16] What are “star stories” and why are they important?
[34:30] What are the best ways to learn local star stories?
[37:18] How to get into stargazing
[39:31] Vicky’s favorite and most essential outdoor gear
[41:31] Vicky’s favorite outdoor moment
It’s easy to head outside when the weather is great. It’s even easy to plan to be outside in future bad weather from a seat on a sunny, warm day. But what do you do when the weather rolls in and, suddenly, you’re faced with having to actually do it? A recent two-day wind storm with gusts up to 75 mph had Amy thinking about this very thing. So how do you make yourself go outside in bad weather? Here’s what she did.
[:26] Things seem easier when the sun is shining
[1:30] Amy’s aversion to wind
[2:48] An unprecedented wind and heading outside anyway
[4:06] Make a plan
[6:32] Where to find Humans Outside
It’s easy to know you want to make a change or even what kind of change you want to make. But how can you create a habit that actually works for you? How do you know the right actions to take to make that habit sustainable long term?
The answer might just be found in mindfulness and knowing enough about who you are and what you need. That understanding can establish a habit that works for you, says our guest, Sarah Hays Coomer.
Sarah is Humans Outside’s unofficial very own habit expert who authored the book The Habit Trip, A Fill-in-the Blank Journey to a Life on Purpose. She’s also a Mayo Clinic and nationally board certified wellness coach, author of the Forbes column Hey, Health Coach and a personal trainer.
[3:39] Sarah Hays Coomer’s favorite outdoor space
[4:50] How Sarah became someone who likes to go outside
[8:45] How to create a new habit
[14:41] Examining yourself to understand what you need
[19:14] What, exactly, is mindfulness?
[22:21] What mindfulness has to do with creating a new habit
[24:57] Can you create a new habit without mindfulness?
[28:35] The important difference between rules and power-over
[34:08] How mindfulness can impact a non-mindful habit
[40:00] Sarah’s favorite and most essential outdoor gear
[43:44] Sarah’s favorite outdoor moment
The New Year offers a natural starting point for launching a new challenge — and has Amy reflecting on all the ways heading outside daily has changed her life. Now registering for the Humans Outside 365 Challenge can offer you a dose of extra motivation to make it happen.
[:27] Outdoor memories
[:54] How Amy has changed from her time outside
[3:10] Why getting outside is tough
[3:39] Humans Outside Challenge kits
[4:28] Where to find Humans Outside
It’s the darkest time of the year in the northern hemisphere, but that doesn’t mean light can’t be found. In fact, the light is easier to find in times of darkness than any other time. In this Outdoor Diary Amy explores how that is literally and figuratively true for her.
[:31] The darkest time of the year
[1:22] A decision
[2:23] Getting outside (even when it’s dark)
[3:33] The Humans Outside Challenge kit
[4:40] Where to find Humans Outside
Nothing demonstrates the way Amy loves where she lives in Alaska the way the annual holiday festival in her small town does. Spending that full day outside amidst Hallmark Christmas movie-level merry making in some very, very cold weather has Amy contemplating what her outdoor habit has to do with learning to love where she lives.
[:28] Amy meets Palmer
[2:36] Finding community
[4:59] Learning to love where you live
[5:21] The gifts of going outside
[6:36] Humans Outside Challenge Kits
As if heading outside to begin with isn’t a big enough challenge, we are often faced with the decision of whether or not to face an even bigger challenge once we get out there. Listen to this installment of Amy’s outdoor diary to hear about what choosing the challenge can look like, and how Humans Outside can help you do just that.
[:27] A decision
[1:40] The more time I spend outside…
[2:45] What it looks like to pick the challenge
[3:21] A transferable skill
[4:19] Humans Outside Challenge Kits
How do you insert heading into nature into your holiday traditions? That’s the question Amy tackled as her family spent their second Thanksgiving in a row enjoying an off-the-grid option that took just enough extra effort to seem like a terrible idea. Hear how it turned out in this Outdoor Diary episode.
[:27] Opting outside
[1:30] A Bushatz Thanksgiving
[3:36] The extra effort is worth it
[4:42] Humans Outside Challenge kits
[5:25] Where to find Humans Outside
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, 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, Google Podcasts, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode