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, say...

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. Connect with this episode: Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Facebook Follow Humans Outside on Instag...

Almost ready for the new year? If you're itching to kick-off a new habit -- maybe one of going outside every day -- or re-energize an old one, you need help from habit expert Sarah Hays Coomer. Sarah Hays Coomer has written a new book about keeping habits. Hear Sarah talk in this "best of" episode about the how of building a habit and the power of figuring out what you need, where it fits in your...

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. Connect with this episode: Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Facebook Follow Humans Outside on Instagr...

So you want to create and keep a daily nature habit. You love being outside -- or at least enough to know that it's something you crave more of. And now you're looking for the inspiration, push, accountability and help to get out there every day. Season 5 of Humans Outside is coming soon to help you in your journey with a focus on understanding, using and loving nearby nature. Don't miss it! Have...

If you've ever heard me talk about my small town here in Alaska, Palmer, you know that I don't just like where I live, I love it. And a lot of that is because of my outdoor practice. When we moved here in 2016 I had never experienced anything even close to the weather, darkness, or other extreme wilds of Alaska. After a year here I had some friends through our CrossFit gym, but I still felt like s...

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. Some of the good stuff: [:28] Amy meets Palmer [2:36] Finding commu...

This Best Of Humans Outside episode features Tim Gravel talking about the secrets of making awesome coffee in the wild. Tim is the co-owner of Kaladi Brothers Coffee, an Alaska-based coffee roaster. He's also an outdoor lover. Better yet, if you listen carefully to this one, you'll hear some awesome gift ideas for the coffee-lover in your life. Connect with this episode: Learn about Kaladi Brother...

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. Some of the good stuff: [:27] A decision [1:40] The more time I sp...

Here at Humans Outside we practice getting outside every day for 20 minutes no matter the weather -- and that means sometimes we go outside when it's wet, cold or otherwise not that pleasant. Sometimes we go outside when the weather is bad. But if you've never had an outdoor habit or spent a lot of time outside in the winter, then you might be feeling a little overwhelmed by what some folks think...

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. Connect with this episode: Follow Humans Outside on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumansO...

Are you ready for the Humans Outside 365 Challenge? Amy has exciting news about a new challenge kit to help you along the way. Ready to head outside? Listen to this episode to hear what you need to know. Connect with this episode: Register for the Humans Outside 365 Challenge: https://humansoutside.com/challenge/ Follow Humans Outside on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumansOutside/ Follow Hum...

The weather may have taken an unusual turn in Alaska, but that isn't stopping Amy from getting in her 20 minutes outside every single day. But just because she makes it happen doesn't mean it's easy (or that she always likes it). Tune in to this week's installment of Amy's Outdoor Diary here on Humans Outside to find out just how cold it really is in Alaska right now, and to hear her top tips on h...

If you're trying to establish or maintain an outdoor habit around kids, big or little, you know the struggle is real. And it's especially difficult when the weather starts to get cooler or more challenging. How do you motivate kids into getting out into nature when they (and likely you, too) think staying inside sounds warmer and easier? And how the heck do you dress everyone? Sara McCarty - mom,...

It can be difficult to hear what your body and soul need when life gets really hectic or the long days stack up. Building that outdoor habit and heading outside daily have helped Amy and her family listen to their own needs and know what to do about them. Hear what happened in this episode of the Humans Outside Outdoor Diary. Some of the good stuff: [:27] Can we stay out a little longer? [2:30] Ta...

You know how we feel about veterans using nature to heal from the wounds of war. After all, helping Luke deal with the hidden injuries from service was what sent us packing for Alaska to start with. Spending time outside, study after study demonstrates, helps brains heal from trauma. Veterans Day is a day set aside for the U.S. to honor its living veterans. It also makes a great time to talk about...

As the season changes from fall to winter, Amy and her family are tapping into seasonal activities -- and remembering that they're still very bad at them. In this episode of the Outdoor Diary, Amy ponders what happens when you hit a sport that isn't your comfort zone, and shares advice from her sons, Huck and Dave, on how to stay motivated and finish what you started. Some of the good stuff: [:28]...

It's a familiar feeling for many of us over the winter months: the light fades, the darker days settle in and your mood dips. It can feel hard to get outside and hard to do really anything. Motivating yourself off the couch becomes an even bigger challenge than normal. But there's steps you can take to counter those feelings. In this episode Dr. Michael Terman, an expert in treating seasonal depre...

You might find yourself traveling again for work or otherwise after many, many months of staying home. You've gotten into a home-focused routine, and that includes your outside time. How do you keep your nature habit going when you hit the road? That's something Amy battled this week as she took her first work trip in a long time. In this Outdoor Diary she talks about getting still making time for...

It started with a year-long shopping ban and a decision to downsize. But like so many big life changes, the decision to shift who she was and how she interacted with the world had a much bigger impact than she expected. Now Cait Flanders, author of the best-selling book Year of Less, has morphed her "less" habit to one of purposeful opt-outs, choosing to say "no" to the cultural expectations that...

What do you do if you just don't feel like going outside? How do you talk yourself into it? This week Amy was dealing with a nasty cold and just wasn't feeling that nature vibe -- especially not in the highs of 40 degrees they are rocking in Alaska right now. That had her thinking about what to do when you're trying to motivate yourself out the door when you just don't feel like going outside. Lis...

Today, LGBTQ outdoor advocate Mikah Meyer is known for his work representing his community and advocating for inclusion in nature. But that hasn't always been the case. In fact, when Mikah set out on his journey to become the youngest person to visit the over 400 National Park units in the U.S., inclusivity advocacy wasn't his goal at all. MIkah's story is not just one of growing into an advocacy...

We all tell ourselves stories about ourselves. Sometimes they're true, sometimes they're not. Whatever the case may be, don't let any story stand in the way of you doing something you want. Listen to Amy unpack this concept in this installment of her outdoor diary. Some of the good stuff: [:27] The unintentional theme of Season 4 [1:17] Outside is for everyone—even you! [2:05] The stories Amy tell...

I know what you're thinking. "What is a 'pee cloth?'" And, maybe, "do I want to know?" And possibly also "gross." If you've ever been a woman trying to pee outside you know that the struggle is real and the solutions are sparse. Your options for good hygiene while taking care of business are limited to: a drip-shake dry method, which is ineffective at best; packing out dirty toilet paper, which is...

Is there ever a time that keeping a habit with intentionality and focus is simply easy? Amy hit 1,500 days outside this month, and she noticed that the answer is, well, not really. But there's a reason for that -- a solution. In this episode of the weekly Outdoor Diary, Amy talks about what it takes to keep a focused habit going. Some of the good stuff: [:25] One might think... [1:09] Disruptions...