Humans Outside

There's something about getting hooked on nature that can help you move past the things that are stealing or numbing your ability to experience life. For the sober or sober-curious, heading outside can offer the fresh perspective and push needed to find freedom from reliance on substances or habits that distract from living fully. That's the subject Emily Holland explores in her own podcast, Natur...

When things outside are absolutely miserable and you're in the thick of it, what do you do? Do you stick it out? Is it worth it? Why even bother? In this episode Amy talks about a recent miserable outside experience and why she's been thinking about being uncomfortable outside, why being uncomfortable is OK and why it's worth it. Some of the good stuff: [:27] Unexpectedly uncomfortable [2:20] Amy'...

When the boredom first set in as he sat in the middle of nowhere for more than 30 days during a caribou hunt on the arctic tundra, Michael Easter looked for a way to entertain himself. He read the labels on his food. He made his Christmas lists. He wrote portions of his book by hand in a small notebook. And when that was done he did, well, nothing. Looking back on the experience as part of his new...

Been feeling in a bit of a funk recently? Grumpy about summer ending or winter approaching? Even if you love fall, it can be a way too short a bridge to cold weather. If you're feeling the feels or have felt them, you're not alone. In this Outdoor Diary episode Amy talks about dealing with that certain sense of loss that comes with the changing of the seasons. Some of the good stuff: [:30] In a fu...

Making heading into nature a regular habit takes purpose and focus. Add in small children, and you just amped-up the amount of planning you have to do before you can tackle any big adventure. Have differently abled family members who require extra care and consideration? The challenge just got even bigger -- and getting outside just became even more worth it. It's that juxtaposition that Melody Fo...

What happens when you take the idea of "intentionality" and steer it completely wrong? We know that being intentional is one of the most important keys to forming and keeping any habit, including outdoor ones. But Amy has a special knack for smashing something good into her box and then taking it way too far. In this episode she explores where she goes wrong, and how to keep that from happening. S...

You know that intentionality is the foundation of keeping any habit, challenging or not. But maybe we're overthinking this whole thing. What if there was a way to not only make and keep the outdoor, nature-focused habit you want to create, but also give better focus to your entire day? And what if it was only a matter of setting aside 10 minutes? That's the theory that drives the work of today's g...

Amy is a sucker for a new challenge, but this is one worth doing. Between now and September 2022 she's going to do 52 hikes as part of the 52 Hike Challenge. Why? Listen to this Outdoor Diary episode to find out. Some of the good stuff: [:28] A sucker for a challenge [1:00] Karla Amador [2:13] Amy's newest challenge [3:00] Join us—from anywhere! Connect with this episode: Hear our episode with Kar...

When Amy started her daily outdoor habit in 2017 she had no idea there was a whole world of others already tackling an outdoor effort of their own, formed around a different idea known as the 52 Hike Challenge. Through that program participants pledge to complete 52 hikes over a year. The things its co-founder, Karla Amador, has learned over both her own journey of hiking and by helping people aro...

It's been four years since Amy started her daily outdoor habit. In this episode of her weekly outdoor diary, Amy reflects on how keeping that habit has not just influenced her, but impacted the people around -- her friends, family and even you. Some of the good stuff: [:28] How it all began [1:40] The impact of four years outside [2:16] Heading outside as a spouse [2:59] Spending time outside as a...

When Amy first started her outdoor challenge it wasn't to inspire anyone but herself to make getting into nature a daily habit. It wasn't even because she had found heading outside to be so transformative she had to do it every day. Originally, the 20 minute daily challenge was born of a question: how would her life change if she went outside for a certain amount of time every day for a year? The...

Even in summer in Alaska it can be hard to make yourself do things outside when inside life is calling or the outside isn't exactly what you want it to be. So how do you get yourself out there? In this episode of Humans Outside's Outdoor Diary Amy talks through three situations she recently faced where she didn't want to go outside, and thinks through what it takes to get out anyway. Some of the g...

What's the difference between wilderness therapy and just, well, going outside? Judith Sadora, a licensed therapist based in Oregon, practices wilderness therapy with clients outdoors and is an expert in how spending time outside can help us work through trauma. Hear why the outdoors is a great "container" and how to create your own therapeutic experience outside in this thoughtful and insightful...

Do you love where you live? If you've been listening to Humans Outside you know Amy loves her small town, Palmer Alaska. But she hasn't always lived there — or loved it. In this episode Amy reflects on how spending time outside has helped her love where she lives, and why that matters. Some of the good stuff: [:30] Do you love where you live? [1:37] Palmer, Alaska [3:14] The Alaska State Fair [5:1...

You've heard them mentioned, you've seen their pictures -- and now you get to hear them on the Humans Outside podcast: Amy's "running wives," Clare Shea and Rachel Gernat. In this podcast Season 2 premier, Amy, Clare and Rachel discuss outdoor-based friendship, what makes it special and how, exactly, you, too, can make outdoor-minded friends. What's the secret sauce? How do you even find great fri...

When trauma or difficult events seep into your life, it's easy to get angry or sad -- and hard to process them. Thanks to some advice from a past podcast guest, this week Amy hit the great outdoors to process some tough stuff going on, and use nature as a "container" for that work. Some of the good stuff [:26] Some current events and emotions [1:46] Using the outdoors as a safe place [3:23] Brains...

In the beginning, she was just trying to save her sanity, says Virginia Yurich, who goes by Ginny. With a passel of little kids she was feeling run ragged brought by all the commitments shuffling children here and there. When her friend invited her to simply spend some time outside, letting her kids explore and live a little, she was skeptical. But after seeing the benefits, her skepticism vanishe...

When Amy headed outside to run again in January following a rehab time from her September surgery, she had one goal: get ready for the Resurrection Pass 100 ultra trail race. Crazy? Maybe. The race was July 30, and while it didn't go exactly as Amy hoped it would, she learned plenty about herself, nature and doing hard things along the way. Some of the good stuff: [:26] Amy's slightly neurotic, ye...

Ready to explore how building a daily outdoor habit can change your life, amp up your hapiness and help you find yourself? It's been four years since we started our own daily outdoor habit -- and now we're bringing you with us through insights and helps from nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts and experts. Join us for Humans Outside Season 4 to hear from experts like Karla Amador, founder of the wo...

We liked this episode so much we're releasing it again! In 2017 when Amy picked 20 minutes as her minimum daily outdoor time, she based that decision on some research she read in passing that said 20 minutes is enough time to spend outside and see health benefits from doing so. But Amy isn't a social scientist or a scientific researcher, so her choice of 20 minutes wasn't overly scientific either....

When a podcast guest for the upcoming Humans Outside Season 4 suggested a new outdoor tradition she has with her kids, Amy knew she had to do it. Now that it's in the bag, she's got one thought on how to make it better: focus.   Connect with Humans Outside: Instagram: https://instagram.com/humansoutside Follow Melody Forsyth: https://instagram.com/downwithadventure Facebook: https://www.facebook.c...

We talk about all of the benefits of heading outside and the things you can learn there, but what can it teach you about your relationships? In this episode, Amy ponders the surprising lesson conquering tough things outside has given her about her marriage to her husband, Luke. Connect with Humans Outside: Instagram: https://instagram.com/humansoutside Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumansOuts...

Have you ever stopped to think about the stories you tell yourself about who you are in the world -- or about how they change how you approach time in nature? Amy's been thinking about how her perception of herself as "not that outdoorsy" has hindered her ability to enjoy nature as much as she could be. Hear about her journey to this point and why confronting these internal narratives matters. Con...

After marking her 1,400th day of spending at least 20 consecutive minutes outside, Amy is thinking about the gifts of nature and how it has brought her where she is today. When she hit 1,300 days outside she talked about what it's taught her. In this episode, she reflects on the gift of a nature-inspired life perspective. Find full show notes at humansoutside.com Register for our newsletter to win...

We talk a lot about getting outside to improve our lives, but what about using it to make our relationships better? Did you know heading outside is a great way to create so-called "sacred spaces" with people in your life? In this episode, Amy talks about heading into nature to create sacred spaces with her husband, Luke, over a grown-ups-only outdoor summer adventure. Some of the good stuff: [:55]...