Libsyn Directory

171: How to Create an Outdoor Habit that Works for You (Sarah Hays Coomer)

Release Date: 01/06/2022

386: Chasing your hard and honoring your why through tough stuff outside (Emily Halnon, author and ultrarunner)

Humans Outside

No matter how you define “hard,” heading outside offers plenty of chances to tackle it. Many people who choose to tackle hard stuff outside are pushed to do so to honor some kind of “why.” For some of us, that “why” is health or to push our own personal boundaries. For others, the “why” is on behalf of someone else. Ultrarunner Emily Halnon’s “why” has everything to do with her mom, who died from an aggressive form of cancer in early 2020. To honor her she headed out to tackle a major challenge running on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It’s a story she’s now shared in...

385: It sounds like late spring out there and I love it (Outdoor Diary)

Humans Outside

There’s something special about the way spring sounds in Alaska. Maybe it’s how dramatic the experience is as compared to the sounds of winter. Maybe it’s that they’re happy sounds that I can hear through my windows. Maybe it’s that the weather is so much nicer than it had been, that I’m outside more to hear sounds at all. Whatever the reason, I love the outdoor symphony. Here’s what I’ve been noticing. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Some of the good stuff: [00:35] I’m feeling really grateful for my ears [00:52] Here’s the source of my leaning into my senses...

384: When I’m feeling overwhelmed, this counterintuitive outdoor step helps (Outdoor Diary)

Humans Outside

I do it to myself and over and over again. That feeling of overwhelm sneaks right in, and it’s entirely because of my own poor choices. (You would think I’d learn my lesson, but I have not.) So when the going gets crowed, what do I do? I think you’re probably going to guess. But the wild thing is just how much adding more of it to my schedule helps. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Some of the good stuff: [00:23] Yeah, OK I do this to myself [01:17] We know the signs -- truly [01:32] Maybe I could do this before [02:25] This is the part where we come up with a solution [02:43]...

383 Best of: How to make nature your fix right where you are (Florence Williams, author)

Humans Outside

Florence Williams has learned a thing or two about making the most of what you have right outside your door and the tools you already possess to do so. Since Florence, author of “The Nature Fix,” literally wrote the book on how going outside creates positive impacts on our mental health and wellbeing, that’s really saying something. I learned about Florence before we even started going outside every day. It was her book, published shortly before we knew we were looking for it, that gave us the 20 minute daily goal. We are so honored that she gave some of her time to share her latest...

382: The key to seeing wonders outside (Outdoor Diary)

Humans Outside

I used to hear friends talk about the crazy wonderful things they were spotting outside and wonder how it was I was missing out. Why didn’t I see that stuff? Were they trying harder? Going places I didn’t want to go? Getting up in tbe middle of the night to do it? And then one day I stumbled upon their secret by accident. And now that I’ve figured out the trick to seeing wonders outside, I just can’t stop. It’s not that hard It doesn’t take any extra work It does take intention Listen now! Connect with this episode: Some of the good stuff: [00:35] Yes, I’m an early riser...

381: My outdoor habit has taught me this about getting OK with seasons (Outdoor Diary)

Humans Outside

When was the last time you thought about the way learning to notice and navigate changing seasons affects how you view your indoor life? One of the best things about spending a lot of time outdoors is how it prompts you to pause and see how the world is shifting day by day. Are you ready for it? Are you taking it as it comes? No matter how you approach the shift in seasons, one thing is certain: getting used to changes outdoors can teach you a thing or two about changes indoors. Getting okay with growth Noticing when it's coming Embracing what it brings Listen to this...

380 Best of - Safe and Solo: Empowering Women to Play Outside Alone and Feel Great About It (Nicole Snell, self-defense expert)

Humans Outside

Ready for solo adventure? Feeling safe? Getting out there by yourself can feel like a real safety risk. I absolutely love going out alone, but I know it comes with pros and cons. But it doesn't mean I don't go. It just means I go empowered. Nicole Snell, a safety expert and owner of Girls Fight Back who specializes in self-defense in the outdoors, has a different idea. In this episode she shares her best tips and tricks to empower you to get into nature solo while also staying safe. Hear Nicole talk about staying stafe outside in this "best of" episode. Connect with this episode: ...

379: Have you hugged a tree lately? Because I have, and it’s great. (Outdoor Diary)

Humans Outside

When did you last hug a tree? I mean literally, actually hug a tree? Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but hang with me, because this silly thing has been recharging and reshaping how I feel about heading outside. Listen now! Connect with this episode: Some of the good stuff: [00:35] Tree Hugging as Gratitude [01:20] Grounding Experience of Tree Hugging [01:41] Winter Contrast and Appreciation in Seattle [02:49] Monthly Sit Spot Reflection [03:08] Observations and Gratitude for Trees [04:36] Emotional and Sensory Connection with Nature

378: Looking outside for symbols of hope (Outdoor Diary)

Humans Outside

The changing of seasons is the perfect time to look around for signs of changing life outside. But what if instead of just seeing the signs, you looked at them as encouragement for your day? What if you saw them as symbols of hope that you can take with you or find whenever you need a little push through your day? What would you choose? How would it help you? Learn about my chosen symbol in this episode of Humans Outside. Listen now! Connect with this episode: Some of the good stuff: [:35] Signs of spring and easter [1:19] Here’s where I see new life in nature [1:58] Excuse me winter,...

377 Powered by City Nature: Fueling an Urban Outdoor Habit (Brittany Gowan, author and coach)

Humans Outside

If you’ve ever spent time living in a major city, you know finding nature takes a lot more intentionality than if you spend all of your time in a rural environment. You might even think about experiencing nature in a city as happening in spite of the concrete jungle, not because of it. But what if you flipped that on its head? What if you learned ways to appreciate nature because of the city it’s in? That’s something today’s guest, Brittany Gowan, has become good at as part of her work coaching organizations and executives. With an industrial and organizational psychology master's...

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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.

Visit Sarah Hays Coomer’s website: https://www.sarahhayscoomer.com/

Read Sarah’s Forbes column: https://www.forbes.com/health/author/sarah-hays-coomer/

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