There are some people that come by your life and you realize that they are not only special because of what their impact has been on our world but also who they are as a human being. This was the first interview I did for the Dear Life podcast. And I remember feeling so nervous not only because it was the first episode but also because I was meeting someone I admired so much. Nicole Stott is someone that has a perspective of the earth and life that only about 500 people in history have ever had the opportunity to experience. Extraordinary, right!?

Nicole not only is an astronaut but also an artist who creatively combines the awe and wonder of her spaceflight experience with her artwork. And of course it’s important to note that this conversation was originally recorded in May 2019, when the world was a much different place, and the global pandemic we’ve been facing with COVID-19 seemed like the plot of a science fiction movie!

However, this conversation feels more timely than ever as the pandemic and other world events remind us of our interconnectedness and interdependence with each other and all living things on this planet.

 

“There is an undeniable interconnectivity. The impact we have on each other is timeless.” ~ Nicole Stott, Astronaut and Artist

 

One of the things that I love the most about Nicole is that she is just so down to earth. She spoke about her most challenging, scary, and doubtful moments she encountered during her training for her space missions and also experiencing her first space walk. We also talk a lot about the Overview Effect and what her time in space has taught her about all of our lives here on earth. She is passionate about remembering that, as she puts it, “we are all crew members on spaceship Earth.”

Nicole shares why she is feeling hopeful for the future and the need for taking ACTION and personal responsibility, again this message is needed now more than ever! We talked about how she combines her unique experiences on the International Space Station and her love of art and creation to raise awareness about solutions to our planetary challenges and the surprising connection between science and art. I hope it will inspire you in your own life, because it certainly inspired me.

 

More About Nicole Stott

Nicole Stott is an Astronaut, Aquanaut, and Artist who creatively combines the awe and wonder of her spaceflight experience with her artwork to inspire everyone’s appreciation of our role as crewmates here on spaceship Earth. She believes that the international model of peaceful and successful cooperation we have experienced in the extreme environments of space and sea holds the key to the same kind of peaceful and successful cooperation for all of humanity here on Earth. A personal highlight from her spaceflight experience was painting the first watercolor in space, which is now on display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in DC. She is the founder of the Space for Art Foundation, and co-founder of Constellation.Earth. 

To see images of Nicole’s artwork and learn more about her you can visit her website and also follow her on Instagram.

Things We Mention In This Episode

• Website: https://www.npsdiscovery.com/ 
• Website: Space for Art Foundation
• Instagram: Nicole Stott 
• Wikipedia: The Overview Effect
• The Nature Conservancy
• Book: Second Firsts by Christina Rasmussen

Book: Where Did You Go? by Christina Rasmussen

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