Humans Outside

This month Amy hit 1,600 days in a row spending at least 20 consecutive minutes outside. Along the way she learned two important lessons about what happens when you encounter something you don't like. Hear what she learned on this week's Outdoor Diary podcast episode.

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One of the things that can hold people -- adults, kids, families and otherwise -- back from purposefully spending time outside is the idea that "nature" looks like something other than what is right outside their front door. If it doesn't look like a National Park, does it really count as "nature?" The truth, of course, is that "nature" is whatever is in the fresh air right outside your front door. But can you help yourself and your family see, appreciate and enjoy that, especially when you think parts of it -- bugs, weather, etc. -- are things you really don't like?

Today's guest Zenovia Stephens has made a mission of helping kids and families get outside near her home in Alabama. Founder of the nonprofit Black Kids Adventures, Zenovia and her family, known as the Black Adventure Crew, work to help Black families get outside while working to increase representation in the outdoor community.

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Visit Black Kids Adventures

Visit Black Adventure Crew

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Join the Humans Outside 365 Challenge

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.

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Join the Humans Outside Challenge

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Some of the good stuff:

[: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

Find full show notes at humansoutside.com/podcasts/

Join the Humans Outside Challenge: humansoutside.com/challenge/

Follow us on Instagram and share your outdoor life with the hashtag #humansoutside365.

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.

Connect with this episode:

Check out Night Sky Tourist: https://nightskytourist.com

Follow Night Sky Tourist on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightskytourist/

Visit Night Sky Tourist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NightSkyTourist

Join the Humans Outside Challenge: https://humansoutside.com/challenge

Follow Humans Outside on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humansoutside

Follow Humans Outside on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humansoutside

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.

Connect with this episode:

Join the Humans Outside Challenge

Follow Humans Outside on Facebook

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Some of the good stuff:

[: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

Find full show notes at humansoutside.com/podcasts/

Join the Humans Outside Challenge: humansoutside.com/challenge/

Follow us on Instagram and share your outdoor life with the hashtag #humansoutside365.

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/

Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.hays.coomer/

Follow Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahhayscoomer

Join the Humans Outside Challenge: https://humansoutside.com/challenge

Follow Humans Outside on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humansoutside

Follow Humans Outside on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humansoutside

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 Instagram

Some of the good stuff:

[: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

Find full show notes at humansoutside.com/podcasts/

Join the Humans Outside Challenge: humansoutside.com/challenge/

Follow us on Instagram and share your outdoor life with the hashtag #humansoutside365.

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 life, how to keep it going and the power of nature in all of that.

Some of the good stuff:

[2:22] Sarah Hays Coomer's favorite outdoor space [3:23] How Sarah first connected with the outdoors [6:21] Why it's important to go outside especially when you don't want [8:40] About Sarah's book, The Habit Trip: A Fill-in-the-Blank Journey to a Life on Purpose [9:28] How to create a habit [13:15] How to know what you need [18:45] How going outside impacts creating a habit [22:35] What is a habit reward? [26:14] The practice of creating a habit [31:39] How does developing a habit help you create more? [35:47] A few great tips for creating habit [40:57] Sarah's favorite and most essential outdoor great [42:37] Sarah's favorite outdoor moment

Connect with this episode:

Read The Habit Trip: A Fill-in-the-Blank Journey to a Life on Purpose Visit Sarah Hays Commer's website Follow Sarah Hays Coomer on Instagram Follow Sarah Hays Coomer on Facebook Follow Sarah Hays Coomer on Twitter Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Instagram Follow Humans Outside on Facebook

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 Instagram

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 you heard about the Humans Outside Outdoor 365 Challenge kits? Read more now.

Find more about the Humans Outside podcast.

Follow Humans Outside on Instagram for daily outdoor inspiration.