A Walk And Talk With Ben Miller

In this episode, Rod heads out for a walk with Ben Miller. They talk about why being in nature helps so many of us reset, how learning to notice what is around us can change the way we approach each day, and what it looks like to carry awareness into everyday places like the grocery store or a city street.

Watch the conversation on YouTube:

Ben shares personal stories from his life outdoors, moments that stayed with him, and a few simple questions he returns to when he needs to slow down and pay attention. Together they explore the tension many of us feel between surrendering to life and knowing when it is time to take action.

In the second half of the conversation, Ben opens up about the story behind Wirth Hats and how it grew from friendship and loss into a community that supports accessible mental health care. They talk about breaking down barriers to counselling, creating spaces where real conversations can happen, and the idea behind the Flowers on Fridays Wirth hat as a small but meaningful act of self-care.

Trail wisdom from Ben:

* Notice more than the path aheadWhen we widen our attention and look up, we discover how much we usually miss. Awareness changes the experience, whether on a forest trail or in the middle of a grocery store.

* Curiosity deepens presenceAsking simple questions like “What happened here?” or “What is this teaching me?” invites reflection without needing answers. The practice is in the asking, not the solving.

* Slowing down reveals what is already hereMeaningful moments often appear when we pause. Without intention, even something extraordinary can pass unnoticed.

* Small anchors carry us through hard seasonsHaving something to look forward to, a walk, a ritual, a weekly joy—can quietly support mental health. Everyone needs their own version of Flowers on Fridays.

Ben's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermill/Wirth Hat's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wirthhatsRod's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rjanz/

The previous walk and talk on Substack. “Let Life Unfold with Catherine Ducharme” see

I went for a walk with Catherine Ducharme and we talked about slowing down, letting go of hustle, and paying attention to what grounds us. We wandered along the Coquitlam River, reflected on walking as a grounding practice, and explored how nature helps us breathe, reset, and feel more at home in our lives.

Watch the video on YouTube:

Trail wisdom from Catherine Ducharme

* Slowing down is not falling behindLife keeps moving whether we rush or not. Choosing to slow down can actually help us notice what matters and respond more wisely instead of reacting from exhaustion.

* Walking side by side changes the conversationMovement creates space. When we walk with someone, conversations unfold without pressure.

* Nature regulates us, even in small dosesA tree, a river, or a short walk without headphones can calm the nervous system.

* Renewal must follow effortPushing without pause builds strain. Like waves, effort needs a return. Without renewal, burnout is often the outcome.

* Feeling seen restores a sense of belongingAppreciation is not about praise or performance. It is about being noticed.

The previous walk and talk on Substack. “When Nature Speaks” with Eric Janzen see

https://rodjanz1.substack.com/p/when-nature-speaks

In this episode of Let’s Go for a Walk and Talk, I walk and speak with Eric Janzen. We talk about nature, anxiety, faith, and transformation. Eric shares how being outdoors calms his nervous system, why silence and solitude matter, and how certain moments in nature have shaped his spiritual life. We also talk about letting go of control and asking a profound question. Who am I becoming?

Note: The audio above contains a version that is only slightly edited and has the entire conversation. The video below is edited and is a little shorter. Enjoy!

👉 Eric’s Instagram → eric_h_janzen👉 Rod’s Instagram → @rjanz

Trail Wisdom via Eric Janzen:

* Nature can calm the nervous systemTime in the woods is not just relaxing. It can help quiet anxiety, slow the mind, and bring the body back into balance.

* We are not divided into partsMind, body, and spirit are not separate. When we slow down, we often feel more like ourselves because everything comes back into alignment.

* Not every meaningful experience needs to be chasedDeep moments often arrive on their own. What matters most is how we reflect on them and let them shape us over time.

* Letting go of control creates space for changeTrying to manage everything can exhaust us. Letting go can pave the way for a fresh perspective and a new way of being.

* A better question than what am I doingAsking who am I becoming can gently reorient your life toward kindness, compassion, and depth.

The previous walk and talk on Substack. “Walk and Talk with Brenda Wollenberg” see https://substack.com/home/post/p-181290431

This conversation follows Brenda Wollenberg on her daily walk as she reflects on nature, presence, justice, and how simple moments outdoors continue to shape her life.

👉 Brenda’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/inbalancelm/👉 Rod’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rjanz/

The previous walk and talk on Substack. “Walk and Talk with Nelson Boschman” -

https://rodjanz1.substack.com/p/walk-and-talk-with-nelson-boschman

Walk with Nelson Boschman as he reflects on nature as a place of rest during COVID, the challenges of vocational transition, and how the idea of an identity cleanse shaped his journey.

Nelson is a writer, spiritual director, retreat facilitator, jazz musician, wine enthusiast (I forgot to talk to him about that—next time), husband, and father. Nelson lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

👉 Nelson’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nelsonboschman/👉 Rod’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rjanz/

Last walk and talk on Substack (Jess Janz) - https://substack.com/home/post/p-180155230

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Come walk with me and my daughter Jess Janz at Buntzen Lake. We talk about how getting outside supports our mental health, impactful moments by the ocean, and what it means to pay attention to ordinary life. Jess shares stories about her writing poetry, and taking the time and having the courage to get to know her elderly neighbour.

Jess Janz on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jessjanz/

Jess Janz on Substack - https://substack.com/@jessjanz/posts

Rod Janz - https://www.instagram.com/rjanz/

Last episode on Substack:

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Ari Neufeld shares a deeply honest story while walking along the shores of Okanagan Lake. What begins as a simple conversation about favourite hiking spots turns into something much more powerful. Ari reflects on a childhood shaped by daily encounters with nature, the pressures of a faith tradition focused on the afterlife, and the inner turmoil he carried as a teenager. At fourteen, he set out alone in the hills near Lake Kalamalka, hoping to make sense of his identity and his place in the world.Through raw vulnerability and surprising beauty, Ari describes how nature became a teacher, a mirror, and a companion. Today he continues to learn how to let go of the pressure to be a star and instead honour the life he has.👉 Ari’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/arineufeld/👉 Rod’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rjanz/Music: Licensed, paid for royalty-free track Epidemic Sound

Last episode on Substack:

Making Friends with Grief

In this walk and conversation, coach and musician Nico opens up about losing his wife, Ingrid, to cancer and what grief has looked like in the years since her passing in 2014. He talks about how the grieving began long before she died, how peace eventually found him, and what it means to make friends with your grief instead of trying to escape it.

This is not a story about fixing pain. It is about facing it, feeling it, and learning to live beside it. Nico reminds us that grief is not something we get over. It changes shape, softens, and moves through us like waves. Sometimes it still knocks us down, but over time, it also teaches us tenderness and strength.

If you have ever lost someone or walked alongside someone who has, this conversation will meet you where you are. It speaks to love, letting go, and the quiet courage it takes to keep going.

👉 Nico’s Instagram👉 Nico’s Linktree👉 Rod’s Instagram

Timestamps00:00 – Talking about Ingrid’s passing00:56 – Grief beginning during her illness01:12 – Grieving before death and finding peace03:00 – The waves and triggers of grief04:14 – Facing emotions and finding relief

Photos by Rod Janz and @nicogroove on InstagramMusic licensed via Epidemic Sound

Watch on YouTube

Sometimes peace comes disguised as a dirt path beside a creek. Nico Boesten walks along the Mission Creek Greenway, talking about how this trail has carried him through everything from childhood wonder to adult heartbreak. You can hear how much it means to him in the way he describes it, like the place itself has been a witness to his life.

He talks about how nature settles him, how it slows his pulse and softens the noise in his mind. It is not a big spiritual lesson, just something he has learned by being there. The way the light moves through the trees. The smell of cedar and damp earth (on the West Coast). The steady sound of water.

Once, he cried in a forest because it was breathtaking. Another time, he saw a cloud shaped like Africa and took it as a sign to go. He actually did.

Listening to him, you remember that healing is not a grand event. It is a series of small connections. It is a quiet walk, a bit of wind, and the rhythm of your steps. Nature does not ask anything of you. It just reminds you, in its patient way, that you are okay and still here, still breathing, still part of something steady and life-giving.

Timestamps00:00 – Mission Creek Greenway and early memories02:00 – Mountain biking, risk, and resilience03:00 – Moments of wonder and beauty in nature06:00 – Nature’s calming power and nervous system reset09:00 – Seeing signs and finding peace in the natural world👉 Nico’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nicogroove/👉 Nico’s linktr.ee → https://linktr.ee/Nicogroove👉 Rod’s Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rjanz/

Today’s conversation with Peter Reek is about seeing midlife as a beginning. Peter sold his company, returned to school, and wrote Shift. He explains why changing how we think about aging can change our experience of it. We talk about stillness, curiosity, and radical acceptance. We talk about his recent walk on the Portuguese Camino, blisters and all, and reflect on coaching, community, and what gives life meaning.

Three takeaways

* Midlife is a design opportunity.

* Stillness lets meaning surface.

* Questions often do more than advice.

Peter’s book

* Shift: 7 Mindsets for an Inspired Midlife — Peter Reek

Peter’s work & platforms

* InHabit.Life

* InHabit Magazine

* Shift Sessions (event) - Sold Out