The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Join award-winning journalist Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up With Your Phone, as she shares her journey to rediscovering joy in life. Catherine reveals how a late-night phone epiphany led her to embrace activities like guitar and rowing. She discusses the time-value paradox and why we often neglect fun, while highlighting the importance of true fun that fosters connection. With tips on overcoming perfectionism and nurturing curiosity, Catherine reminds us that delight is both local and inexpensive—perfect for families looking to reclaim joy.

Kristen Welch, CEO of Mercy House Global and author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, shares how a transformative trip to Kenya reshaped her family's approach to gratitude and entitlement. She discusses the dangers of comparison and the importance of parents modeling gratitude. Kristen emphasizes the power of boredom and slowing down in a screen-driven world, along with strategies for limiting tech use and encouraging reading. Her insights on underindulgence help foster appreciation, while letting kids face failure builds resilience for adult life.

Ruth Chou Simons, an artist, author, and mother of six, dives into the healing power of nature to combat our frantic, digital lives. She shares how Jesus’ lessons on wildflowers teach us to embrace individuality and resilience. With vivid stories, Ruth connects wildflowers to personal experiences, like painting in the ICU during her son’s injury to shift focus from fear to faith. The conversation encourages parents to cultivate unhurried lives, embrace tactile hobbies, and nurture meaningful relationships in a world that often rushes by.

What if retirement isn’t the goal of a good life—but a detour from your purpose? In this rich, countercultural conversation, Hobby Lobby founder David Green and legacy expert Bill High challenge the empty-nest, me-first script and offer a generational vision families can actually live. They unpack why purpose doesn’t expire at 65, how multi-generation storytelling keeps a family’s “chief storytellers” (grandparents!) at the center, and why mission, vision, and values—written down and rehearsed—beat hustle and highlight reels. You’ll hear surprising practices from the Green family (including an annual family celebration, monthly giving meetings, and a conflict-resolution policy), a freeing definition of legacy as what you set in motion, and a simple refrain that reshapes wealth and work: earn, don’t inherit; steward, don’t own. For parents, teens, and grandparents alike, this episode is a practical field guide to building roots that outlast you—without losing joy in the day-to-day. Expect vivid stories (44-state camping in a pop-up, backyard tunnel cities, and taking principled risks), a reframe of “success” that prioritizes relationships over accumulation, and small moves with compounding power: draft a one-page family creed, name the ten stories your kids must know, protect a weekly Sabbath-style family meeting, and trade child-centered schedules for family-centered rhythms. Listen in, then ask: What one degree change could I set in motion today that my great-grandchildren will feel? Get your copy of The Legacy Life here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When pastor and author Shawn Johnson went to the doctor expecting news about a pinched nerve, he never imagined he’d leave with a diagnosis of an incurable brain disease. What followed was heartbreak, fear, and a hard-won rediscovery of purpose. In this powerful conversation, Shawn shares how faith, movement, and honest community helped him climb out of the pit—one day, one prayer, and one boxing session at a time. He talks about telling his sons the truth, learning to dream again in smaller, closer ways, and realizing that the hardest moments can shape us into more present parents, partners, and friends. Shawn’s story is an invitation to stop waiting for “someday.” He reminds us that finish lines belong on our calendars, that brokenness can build connection, and that joy can be found even in the fire. If you’ve been walking through uncertainty, this episode will help you see how to fight for hope, live like time matters, and chase down your dreams today. Get your copy of Shawn's newest book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Somewhere along the way, modern parenting turned into a battle against biology. In this powerful conversation, Britt Chambers—founder of Good Night Moon Child—joins Ginny Yurich on The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast to dismantle the myth that babies need to be trained to fit adult schedules. She reveals how industrialized culture, profit-driven baby products, and pressure for independence have pulled parents away from nature’s original design: deep, intuitive connection. Together, they explore what it really means to raise the baby with the mother—to rest when your baby rests, to nurture at night and thrive in the day, to trust the signals instead of suppress them. From night waking to outdoor rhythms to the quiet rebellion of slowing down, this episode invites parents to remember what our ancestors never forgot: children who stay close to nature stay close to themselves. Learn more about Britt and all the incredible support she has to offer here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this enlightening discussion, Bryan Gouge, a youth mental health expert with Compassion International, shifts the focus from "fixing" kids to empowering communities. He shares invaluable insights on four guiding principles for mental health support and discusses the transformative power of reframing symptoms as strengths. Bryan tells inspiring stories of youth-led initiatives in Nairobi's Dandora, highlighting how nature and connection can foster resilience. With practical tips for parents, he emphasizes the importance of building a village to nurture our children together.

Sean Dietrich returns for his fourth conversation with Ginny Yurich, and it’s one of his most powerful yet. From the near-extinction of kids on bikes to the loss of long attention spans, Sean names what many parents quietly feel — that a way of life has disappeared almost overnight. He shares how a few months with a flip phone reshaped his focus, how fiction can tell the truest truths, and why childhood once “alive with wonder” is now in danger of being managed instead of lived. This episode is a call to remember and rebuild. Sean and Ginny talk about children learning to self-manage in the woods, the discipline of reading when every app competes for our eyes, and the beauty of cursive, handwritten words. It’s equal parts nostalgia and warning, wisdom and humor — and a reminder that protecting childhood isn’t sentimental. It’s essential. Get your copy of Over Yonder here Get your copy of The Absolute Worst Christmas Ever here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if your aches, digestive issues, or low-energy days aren’t just about food or stress — but how well your body manages gravity? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Brennan Spiegel unpacks “gravity intolerance,” the idea that our bodies are increasingly out of sync with the gravity force we evolved under. From astronauts losing bone density in space to children collapsing into chairs, the missing piece isn’t always more activity or diet—it’s a better alignment with how nature meant us to move, stay upright, and resist the downward drag. Dr. Spiegel weaves together stories and science: how weak posture flattens digestion, how serotonin isn’t just a mood chemical but a key tool for gravity-resilience, how weighted vests and foot contact matter, and why many gut-brain problems (including IBS) may stem from gravity mis-management more than we realized. If you want to help your kids, your body, and your mind move stronger, think clearer, and feel lighter — this episode will change how you see the ground beneath your feet. Get your copy of Pull here A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Select Quote: Head to ⁠⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Quince - Visit ⁠⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠⁠if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. NurtureLife - Head to ⁠⁠NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55⁠⁠ and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping. Piper and Leaf: get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar when you ⁠⁠order here⁠⁠! Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at⁠⁠ www.earthley.com⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filming in Morocco and fresh off the marathon research behind Cry Havoc, bestselling author and former Navy SEAL Jack Carr returns for his fourth 1KHO conversation—this time squarely in our wheelhouse of reading, learning, and family culture. Jack makes a compelling case that books are the antidote to algorithm-driven distraction: stories train attention, build empathy, and hand our kids a durable inner compass you can’t get from a social media feed. We walk through how he reconstructed 1968 for his new novel (maps, memoirs, dictionaries from the era!) and why that kind of deep work mirrors what we want for our children—slow knowledge, resilient mindsets, and the courage to think for themselves. Parents will love the practical spillover: cultivate “analog downtime” (think: cards at the table, shared read-alouds) where wisdom is actually transmitted; point teens to big, stretching books that expand vocabulary and perspective; and use history and fiction to talk about media literacy in an age when everyone is “the press.” Jack shares a short canon he believes every American should know, and we connect it to everyday habits that raise readers—not scrollers. If you’re building a home where curiosity, grit, and good stories shape the next generation, this one will light a fire. Get your copy of Cry Havoc here A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Select Quote: Head to ⁠⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Quince - Visit ⁠⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠⁠if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. NurtureLife - Head to ⁠⁠NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55⁠⁠ and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping. Piper and Leaf: get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar when you ⁠⁠order here⁠⁠! Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at⁠⁠ www.earthley.com⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices