The Fear of Loneliness

Julie Censullo has a rule: When someone invites her to do something, she always says yes. It’s her way of staving off loneliness. But when aquaintances suggested a four-day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters, she started second guessing herself. This was way outside her comfort zone. In the weeks leading up to the trip, she was so anxious she was hardly sleeping. On this episode, Julie takes us to the Minnesota wilderness and explores what happens when you ignore your personal boundaries — just to make friends. --- Links: Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram Sign up for our email newsletter --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke  

Ilana Nevins loved backpacking with her father. But after she was diagnosed with an eating disorder, their relationship became strained. She worried that hiking together would put her recovery at risk, because so many of her behaviors were modeled after him. In this episode, Ilana shares the story of the difficult challenge she faced: how to prioritize her own wellbeing without wrecking her relationship with a loved one. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Sign up for our email newsletter Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke

In May of 2022, Maria Ordovas-Montanes set out to become the fastest woman to run the Oxford Greenbelt Way, a 55-mile route through the English countryside. She had always loved running, and this was an exciting challenge. But at the event, something happened that would derail her life — and lead to a life-altering diagnosis. On this episode, Maria shares her story. --- Links: Support Out There Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke  

Humans are noisy. The National Park Service estimates that all of our whirring, grinding, and revving machines are doubling or even tripling global noise pollution every 30 years.  A lot of that noise is negatively affecting wildlife and human health. In this guest episode, the team from Outside/In takes us on an exploration of three sonic landscapes: noise, silence, and something in between. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke  

Many of us have experienced imposter syndrome at some point in our lives. Often it’s at work, where we doubt our own skills and accomplishments. But what happens when you feel like a fraud simply for being yourself? In this episode, we travel from New York State to a national park in Korea and explore how one transracial adoptee made peace with her own identity. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke  

Demetria Lynn always wanted to be a scientist. But growing up, no one believed in her. The negative feedback was so overpowering that she stopped believing in herself. In this episode, we follow Demetria from her elementary school classroom to a geology field trip in the desert, and explore what it took to rekindle faith in herself. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke  

Alison Világ pays attention for a living. She counts migrating ducks at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory in Michigan. It's key to getting a pulse on different bird populations. But for Alison, counting ducks is more than just science – it's an escape from the expectations of others. This is a guest story from Points North, a podcast about the land, water, and inhabitants of the Great Lakes region. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke  

Many of us go outside because the quiet is calming. But what if silence isn't calming for you? What if it’s the opposite? Could you still find a way to love it? In this episode, Florida-based producer Amber Von Schassen explores why silence in the outdoors is so unsettling for her, and shares what happened when she tried to get over her fear by spending 1,000 hours outdoors. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke  

For many of us, getting outside is more than just fun; it’s how we find inner stillness. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we decided to turn the mic over to you, our community. We asked how silence in nature has been significant to your mental health. On this episode, we’re sharing some of our favorite responses. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Tell a story at our Campfire Stories night Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke

For Paul Barach, hiking is an antidote to depression. Is it that way for everyone? This episode takes us from Washington State to Joshua Tree National Park and explores what happens when we try to impose our own life solutions on a loved one. --- Links: Support Out There on Patreon Tell a story at our Campfire Stories night Follow Out There on Facebook and Instagram --- Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke