Jessica DeAngelo joins me for a conversation about what happens when we step outside, move our bodies, and give ourselves space to think differently.

After a pivotal moment with her young daughter, Jessica began a simple experiment: 30 minutes a day in nature, without technology. What followed wasn't a quick fix, but a shift — from scattered attention to clearer thinking, from constant input to something more grounded.

In this episode, we explore how movement and time outdoors support creativity, why stepping away from screens can help us refocus on what actually matters, and how a consistent, accessible practice in nature can change the way we show up in both our work and our lives.

This conversation is for anyone who feels mentally full, stretched thin, or stuck — and is curious what might open up with a little more space, movement, and time outside.

On a morning walk, three blue jay feathers stop Susan in her tracks — a small moment that opens into a deeper reflection on change and possibility.

In this solo episode, she shares the story of imaginal cells — the cells inside a caterpillar that carry the blueprint for a butterfly. During transformation, the caterpillar doesn't simply change form. It dissolves completely before something new begins to organize.

Through this lens, Susan explores how periods of uncertainty in our own lives may not be signs that something is wrong, but part of a natural process of reorganization.

She reflects on what it means to speak what feels true, how connection is created through that honesty, and why paying attention to what's quietly emerging matters — even when it's not fully formed.

If something in your life feels undefined or in transition, this episode offers a way to hold that space with a bit more curiosity.

Nature is often treated as a luxury — something we visit when we have time.

But public health researcher Jay Maddock has spent years studying something different: what actually happens in the body when we spend time outside.

In this conversation, Jay shares the research behind what many of us intuitively feel. Within minutes of stepping outside, blood pressure drops, mood improves, and our nervous system begins to reset. Over longer periods, time in nature may even strengthen immune function.

Jay's work sits at the intersection of public health, behavioral science, and environmental psychology. From leading the Center for Health and Nature at Texas A&M to helping launch the Nature and Health Alliance, he is helping build the research infrastructure behind what many people already sense: nature isn't an escape from life — it's part of how human health works.

Susan and Jay explore micro-doses of nature, weekend "macro doses," nature prescriptions in healthcare systems, and why the biggest shift often comes simply from moving from no nature to some nature.

The conversation is both scientific and practical — a reminder that even small moments outside can have meaningful effects on how we feel and function.

In our conversation we explore:

• Why even 10 minutes outside can shift how we feel
• The idea of "micro-doses" and "macro-doses" of nature
• Research linking greener neighborhoods with better mental health
• The growing movement of nature prescriptions in healthcare
• How nature can help restore attention and reduce burnout

One of the most important insights Jay shares is simple:

The greatest benefit from nature often comes from moving from no exposure to some exposure.

Small moments outside may matter more than we think.