The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Latest Episodes:

1KHO 705: Find Shelter or Die | Ward Larsen, Cold Zero Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

Ginny Yurich sits down with bestselling thriller writer and longtime airline captain Ward Larsen for a conversation that will make you want to put your phone down and pick a book up. They talk about Cold Zero—his high-stakes, teen-safe thriller co-written with Brad Thor—where a sabotaged jet crash-lands on Arctic ice with world-changing AI tech in the wreckage, and suddenly survival, espionage, and global power collide in the most inhospitable place on Earth. Ward shares how a fighter-pilot background and real crash-investigation experience shape his page-turners, how technology (and deepfakes) are rewriting the rules of modern warfare, and why small mistakes can be fatal—on the page and in real life.

Get your copy of Cold Zero here

Get your copy of The Perfect Assassin here

Find Ward’s books, tour stops, and signed-copy options at WardLarson.com, and learn more about Cold Zero (and Brad Thor) at BradThor.com.

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1KHO 704: Home Should Be the Safest Place on Earth | Stephen McWhirter, Radically Restored Feb 08, 2026

Show notes

Home is supposed to be where a child can exhale—but for Stephen McWhirter, growing up in a preacher’s family meant watching public faith and private violence collide, then carrying that silence into years of rebellion, addiction, and rage. In this tender, unforgettable conversation with Ginny Yurich, Stephen shares what it cost to keep the “everything’s fine” mask in place, how a copy of The Case for Christ landed in the middle of his darkest night, and why real healing often begins when we stop hiding and start telling the truth. You’ll hear a refreshingly grounded take on parenting kids who act out, the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, and the surprising kindness of God that can meet someone right where they are and change everything. Stephen’s book is Radically Restored: How Knowing Jesus Heals Our Brokenness and his music includes “Come Jesus Come” and “My Right Now.”

Learn more about Stephen and all he has to offer here

Get your copy of Radically Restored here.

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1KHO 703: If Reading is Hard, Everything is Hard | Dr. Janissa Jackson, Learning Rx Feb 07, 2026

Show notes

Clinical psychologist Dr. Janissa Jackson has spent 20 years evaluating kids and watching childhood change. In this conversation, she explains why reading struggles can make everything feel harder (for kids and parents), what many interventions miss beneath dyslexia and attention issues, and why building cognitive skills like processing speed and working memory can change a child’s entire trajectory (and quickly!) You’ll also hear hopeful insight for adults dealing with ADHD, brain injury, or memory decline, plus the surprisingly grounding ranch life that keeps her anchored in the real world. Learn more about Dr. Jackson’s centers at LearningRx: https://www.learningrx.com/ and explore locations here: https://www.learningrx.com/locations/ — and if you want to follow her work in Northwest Arkansas, start here: https://www.learningrx.com/fort-smith/

Learn more about evaluation services here

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1KHO 702: Sometimes I Have Dirt on My Noodles | Dr. Nicole Cain, Panic Proof Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

Ginny Yurich sits down with Dr. Nicole Cain—author of Panic Proof—for a conversation that makes anxiety feel less mysterious and a whole lot more workable. Nicole explains why panic is often protective, how to spot your early “pay attention” signals before you hit crisis mode, and why the same tool won’t always work. You’ll come away with practical ideas like building a “panic pack,” using cold to calm the nervous system, and simple brain-and-body resets that matter even more in a screen-saturated world. They also go deeper on hormones, sleep, SSRIs, and why creativity and movement can be real medicine especially for kids.

Learn more about Dr. Cain and her work at drnicolecain.com, get a copy of her book Panic Proof, and check out her podcast Holistic Inner Balance.

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1KHO 701: Charismatic Adults | Dr. Robert Brooks, Raising Resilient Children Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

Harvard-trained psychologist and resilience expert Dr. Robert Brooks has spent decades watching what helps kids thrive and also what breaks them down. In this conversation with Ginny Yurich, he flips the script from “what’s wrong” to what’s strong: how to spot and honor your child’s islands of competence, why resilience is rooted in at least one steady adult a child can “gather strength” from, and how empathy changes everything from discipline to screen habits to the way we speak when kids melt down. You’ll walk away with language you can use today, a fresh way to think about technology and AI without panic, and a deeper reminder that children don’t need perfect parents but they do need present ones who help them feel valued, capable, and truly known.

Learn more about Dr. Robert Brooks and all he has to offer here

Check out Dr. Brooks extensive list of books here

Read Dr. Brooks articles (a new one every month!) here

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1KHO 700: Mouth Breathing is Terrible | James Nestor, Breath Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

James Nestor joins host Ginny Yurich on The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast for a conversation that can change how you think about energy, sleep, focus, and stress starting with the air you’re breathing all day. You’ll learn why indoor CO2 can quietly drag down cognition (especially in schools, offices, and hotels), why mouth breathing can spiral into snoring, fatigue, and anxious “air hunger,” and how nasal breathing supports calmer nervous systems and better performance. From kids to adults, athletes to desk workers, this episode connects the dots between modern living and the most overlooked pillar of health and leaves you with practical takeaways you can try immediately.

Get your copy of Breath here

Learn more about James and all he has to offer here

Get the Free Guided Audio Breath Reset Tracks here

⁠700 EPISODES TSHIRT LAUNCH⁠... "⁠Yes, I've Eaten a Bug Or Two⁠" toddler tee launches for just $10 this week. All other 1000 Hours Outside apparel is 20% off as well. No discount code needed!

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1KHO 699: Safety Comes at a Cost | Alex Hutchinson, The Explorer's Gene Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Ginny Yurich talks with science journalist and bestselling author Alex Hutchinson about a shift that’s been happening for decades: kids are exploring less, adults are settling sooner, creativity is declining, and screens are filling the space where real-world discovery used to happen. Drawing from his new book The Explorer’s Gene and the research behind the “explore vs. exploit” dilemma, Alex explains why safety, convenience, and passive entertainment may be costing us more than we realize—and why active exploration is the key to building adaptable, confident, creative humans in an uncertain future. This conversation reframes how we think about play, risk, childhood freedom, and even our own life choices, offering practical language for what families are up against and a hopeful vision for how small, everyday adventures can restore the skills we’re losing.

Get your copy of The Explorer's Gene here

Get your copy of Endure here

Learn more about Alex and all he has to offer here

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1KHO 698: Out of the Flower Chair | Bart and Shannon Millard, MercyMe Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

Bart and Shannon Millard of MercyMe share the story behind the years they now call “the flower chair”—a season of grief, chronic stress, parenting strain, and quiet disconnection that nearly reshaped their family for good. What followed wasn’t a dramatic rescue but a slow return through counseling, community, and the hard grace of facing what they had tried to survive alone. In this honest conversation with Ginny Yurich, they talk about the pre-2004 and post-2004 turning point, a child’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis, marriage under pressure, the surprising role of mentor Tim Timmons, and the real story behind how I Can Only Imagine changed their lives. Their new book Even If and the film I Can Only Imagine 2 reveal what they call “personal evidence of God’s goodness” in the middle of the mess—especially for parents carrying something that doesn’t just go away.

Preorder 'Even If' here

Learn more about Bart and Shannon here

Order 'I Can Only Imagine' here

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

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
Hungry Root - Go to www.hungryroot.com/1000HOURS and use code 1000HOURS to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life.
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Wayfair - Go to www.wayfair.com and shop all things home
Cure Hydration- head to www.curehydration.com/outside to find a retailer near you

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1KHO 697: Stand Your Ground | Joel Muddamalle, The Unseen Battle Feb 01, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, host Ginny Yurich sits down with theologian and author Joel Muddamalle for a conversation that feels both ancient and urgently relevant. Drawing from Joel’s new book The Unseen Battle, they explore spiritual warfare not as something sensational or fear-driven, but as a daily, lived reality shaped by attention, truth, imagination, and small choices. From why Eve didn’t panic when the serpent spoke, to how modern distractions quietly gain a foothold in our lives, to why standing firm matters more than fighting harder, this episode invites listeners to see Scripture in full color and to recover a grounded, hopeful confidence. It’s thoughtful, accessible theology for parents, skeptics, and anyone who senses there’s more happening beneath the surface of ordinary life.

🔗 Get your copy of Joel’s book, The Unseen Battle

🔗 Check out Stranger Theology: https://www.strangertheology.com

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1KHO 696: Honey and the Unexpected Yes | Drew and Ava Miller, Petal Honey Co Jan 31, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Ginny Yurich sits down with father-daughter duo Drew and Ava Miller—homeschoolers, musicians, and the heart behind Petal Honey Co—to talk about the kind of life shift you never see coming, but later realize was guidance all along. What started as a random stop at a honey-for-sale sign turned into beekeeping, bottling, rebuilding after hard losses, and building real community through local food and hands-on work. We talk about the beauty of honey, the stewardship of creation, why pollinators matter, and how “outdoor work” can quietly change a family—slowing you down, strengthening you, and giving kids purpose you can’t manufacture indoors. You’ll also hear about Drew and Ava’s music (recorded as a time capsule of their ages), Ava’s love of incubating chicks, and a childhood outdoor memory that will make you want to plan a trip and reread the books that shaped you. L

Check out Petal Honey Co here

Check out | Miller and Co music here

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