Wild Ideas Worth Living

Pattie Gonia is the world’s first outdoor drag queen and activist. The brainchild of Wyn Wiley, a talented photographer and Eagle Scout from Nebraska, Pattie rocks her platform boots to hike, ski, and now surf her way through Mother Nature’s most beautiful settings. She’s become an example of how to be WILDLY YOU, no matter what.

Dr. Edith Eger is a Holocaust survivor, an author, and a renowned therapist. In 1944, when she was just a teenager, Edith had been training to make the Hungarian Olympic Gymnastics Team when her family was forcefully sent to Auschwitz, one of the most infamous Nazi concentration camps in Poland. Her experience there was both raw and heartbreaking, but Edith was able to survive. Today, she has helped thousands of people deal with their own trauma and grief to live life to its fullest potential.

Karen Rinaldi is the author of It’s Great to Suck at Something, a book about the joy she found in pursuit of surfing, a sport she says she’ll never be good at. David Romanelli wrote Life Lessons from the Oldest and Wisest when he started to realize that elderly people often have some of the best advice. David and Karen talk about why sucking at something can be awesome, how to let go of our egos, and focus more on the relationships we have, the way we make people feel, and the energy we put into the wo

Garrett Dutton, aka G. Love of G. Love & Special Sauce, has had an incredibly successful music career but remains humble and grounded. His music uses unexpected combinations from different musical genres like blues, R&B, surf, and jazz in his songs. Aside from being a master at his craft, Garrett’s a passionate ocean lover and a father of two boys. Inspiration for songs often comes while he’s surfing with his kids.

In honor of Earth Day 2019, dive into the problem of plastic pollution and the impact it’s having on our oceans with a handful of experts that are channeling their creative and innovative brain power to combat the issue of plastic pollution, from surfer Rob Machado to the people behind Igloo’s first biodegradable cooler, Alison Teal, and the Girl Scout who got Alaska Airlines to give up plastic straws.

Steve Bramucci is a writer who has been able to focus his passion for the outdoors and books into a career as a kid's adventure author and a travel/food writer for national publications like Uproxx (where he's the travel, adventure, and food editor) and National Geographic. On assignment, he’s rowed down the Mekong Delta on a traditional Vietnamese boat called a x’ampan, traveled into the Australian Outback with Aboriginal elders, and driven himself through East Africa on safari.

Brian Keaulana is a legendary waterman, who grew up on the water near Makaha Beach fishing, surfing, and spending time with friends and family near the ocean. He became one of the top lifeguards on the island and is credited with not only creating the jet ski rescue sled but also some of the first commercial standup paddleboards. His heritage goes all the way back to Hawaiian royalty, and his insight into traditional Hawaiian values and culture has made him the ultimate mentor.

Sally Bergesen, the founder of Oiselle, fell in love with running in college but couldn’t find the kind of running clothes she wanted to wear, so she created her own company. As she learned more about women and their relationship with clothing, she started diving deeper into the history of women’s athletic apparel. Sensi Graves is a kiteboarder, who created a swimsuit company with suits that could keep up with athletes on the water, stay in place, look good, and be produced in a sustainable way.

Kim Chambers was 30 years old, an athlete and a powerful executive, when she slipped and fell down a set of stairs. The injuries she sustained changed the course of her life. In 2014, she became the sixth person (and third woman) to complete the Oceans Seven. In 2015, Kim became the first woman to swim 30 miles from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, a swim that’s incredibly dangerous.

In June of 2017, rock climber Alex Honnold climbed El Capitan, a granite rock formation about 3,000 feet high in Yosemite National Park without any ropes. His journey to achieve that climb was captured and made into a beautiful, Academy Award-nominated documentary by filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Aside from being incredibly talented filmmakers, Jimmy and Chai are married with two small children.

Smartphones have been around for a little over a decade, but in that short time, many of us have become addicted to our digital devices. Have you ever been staring at a gorgeous vista or surrounded by snow and found yourself wanting to pull out your phone to capture the moment? Danny Kim is a researcher and speaker who is studying the impact of technology and social media on our health. In his workshops, he talks about how to actually unplug.

At Sea Change Preparatory, a school in Del Mar, San Diego,, they begin each day on the beach with a ten-minute meditation and a mile-long swim in the open ocean before starting classes. John Allcock, the co-founder and Director of Mindfulness at Sea Change Preparatory, talks about the impact this education is having on kids’ lives. John is a Harvard-educated trial lawyer and the author of Forty Things I Wish I’d Told My Kids, a book about his journey learning mindfulness.

Last year was a big year for this podcast, and this year we’re boosting our production even more. We’re diving deeper into stories and exploring not just people, but also about topics and ideas that will help you chase down your own wild adventures. From mindfulness to saying yes to fear, hacking your health, and changing how we think about the outdoors, fitness, and technology, we’ve already recorded the first few shows. I think you’re going to love it.

We are now two years, 97 episodes, and over a million listens into this podcast. It’s been a privilege to interview some of the biggest names in adventure. We’ve talked about how being outside in nature can help us become healthier, what it’s like seeing the earth from outer space, the changing tides of consumerism, fighting wildfires, gaining financial independence, ultramarathon trail running, becoming sober, representation in the outdoors, breaking records, how to face fear, and so much more. 

In his New York Times bestselling book Living with a Seal, Jesse chronicles his month of living and training with Navy Seal David Goggins. Years later he shared his experience living in a monastery in New York in his book Living with Monks. Early in his career, Jesse was a rapper, and these days he is also a serious adventurer, running ultramarathons and launching an event called 29,029 that brings “Everesting” to individuals around the country.