What happens when we stop trying so hard to arrive? Last May, I walked the English Way of the Camino de Santiago—about 73 miles across northern Spain. I've shared one part of that story before: on day three, after the noise in my head finally began to quiet, I had the realization that eventually became the seed of ROOTED: This is where I belong. But there was more to that walk. There were three women who became unexpected companions and showed me something about moving through life without rushing. There were feathers that appeared in my path each day, a very unsubtle snail when I desperately wanted a sign, and a bird that seemed to reinforce the message: slow down. And there was a word I kept encountering along the way—volar, Spanish for "to fly"—that eventually found a permanent place on my wrist. Now, as I prepare to return to the Camino and walk part of the Portuguese Way, I'm thinking about that experience differently. This time, I'm not walking all the way to Santiago. I'm not organizing the journey around reaching the cathedral at the end. I'm walking eight days simply to walk—to be outside, to carry less, and to see what happens when I give the slowing down a little more time. Maybe that is part of what it means to walk through life as a pilgrim: to loosen our grip on the destination, pay attention to what appears along the way, and trust that sometimes the path gives us something different from what we planned—but closer to what we needed. Buen Camino. Connect with Susan: Website: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

What if some of our struggles with workplace wellbeing aren't really about individuals at all—but about the systems we've created around them? My guest today is my friend Elizabeth Bachrad, a population health practitioner whose work explores the relationship between work and health, and the policies, practices and systems that shape whether people are able to thrive at work and beyond it. Our conversation began with an idea Elizabeth had been thinking about: what it might mean for organizations to move from "ego systems"—organized largely around their own performance, efficiency and value—to ecosystems that recognize their interdependence with employees, communities, society and the natural world. From there, we explored what changes when we begin to see organizations less as machines to control and optimize and more as living systems. We talked about the difference between providing people with wellbeing resources and creating conditions that actually support wellbeing. We explored resilience, worker voice, human sustainability, leadership as stewardship, and why an ecosystem isn't necessarily a healthy ecosystem. And we kept returning to the relationships between people and the systems they inhabit. Perhaps the question isn't only how we help individuals become healthier or more resilient. Perhaps we also need to ask whether the systems around them are healthy—and what conditions might allow the whole system to thrive. Resources Mentioned Impact Management Platform A collaborative resource for organizations working to manage their impacts on people and the planet. https://impactmanagementplatform.org/ B Corp Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet B Lab's standards for social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. https://www.bcorporation.net/ Benefit Corporations / Public Benefit Corporations A legal corporate structure designed to embed consideration of stakeholders—not only shareholders—into company governance. Terminology and legal requirements vary by jurisdiction. https://usca.bcorporation.net/benefit-corporation/ Connect with Elizabeth LinkedIn: Elizabeth Bachrad Connect with ROOTED ROOTED: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing

What do you notice when you stop trying to get somewhere and simply pay attention to where you are? In this WALK WITH ME episode of Rooted, Susan invites you on a guided sensory scavenger hunt — a chance to slow your pace, step outside if you're able, and experience the place around you through sound, sight, smell, touch, and even taste. The walk begins with a simple check-in: How much tension are you carrying? How rushed do you feel? Where is your mind right now? From there, the invitation is simply to notice — a sound you haven't heard today, something you might normally walk past, the texture of bark or stone, the scent carried on the air. And then the walk becomes a little more playful. What might this place feel like if you experienced it as another creature? A fox moving quietly through familiar territory. A bird seeing the shape of the landscape from above. A rabbit alert to every vibration beneath its feet. For a few moments, the scavenger hunt becomes something more than a search for things to notice. It becomes an exploration of attention, belonging, and what changes when we remember that we aren't simply observers of the natural world. We are creatures, too. There's nothing you need to accomplish on this walk and nowhere in particular you need to arrive. Just bring yourself, move a little more slowly than usual, and see what you notice. Perhaps the things we've stopped noticing haven't disappeared. Perhaps we've simply been moving too quickly to see them. Connect with Susan: Website: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

What if simply paying attention to birds could help us feel calmer, more present, and more connected to the world around us? In this episode of Rooted, Susan talks with Holly C. Merker, professional birding guide, nature-based wellness practitioner, and co-author of Ornitherapy and The Power of Birdwatching. Holly shares the practice of ornitherapy and mindful birding—an approach that shifts the focus from identifying and counting birds to slowing down, engaging our senses, and simply experiencing the birds around us. They explore the growing research connecting birdsong and birdwatching with human wellbeing, the power of sit spots, and how birds can draw us naturally into presence, curiosity, wonder, and awe. Holly also shares how birds became an important source of presence and support during her own experience with cancer, and why she believes developing a relationship with the birds around us can ultimately inspire us to care more deeply for them and the places we share. You don't need binoculars, a field guide, or even the ability to identify a single bird to begin. You simply need to notice. Connect with Holly: Ornitherapy: https://ornitherapy.com Mindful Birding Network: https://www.themindfulbirdingnetwork.com Connect with Susan: Website: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

What do the dog days of summer have to do with a star? What does a coneflower have to do with echinacea? And what might a bald eagle flying over a busy city or a dragonfly resting in the grass reveal when we pause long enough to really look? In this Walk with SMB episode, Susan follows a handful of questions sparked by things she's noticed and learned this summer. The familiar phrase "dog days of summer" turns out to carry an ancient connection to Sirius, the Dog Star. A coneflower and echinacea reveal themselves as different ways of knowing the same plant. An unexpected bald eagle challenges assumptions about where nature belongs. And a close encounter with a female darner dragonfly becomes an opportunity to marvel at something as seemingly ordinary—and astonishing—as a pair of wings. Together, these observations lead to a larger question about curiosity, knowledge, and wonder. We often think explanation removes mystery: once we know how something works or what it's called, perhaps it becomes less remarkable. But what if the opposite is true? Looking closely can reveal how much more there is to notice. Learning one thing can lead to another question. And sometimes understanding a little more about the living world doesn't diminish wonder at all—it deepens it. During these dog days of summer, what are you curious about right now? What might become visible if you looked at something familiar a little more closely? Resources Mentioned Sirius (the Dog Star) and the origins of the "dog days of summer" Echinacea / coneflowers Darner dragonflies Connect with ROOTED https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast  

What if some of the capacities we long for aren't things we need to learn—but things we simply need to remember? In this open-ended walking conversation, I join Ber-Henda Williams, a womanist cultural strategist, storyteller, and convener, to explore what nature can teach us about leadership, culture, intuition, awe, and the seasons of a human life. Our conversation begins with formation—those quieter seasons when much is happening beneath the surface. From there, we wander through legacy, rites of passage, aging, the balance of the masculine and feminine, and what modern culture may have forgotten by losing touch with the natural milestones that once helped communities honor every stage of life. Along the way, something unexpected emerged for me. As we talked about intuition, I realized that every living being already knows how to respond to the conditions around it. Trees know when to unfold. Bees know where to gather pollen. The living world continually senses, adapts, and responds. If we are nature, perhaps intuition isn't something some people possess and others don't. Perhaps it's one of our oldest capacities—one we've become less practiced at hearing. This conversation doesn't offer simple answers. Instead, it invites us to slow down long enough to notice the patterns that surround us, reconnect with awe, and consider what becomes possible when we remember that we, too, belong to the living world. Sometimes the questions that stay with us are more valuable than the answers we hoped to find. Resources Mentioned Hagitude by Sharon Blackie The NeverEnding Story (film) Priya Parker's work on gathering Tricia Hersey and The Nap Ministry Connect with Ber-Henda Williams Ber-Henda Williams is a womanist cultural strategist, storyteller, and convener whose work centers placemaking, storytelling, and communal care through Culture Shifters Unite. Website: https://www.ber-hendawilliams.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berhenda/ Connect with Rooted Website: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast Connect with Susan  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

What if creativity isn't reserved for painters, musicians, or writers? In this episode of ROOTED, I sit down with environmental artist and educator Elayna Toby Singer for a conversation about creativity, public art, nature, and the ways our surroundings shape how we experience the world. Elayna creates immersive installations and community-centered art that invite people to slow down, notice, and connect more deeply with the places they inhabit. Together, we explore how nature influences the creative process, why beauty and wonder matter, and how art can foster belonging, curiosity, and relationship. Whether you consider yourself creative or not, this conversation offers an invitation to see creativity less as a talent and more as a way of engaging with the world. In this episode, we discuss: • How nature informs Elayna's creative practice • Creativity as a way of paying attention • The role of public art in creating connection and belonging • Why slowing down helps us notice what has always been there • How curiosity can become a creative practice • What happens when we create experiences instead of simply creating things Connect with Elayna Toby Singer Website: https://elaynatobyart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2083126150/ Connect with Susan & ROOTED Website: www.rootedsoulliving.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

Seeing images of the wildfires in Canada, I noticed fear rising. So instead of pushing the feeling away, I sat with it and found myself thinking about what years of observing the natural world have taught me about change. Nature is extraordinarily resilient. A landscape can be devastated and still hold the possibility of life. Forests change. Ecosystems adapt. Life finds a way to continue, although perhaps not in the same form that existed before. And because we are nature, I began to wonder: Is the resilience I see in the living world also something I can remember in myself? In this solo reflection, I explore what I mean when I talk about listening to nature, the difference between being smart and being wise, and the kind of hope that can emerge when we stay present with uncertainty rather than trying to immediately fix or escape it. Grounded hope isn't reassurance that everything will be okay. It's something steadier. It allows us to hold the paradox that destruction and regeneration can both be true. That grief and possibility can exist together. That we can be afraid of what is happening while still trusting in the resilience of life. When the landscape of your life changes, where do you look for hope? Maybe the Earth doesn't promise us that everything will be okay. Maybe she offers us something more honest: a reminder that life has been navigating change for a very, very long time—and that we are part of that life. Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey & Rooted Website: www.rootedsoulliving.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

We spend much of our lives looking down—at screens, sidewalks, and to-do lists. But what might change if we simply looked up? In this episode of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing, Susan welcomes psychologist and PhD researcher Braňo Kaleta from the Centre for Positive Health Sciences at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Braňo's research explores cloudspotting, stargazing, nature connectedness, and the psychology of awe. While the science of cloudspotting and stargazing is still emerging, our conversation explores what psychology is already teaching us about attention, perspective, and why moments of wonder may play an important role in our wellbeing. Together, we explore how directing our attention toward the sky can invite curiosity, restore our focus, and help us reconnect with something larger than ourselves. We also discuss Attention Restoration Theory, the importance of nature connectedness, why winter skies deserve more appreciation, and simple ways anyone can begin cultivating more awe in everyday life. In this episode, we explore: • What psychologists mean by the emotion of awe—and why it matters for wellbeing • Attention Restoration Theory and how paying attention to nature may help restore our capacity to focus • Why cloudspotting and stargazing invite curiosity, perspective, and wonder • Nature connectedness and why feeling part of nature matters for both personal and planetary wellbeing • Practical ways to experience more awe in everyday life • Why winter skies deserve more appreciation One of Braňo's questions has stayed with Susan long after the conversation ended: "What brings you awe?" Perhaps that's a question worth carrying with you the next time you step outside. Connect with Braňo Kaleta LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/branislavkaleta/ Centre for Positive Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Connect with Rooted 🌿 Website: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast 🌿 Susan Morgan Bailey: www.rootedsoulliving.com  🌿 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmorganbailey/ If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who could use a little more awe in their life. Thank you for walking with us.

What role do parks play in the health of a community? For many of us, parks are places to walk, play, or spend time outdoors. But what if they're also part of the infrastructure that helps communities become healthier, more connected, and more resilient? In this episode of ROOTED, I sit down with Martin Sampson, CEO of the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, to explore how parks and recreation contribute to wellbeing in ways that are often overlooked. We discuss why access to nature is more than a quality-of-life issue, the importance of investing upstream in prevention rather than waiting to respond to illness and crisis, and how parks create opportunities for connection, belonging, and resilience. Martin also shares the vision behind Everyone Outdoors Together, a growing movement inviting people to step outside, connect with nature, and experience the simple act of being outdoors as a shared community experience. Throughout our conversation, I found myself returning to a question that has shaped much of my own work: What conditions help people thrive? As we explored everything from public health and equitable access to advocacy and community design, it became clear that parks are not simply amenities—they are places where people gather, heal, connect, and remember that we are part of the living world. Perhaps creating healthier communities begins long before someone walks into a doctor's office. Perhaps it begins by creating places where people can step outside together. Resources Mentioned Everyone Outdoors Together Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Park Prescriptions (PaRx) Outdoor Play Canada GenWell CanActive Insights Connect with Martin Sampson Canadian Parks and Recreation Association: https://cpra.ca/ Everyone Outdoors Together: https://everyoneoutdoorstogether.ca/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-sampson-qwa-middlewood/ Connect with ROOTED Visit ROOTED online for episode notes, reflections, and additional resources: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/