rod-janz

How Walking In Nature Can Reset Your Mind And Soul

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:55:48 GMT

What happens when you step away from the noise and busyness of the city and go for a walk?

In this Let's Go For A Walk (And Talk), I'm joined by Gordie Lagore in the beauty of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park . We talk about rest, burnout, presence, and a powerful encounter Gordie had with a bear that turned into something unexpectedly sacred.

This conversation is a gentle invitation to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover what it means to feel human again.

Thanks for walking with us.

Gordie Lagore - https://www.soulstream.org/spiritual-directors/sd-profile/gordie-lagore/

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New Course: Hints Of Gladness: Rediscovering Happiness Through Intention And Awareness. Click here to learn more - https://insig.ht/AnHp1aqEb1b

What Nature Teaches Us About Letting Go

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:14:03 GMT

What can a river, a forest, or even moss teach us about life?

Watch in YouTube

In this walking conversation, Rod talks with musician and songwriter Brian Thiessen about surrender, parenting, grief, and the wisdom we can learn from nature.

Along the way, Brian shares the story behind his song Cathedral , a piece that began as a poem written in the forest after the sudden loss of his father and slowly grew into music over nearly a decade.

They explore how letting go often becomes one of life’s most difficult and necessary lessons. From raising children who grow into their own beliefs to noticing how something as small as moss can teach us about simply taking the space we are given.

This episode also includes music by Brian woven throughout the conversation, creating space to pause and reflect.

Brian on Instagram

Brian on YouTube

River Take You Home

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Rod Janz on Instagram

Rod’s website

New Course: Hints Of Gladness: Rediscovering Happiness Through Intention And Awareness. Click here to learn more - https://insig.ht/AnHp1aqEb1b

Midlife Is A Design Opportunity with Peter Reek

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 02:18:32 GMT

In this conversation with Peter Reek we discuss seeing midlife as a beginning. Peter sold his company, returned to school, and wrote Shift. He explains why changing how we think about aging can change our experience of it. We talk about stillness, curiosity, and radical acceptance. We talk about his recent walk on the Portuguese Camino, blisters and all, and reflect on coaching, community, and what gives life meaning.

Listen on Substack

Three takeaways

Midlife is a design opportunity.
Stillness lets meaning surface.
Questions often do more than advice.

Peter’s book

Shift: 7 Mindsets for an Inspired Midlife — Peter Reek

Peter’s work & platforms

InHabit.Life
InHabit Magazine
Shift Sessions (event) - Sold Out

Rediscovering Joy in Everyday Life: Learning to Notice Hints of Gladness

rodjanz07@gmail.com (Rod Janz) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:35:54 GMT

Finding Joy in Ordinary Moments

Many people are searching for happiness as if it were something hidden, separate from us and inaccessasible. We read books, listen to podcasts, and try new practices hoping something will finally unlock a deeper sense of joy.

But, I have found that joy isn't something we create; it's something we notice.

I discovered this through an unexpected moment during a business coaching session.

The Wake Up Moment

During one session I made an offhand comment. Half joking, I said, “I sound like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.”

My coach paused and replied, “Yeah… you’re bringing me down too.” It landed like a gut punch. It was uncomfortable to hear but in that moment I realized something important. My baseline attitude had quietly drifted toward negativity.

I didn't want to ignore difficult emotions. Pretending everything is fine is not healthy and it can become a form of spiritual bypassing. But I also knew I was tired of allowing negativity to shape my outlook on life. So I decided to try a small experiment.

A Thirty Day Experiment in Noticing Joy

For thirty days I committed to a simple practice. Every morning during my walk, I intentionally looked for what I started calling “hints of gladness.” The phrase comes from the poet Mary Oliver, who once wrote about trees giving off hints of gladness that almost save her, daily.

The idea was simple. Instead of focusing on worries or problems, I would pay attention to small moments of goodness around me. Not big dramatic events. Just small things.

The Small Moments That Changed Everything

At first it felt almost too simple, but slowly something began to shift as I noticed... Sunlight moving through tree branches. Birdsong returning with the spring season. A stranger offering a friendly wave. The smell of ocean air in the morning.

Nothing in my life circumstances dramatically changed. What changed was my attention and focus. I started naming the small things that brought quiet delight.

When the Shift Happened

After about three weeks something surprising happened. The moments of joy were no longer limited to my morning walk. I began to notice them throughout the entire day. My perspective had changed. The joy had always been there. I simply had not been paying attention.

Joy Is Already Present

That insight eventually became the foundation for my course on Insight Timer called Hints of Gladness: Rediscovering Happiness Through Intention and Awareness.

But the deeper discovery was this. There is nothing we need to fix before we can experience joy. There is nothing we need to achieve. We simply need to notice. Joy does not need to be spectacular. Often it appears in the quiet, ordinary moments of life.

An Invitation to Slow Down

If you take the time to pause and look closely at your day, you may begin to see what was there all along.

A moment of kindness.
A beautiful piece of music.
A quiet walk outside.
The warmth of sunlight on your face.

These are the hints of gladness woven through everyday life. And sometimes the simple act of noticing them is enough to bring us home to ourselves.

Peace.

Explore the Hints of Gladness Course

I recently created a course on Insight Timer inspired by this practice of walking, noticing, and being present in nature through prayer and meditation.

As my spiritual director once told me, the practice is simply this: Just noticing.

The course is an invitation to rediscover happiness not as something we must create, but as something already present in our lives. You can learn more about the course here:
https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/hints-of-gladness-rediscovering-happiness-through-intention-and-awareness

You can also listen to the course introduction below.