Welcome to The Open-Air Life
The newsletter that inspires you to connect with nature in everyday life through the Nordic culture of friluftsliv.
Frilufts…what?
When I became a mom in Indiana many years ago, I didn’t think of myself as the most outdoorsy person in the world. I was just trying to give my daughters the kind of childhood I’d had myself, back in Sweden. A mud swinging, tree climbing, barefoot running, puddle jumping, nature playing, dirt digging, free ranging kind of childhood.
But soon, I noticed that my idea of a good childhood wasn’t necessarily the norm and I felt rather lonely in my parenting journey. At daycare, the children spent most of the day zoned out in front of a TV. At preschool, they were being drilled with wall words, letter tracing and homework. And at school, recess was mostly an indoor affair, especially in the wintertime when the weather was always considered too cold, too windy or too rainy for the students to be outside.
I realized that if I wanted my daughters to have a childhood anything like my own, I had to become very intentional about spending time outside with them, all year round. So, I fell back on the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv, or “open-air life,” that I had grown up with and started a blog to share my journey with like-minded people like you from around the world.
The goal of this newsletter, my social media accounts, my blog and my two books is pretty simple. I want to empower you and your family to live a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life in tune with nature. And I don't want you to feel the loneliness that I did when I moved away from my biome and became a mom all those years ago.
Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor dweller or you’re just getting started, I'm excited that you want to be a part of this community. Together, we can change our own lives and the health of the planet for the better.
Why subscribe?
When you subscribe to The Open-Air Life, you can expect to get monthly(ish) newsletters packed with inspiration for how to live your best outdoor life. A typical newsletter includes:
Seasonal tips for living an active outdoor life, regardless of the weather
Updates on my latest projects and coming events
Links to relevant news and research about friluftsliv and outdoor play
Book and podcast tips
About me
I am a Swedish American writer and author of the parenting memoir There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge), which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2017 to critical acclaim. My second book, The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Connect with Nature Every Day is a beautifully illustrated guide to everyday nature connection that was published by Penguin Random House in 2022.
My work and books have been featured in several leading American magazines, newspapers and online sites, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time.com, The New York Post, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Orion Magazine, Slate Magazine, and many more. I’m a passionate advocate for the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv and believe that the best childhood memories are created outside, while jumping in puddles, digging in dirt, catching bugs and climbing trees. When I’m not writing, I’m usually found sauntering around the pine forests near my home in western Sweden, where I live with my husband, two daughters and two bonus daughters.
