CAMP š
Reflections after a gratitude-filled afternoon at camp + our new tagline, asking powerful questions, and hangin out.
āSometimes we spend so much time and energy thinking about where we want to go, that we donāt notice where we happen to be.ā
ā Dan Gutman
Last Thursday, I got to go to my favorite place in the world - Camp Scatico.
Sitting on a picnic table at the center of campus, I couldnāt help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude.
Grateful that I get to design and host an experience like Third Nature Summer Camp every year, and that I get to do it at Camp Scatico - my childhood home away from home, where I spent 8 weeks every summer from age 8 - 20.
After two years of doing Third Nature Summer Camp at different camps in the northeast (mainly a result of conflicts with my wedding in 2022 and a Scatico family wedding in 2023), I could not be more excited to be back at Scatico, where we hosted these weekends between 2016 - 2021.
But in that moment last Thursday, I felt so grateful that simply spending two hours at camp on an afternoon in February, envisioning our Labor Day Weekend retreat playing out, literally and figuratively getting into the weeds of the program, qualifies as my āwork.ā And grateful for everything that had to occur, both within and outside of my control, to make this work and life possible š
Since I got back from Southeast Asia at the beginning of the year, I havenāt been talking much about Third Nature Summer Camp. I hope you donāt mind, but I think thatās about to change.
As an experience designer, itās my goal every year to maintain and deepen what makes Third Nature Summer Camp so special, while continuously improving the program to meet the evolving needs of those we aim to serve.
For example, one big thing Iāve been thinking about for much of this past year, is how we can help people learn, grow, and connect as much as they always have at camp, while making the experience feel more light, fun, and rejuvenating.
Iām excited to share more of what weāre cooking up over the next few months.
For now, we recently published our biggest website update since our rebrand in January 2022, largely focused on refining copy to better reflect the vibe we want to lean into during all of our events & experiences.
One big shift is in our new tagline:
Love life more.
The website is still a bit of a work in progress, so if you head on over there, Iād love to hear what you think!
Third Nature Summer Camp
An essential ingredient in loving life: always have an adventure to look forward to.
Applications for Third Nature Summer Camp are officially live. If youāre interested, now is a great time to throw your hat in the ring before we announce on social media in the coming weeks.
Conscious Conversations | Friday, March 1st, 12-1pm EST
This weekās topic is Asking Powerful Questions.
Before every Conscious Conversation, we do our best to come up with powerful / impactful / thought-provoking questions related to that weekās topic, to help you learn more about yourself & others.
This time, we want to hear from you:
Whatās one of the most powerful questions youāve ever been asked?
What are some questions you like to ask others to really get to know them?
What are some questions you like to ask yourself?
How do you find the ārightā question to ask?
If youād like to join us to discuss all of the above and more, weād love to see you this Friday, March 1st from 12pm-1pm ET.
My Favorite Things Of The Week:
Favorite thing I read: A LinkedIn post from Justin Welsh, 8 expectations you must let go of in your 20s.
After reflecting on the hundreds of conversations Iāve had with people in their 20ās who are trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives, here are my quick thoughts on how to make the most of your 20ās - without the pressure.
Favorite thing I watched: The live band consisting of grizzly mountain men at the base of Okemo Mountain in Vermont, belting Alanis Morrisetteās āYou Oughta Knowā to kick off a 90ās-themed apres ski party.
Favorite thing I ate: Later that night - dinner at Homestyle Hotel & Restaurant in Ludlow, Vermont. We got the beet salad, garlic potato smashers, and pesto-crusted salmon. But the highlight for me was the focaccia bread, perfectly toasted and salted with whipped blood orange-honey butter. Oh, and the adult fireball shots with cinnamon-chile infused amaro.
Few things compare to a hearty meal after a full day of intense, outdoor physical activity - especially when the outdoors are cold and the activity is skiing.
Favorite thing I listened to: Probably the best podcast episode Iāve listened to so far this year, earlier today on the drive back to Long Island from Vermont.
It was an episode of the Ezra Klein Show with Sheila Liming, author of the book āHanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time.ā
The episode is titled, āThe āQuiet Catastropheā Brewing in Our Social Livesā - so when Alexis and I started listening to it, we braced ourselves for a sad indictment of the modern loneliness epidemic. And while part of it was exactly that, we appreciated the way that Klein and Liming explored the problem, focusing on the societal structures and pressures designed to optimize for comfort, convenience, and individuality, that end up coming at the expense of meaning, fulfillment, and community. The episode felt empowering rather than depressing - like with this understanding, we can make more conscious decisions in our own lives that optimize for connection and deeper relationships.
If you listen to it yourself, Iād love to hear what you think! And if thereās enough interest, maybe we can do a little pod club (like a book club, but for a podcast ep) š¤
Thanks for reading! I want to make this newsletter as valuable and enjoyable as possible for you every week, so please donāt hesitate to reply with any thoughts or ideas.
Wishing you a great week ahead!
With gratitude,
Brian & The TN Team