The Human Adventure

Jake Bushman
  • 1.0 (1)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

 The Human Adventure is a podcast about people who choose to live fully—through travel, challenge, creativity, and the courage to step into the unknown. Hosted by Jake Bushman, each episode features honest conversations with adventurers, travelers, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and everyday humans doing extraordinary things. We explore not just what they’ve done, but why—the failures, fears, faith, and resilience that shape a meaningful life. From remote corners of the world to inner journeys of growth and reinvention, The Human Adventure reminds us that life isn’t about reaching a destination—it’s about who we become along the way. If you’re drawn to authentic stories, bold ideas, and the shared experience of being human, this podcast is for you. 🎧 New episodes weekly 🌍 Travel • Adventure • Personal Growth • Human Stories

  1. 1D AGO

    Art, Travel, And Dialogue In A Divided World with David Deighton

    #209 - Conversations feel brittle right now, and disagreements can feel like stepping onto a minefield. We sit down with artist, educator, and traveler David Deighton to explore a different path: using art, curiosity, and face-to-face dialogue to turn political tension into human connection. From a pop-up “museum” on the rim of the Grand Canyon to quiet miles in the backcountry, David shares how intentional design and slow travel can lower the temperature and raise the quality of our conversations. David’s method is simple and powerful. He builds installations that reveal our invisible boxes—our limited worldviews—and then invites strangers to talk through three non-triggering questions. No debating. No dunks. Just listening for one shared emotion and letting that become the bridge. He even trains attention with a sensory twist: ask what a word like “hope” tastes like. It sounds strange, but it pulls the brain out of fight mode and back into presence. We also lean into travel as recovery. After dozens of conversations, David hikes into wilderness to process and reset. Public lands become a civic commons where dialogue can breathe, and wilderness rules mirror good conversation: slow down, limit noise, pay attention. Along the way, we unpack why he starts with politics, how Triptych Dialogue took its name from a centuries-old art panel with missing scenes, and what it takes to move from activist anger to patient curiosity. If you’ve felt exhausted by outrage, this conversation offers tools you can use today: ask better questions, listen for emotions, practice with a neighbor, and take a walk before you reply online. Subscribe for more human-centered stories, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find the show. Who will you try the three questions with first? Be sure and give David a follow on YouTube @triptych-dialogue. To see some clips from past, present, and even future guests check out The Human Adventure on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

    42 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Brotherhood, War, Grief, And The Long Walk Home with Ron Timmerman

    #208 - A helicopter door swung open over Vietnam, and years later a trail opened underfoot across the Appalachians. That arc—war to wilderness, adrenaline to stillness—frames Ron Timmerman’s rare story of brotherhood, love, loss, and the long work of healing. We invited Ron to unpack the moments that shaped him: flying Hueys as a teenage door gunner, returning with unspoken trauma, and building a life with Edie, a fierce and generous mother of seven whose faith defined their home. Ron’s voice is steady as he talks about caregiving through Edie’s stroke, the quiet after she passed, and the decision to hike the Appalachian Trail with his brother Rand and stepson Rick. They disagreed, found a structure that respected different paces, and in the process became closer than they’d been in decades. Along the way, the trail offered proof that meaning can arrive unannounced—a brilliant doorway of light on a bleak Father’s Day, the sudden drift of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” from a stranger’s earbuds, and countless small moments of service that stitched the miles together. What stands out is the ethic that carried Ron through: stay busy with purpose, help others when you can, and keep faith when the map goes dark. He shares practical wisdom for navigating grief, the value of simple kindness on and off the trail, and the way Rand turned his own recovery into daily service for people who needed a voice on the line. If you’re wrestling with loss, searching for direction, or simply craving a human story that rings true, this conversation offers both grit and grace in equal measure. Subscribe for more stories of resilience and connection, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help others find The Human Adventure. Your support helps these stories travel farther.  To see clips and get updates from the show be sure to give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

    45 min

  3. FEB 5

    Climbing For A Cause with Dr. Matthew Harmody

    #207 - One phone call redirected a life. When Matt Harmody’s father entered emergent dialysis, Matt saw both the power and the limits of modern medicine—and it set him on a path from corporate engineer to emergency physician, living kidney donor, and advocate who ties purpose to action in unforgettable ways. We trace that journey from the earliest signs of kidney disease to a courageous decision to donate to a stranger, and then to the mountains where advocacy turns into motion: Kilimanjaro with a team of donors and a Guinness World Record campaign to reach the highest point in all 50 states in 41 days. We dig into the realities few people see: why hypertension and diabetes quietly erode kidney function, how dialysis extends life but extracts a heavy toll, and why living donor kidneys typically last longer and require fewer medications. Matt explains today’s safeguards for donors—rigorous screening, prioritization if a donor ever needs a kidney, wage and travel protections, and even voucher programs to help family members in the future—so the decision rests on facts, not fear. He also shares the practical side of life post-donation: smarter hydration, avoiding NSAIDs, and the surprising truth that donors routinely return to high performance across endurance and strength sports. Then comes the adventure. Starting with Denali’s brutal cold and thin air, the team navigated storms, snow-choked trailheads, RV logistics, and a thousand tiny delays that can sabotage a long project. Strategy shifts, reroutes, and relentless teamwork kept the mission alive, each summit doubling as a platform to raise awareness for living kidney donation. Along the way, trailhead reunions with donors and recipients, hot meals from strangers, and stories from dialysis patients stitched community into every mile. If you’ve wondered what it really takes to donate, or how purpose can reshape a career and redefine adventure, this story will stay with you. Hear the science, the safeguards, and the soul of a movement that saves lives—then consider sharing this episode with someone who needs it. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what moment moved you most? To learn more about Matt Harmody and to get a copy of his book, Ascending America, check out his website www.mattharmodymd.com and you can also see some posts regarding the record breaking feat of peaking in every state by following checking out Instagram @50k50ss. To learn more about the Human Adventure and see some clips and stories from me check out my Instagram page @humanadventurepod.

    52 min

  4. FEB 2

    Beyond the Speech: Conversations That Change You with Sagar Soni

    #206 - What if the voices you let in are steering your life more than your goals are? That question sparked a wide-ranging, grounded conversation with Sagar Soni—nuclear engineer, creator of Beyond the Speech podcast, and a traveler who learned the hard way that more content and more checklists don’t equal meaning. We trace his path from bingeing self-help at 1.5x to a simple, liberating switch: trade “I have to” for “I get to,” and watch momentum return without the pressure cooker of perfection. We dig into overwhelm and how to spot it, the subtle difference between being burnt out and being avoidant, and why a little “productive negativity” can get you off the couch when motivational quotes won’t. Sagar shares a daily two-part question—“How am I feeling right now, and why?”—that turns vibes into data and helps you find what drains your energy and what gives it back. We also talk books that endure, from Ryan Holiday’s stoicism to Cameron Hanes’ Endure, and how to move from collecting ideas to actually living them. Travel threads through the episode like a second heartbeat. Sagar reflects on early all-inclusives, photo-heavy Europe, and the trip that changed everything: hiking Hawaii’s lava fields and practicing presence. The takeaway is clear and human: it’s neither the journey nor the destination—it’s the company. That conviction grew stronger through real hardship as he and his wife navigated miscarriages, using travel to reset, and later building guardrails like always answering calls from family and friends after moving far from home. We close by looking forward: Sagar’s “three relationships” framework—self, purpose, and people—now guides his podcast and his next leap into public speaking, including a confirmed TEDx talk. If you’ve ever felt behind, flooded by advice, or stuck between big dreams and real life, this conversation offers practical tools and honest encouragement. Listen, share with a friend who grounds you, and if it resonates, subscribe and leave a quick review so more people can find these stories. To learn more about Sagar Soni check out his podcast Beyond the Speech wherever you listen to podcasts and be sure to give him a follow on Instagram @sagarsoni_1991. I would love to have you follow along on my Instagram account as well @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

    50 min

  5. JAN 29

    Adriene Caldwell On Resilience, Mental Health, And Finding A Way Forward

    #205 - Some stories don’t just move you—they recalibrate your sense of what’s possible. Adriene Caldwell grew up in the crosshairs of untreated schizophrenia, constant relocation, and a home life that spun from denial to violence. After losing the grandmother who shielded her, she entered a foster system that should have offered stability and instead delivered degradation: separate dishes, floor seating, and rules designed to remind her she didn’t belong. The stats she shares are brutal—one in five inmates are former foster youth, seven in ten foster girls have a child by 21, and fewer than three percent use free college benefits—but the real shock is how incentives often reward keeping kids “high need” rather than helping them heal. What changed her trajectory was a lifeline she claimed for herself: a coveted congressional exchange to Germany. There, a host family modeled warmth, boundaries, and trust. Adriene learned German the hard way—by speaking it every day—aced tough classes at a college-track school, and felt the shift that happens when someone insists you sit in the front seat for the view. Returning stateside just shy of 18, she found no plan waiting and wrote letters up the chain until one emerged. Along the way, a third-grade math teacher delivered hotel toiletries to a housing project, and a fierce English teacher stocked her classroom with computers and left one to Adriene before she died. Those acts—practical, personal, and precisely timed—became stepping stones to scholarships and a future she couldn’t yet picture. We also explore why Adriene wrote Unbroken, Life Outside the Lines, and how revisiting old case files forced a reckoning with both the parts of survival that became manipulation and the parts that deserve pride. Her message to teens at the edge is simple and urgent: your life won’t always look like this, and soon your choices will shape what comes next—numbing or healing, hiding or asking, repeating or rebuilding. If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs proof that change is possible. Subscribe for more human-centered stories, rate the show to help new listeners find us, and tell us: what moment shifted your path? To learn more about Adriene and her book check out www.unbronkencaldwell.com and check her out on Instagram @unbrokencaldwell. You can also find more information about the show at www.thehumanadventure.net and check out my Instagram @humanadventurepod.

    53 min

  6. JAN 22

    Beyond The Surface Of Japan with Miyuki Seguchi

    Travel gets interesting when you stop speeding past real life. I sat down with Miyuki Seguchi—licensed guide, former journalist, and host of the Japan Experts podcast—to unpack how small cultural details and mindful planning turn a Japan itinerary into a human adventure. From a monolingual childhood in central Japan to studying in the UK and a formative solo trip to Italy, Miyuki shares how early sparks of curiosity became a mission to help travelers connect with people, not just places. We explore what most visitors miss between Tokyo and Kyoto: central Japan’s living craft traditions, original samurai castles, and communities that still shape metal, paper, textiles, and ceramics by hand. Miyuki explains why overtourism strains big-name cities while rural regions hold deep culture but fewer English supports—and how travelers can bridge that gap with respect, patience, and simple etiquette. You’ll learn practical insights that matter on the ground: why public trash bins are rare, how to move through ryokan and tatami rooms, what onsen manners communicate, and how to ride trains without stress. These aren’t rules for rules’ sake; they’re keys that unlock warmth, trust, and the kind of conversations you remember years later. If you’re planning your first visit—or returning to go beyond the postcards—Miyuki breaks down smarter itineraries, logistics that save time, and the mindset that turns workshops, studios, and castle towns into meaningful experiences. We also dig into how to choose less-visited stops without sacrificing comfort, and how a single detour can reframe your entire trip. Come for the travel tips, stay for the stories that reveal how culture lives in daily routines, shared meals, and the careful hands of artisans. Ready to travel deeper, not wider? Subscribe to The Human Adventure, share this episode with a friend who loves Japan, and leave a quick review so more curious travelers and adventurers can find us. If you want to learn more about Miyuki and what she offers check out www.miyukiseguchi.com and get her free Japan travel guide that shares 7 ways to make your trip more authentic and memorable. You can also follow her on Instagram @japan.experts and check out her podcast Japan Experts to learn more. Be sure and join The Human Adventure community by following me on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

    45 min

  7. JAN 19

    Emily Hicks On Music, Mountains, And Finding Courage

    #203 - What if the scary dream is the one that sets you free? That’s the spark behind our conversation with singer-songwriter and outdoor enthusiast Emily Hicks—a Midwesterner who found her artistic voice in the shadow of Utah’s mountains and the flow of the Green River. Emily traces her path from a shy choir kid to a piano major, from elementary music teacher to full-time performer, and the many small, brave asks that turned busking into real gigs and a steady career. Along the way we dig into how three chords taught her to keep going, why stage banter is a craft of its own, and how long bar sets can train a voice like any other muscle. We also explore the places where art and nature meet. Emily shares how trails give her mind room to breathe, how campfires invite honesty, and why her next EP leans on outdoor metaphors—switchbacks, weather windows, and the grind to the summit. Nashville shows up as a sharpening stone: songwriter rounds, co-writing sessions, and the hard decision to keep her best songs for herself. Her niche keeps revealing itself in unexpected places, like a women’s yoga and music rafting trip where she played a carbon fiber guitar on the river and watched strangers become community under the stars. Threaded through it all is resilience. Emily talks frankly about rejection, the importance of choosing rooms that fit, and the trust it takes—for yourself, from partners and friends—to keep moving toward the work that lights you up. If you’re craving a boost of courage, a reminder to step outside, and a soundtrack to match, you’ll feel at home here. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help these stories climb a little higher. Then queue up “Weird Wild Wonderful You” and tell us which lyric stays with you. To learn more about Emily Hicks check out her website www.emilyhicksmusic.com or follow her on Instagram @emilyhicksmusic. Be sure and give me a follow as well @humanadventurepod.

    50 min

  8. JAN 15

    Riding Through Grief To Self-Belief with Teri M. Brown

    #202 - What if one hard rule could change the way you face everything from headwinds to heartbreak? I sat down with author and adventurer Teri Brown to unpack how a 3,102-mile tandem bike ride across America helped her leave an abusive past, reclaim her voice, and build a set of life rules sturdy enough to carry her through grief. Starting in Astoria and crossing Lolo Pass into Big Sky country, Teri and her husband Bruce pedaled through pandemic uncertainty, logistics stress, and days so hot the road rippled. Riding tandem forced a new kind of honesty: shared cadence, three-count stand breaks, and zero room for simmering resentment. A Dollar General parking lot became a place to name a hurt and move on. Montana gifted them wonder—horses racing uphill beside them, the Milky Way hanging close, and Comet NEOWISE blazing a tail across the night sky. Those moments of awe refueled their grit when flats stacked up and the wind turned cruel. Out of the ride came Ten Little Rules for a Double-Butted Adventure. “Never quit on a bad day” stopped a mid-ride collapse after three flats; “Do hard things” later became a mantra as Bruce faced glioblastoma. Terry read from the book at his bedside; he passed as she spoke those words, a final gift that still gets her up when grief says stay down. The finish line in Washington, D.C. unlocked a deeper shift: the question changed from “Can I?” to “What do I want?” She chose authorship, publishing novels that explore identity, war, resilience, and healing. If you’re navigating burnout, rebuilding after loss, or wrestling with self-doubt, this conversation offers practical resilience, relationship tools, and a fresh definition of adventure: bigger than your plans, kinder than your fear, and honest about the work. Listen, share it with someone who needs a push, and tell us: which rule will you carry into your next hill? To learn more about Teri and her books visit www.terimbrown.com and check her out on Instagram @terimbrown_author. Subscribe to the Human Adventure for more human stories of grit and growth, leave a review to help others find the show, and connect with us to keep the conversation going. You can find me on Instagram @humanadventurepod or check out the video episodes on YouTube @humanadventurepod.

    46 min
See All (221)

About

 The Human Adventure is a podcast about people who choose to live fully—through travel, challenge, creativity, and the courage to step into the unknown. Hosted by Jake Bushman, each episode features honest conversations with adventurers, travelers, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and everyday humans doing extraordinary things. We explore not just what they’ve done, but why—the failures, fears, faith, and resilience that shape a meaningful life. From remote corners of the world to inner journeys of growth and reinvention, The Human Adventure reminds us that life isn’t about reaching a destination—it’s about who we become along the way. If you’re drawn to authentic stories, bold ideas, and the shared experience of being human, this podcast is for you. 🎧 New episodes weekly 🌍 Travel • Adventure • Personal Growth • Human Stories

Information

  • Creator
    Jake Bushman
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    221
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Human Adventure
  • Show Website
    The Human Adventure