Two Questions That Shape My Life and Work

Spending time outdoors is one of my greatest passions. I love both short and long adventures, but I have a special affection for extended trips that allow us to immerse ourselves in nature over time. These journeys offer a unique sense of calm and rhythm that’s hard to find elsewhere in today’s fast-paced, asphalt-driven world.

My wife and I teach our children that we are nature. We want them to grow up with a conscious connection to the natural world and to understand that nature is always a place they can return to, be with, and feel at home in, if they choose. By building a relationship with nature, we also help ensure that future generations are better equipped and motivated to protect the environment we all depend on.

Nature as a Meeting Place

Nature also has this incredible ability to bring people together in simple, meaningful ways. Without the noise and distractions of modern life, it invites us into play, presence, and countless opportunities to connect with each other and with ourselves. And it offers us challenges along the way, which I believe are essential for building life resilience in both small and large adventurers navigating life’s winding paths.

That’s why, as a family, we choose nature and the moments we create together outdoors. When Mina was born, it felt completely natural for her to also grow up knowing the outdoors as I had. Taking our children hunting, paddling packrafts, climbing, biking, going on long skiing expeditions is simply how we choose to live.

Living Our Values Through Adventures

During my parental leave, Mina and I packed our gear and spent a month camping in Jotunheimen. When she was 2.5 years old, we embarked on our first winter expedition: a two-month, 550-kilometer journey across parts of the Nordryggen in the Norwegian mountains. That trip marked the beginning of many long journeys across Norway in all seasons. Today, our family includes three children and two adults, and both short and long adventures remain an integrated part of our lives.

Alongside our own expeditions — with hundreds of nights spent in tents since the children were born — I also run numerous outdoor projects that don’t include the family.

Guiding and Empowering Other Families

Many of my outdoor initiatives focus on guiding and supporting other families who want to overcome barriers and get outside together. I often coach several families at once to help them realize their outdoor dreams. I am particularly passionate about supporting children and youth in vulnerable life situations — those who may not have the same opportunities to connect with nature as my own children do.

Outdoor life isn’t just good for physical and mental health — it’s also part of our intangible cultural heritage and national identity. Not everyone will spend as much time in nature as I do, but I hope we can help create a more inclusive society where more people feel empowered to choose their own relationship with the natural world.

To this end, I collaborate with a range of partners in the outdoor space to create real social value for children, youth, and their families. Real Turmat is one of my key partners, making it possible not just for me and my family to enjoy meaningful outdoor experiences, but for many others as well through the projects I lead.