Episode 1

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Published on:

28th Feb 2026

It's Too Much! Mental Health Tips to Cope When the World's Challenges are Tearing You Up.

The Global Grit Experience is about having GRIT... passion and perseverance and an unwavering dedication to protecting nature despite challenges. And there are a lot of challenges out there right now, holy hell. Especially for the environment.

But, having grit can sound exhausting, right? Especially when we’re worn out, overwhelmed and want to hide under the covers.

So, I thought it would be good to kick this baby off with what I think is top tier important…your mental health. Because, without it, we burn out and drop out and that’s not good for you, for us, or for our precious outdoors. Because we each have something to contribute! Right? We’re amazing!

My first guest...whoop whoop... is Dr. Aligada here in my hometown.

Dr. Jonathan Aligada is an adult clinical psychologist at Sanford Health in Detroit Lakes, MN. I’ve interviewed Dr. Aligada before for a mental health video series and am SO grateful he’s able to join us for this podcast.

Thanks for tuning in!

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About the Podcast

The Global Grit Experience

Stories of inspiring people with grit protecting nature, wildlife and the outdoor places we love.

The Global Grit Experience is a podcast featuring inspiring people with grit - passion, perseverance and an unwavering dedication in protecting, and loving, nature and wildlife. Whoop! Whoop! Host Erika Gilsdorf (that’s me!) is an international, award-winning video producer, who leaves the camera behind (for the most part) to let conversations breathe authentically in a podcast that spans diverse guests and topics. I include mental health guests, too who help us cope with all the crap and find joy amidst all the junk happening to our outdoors. Uffda…it’s a lot! (I’m a Minnesotan if you can't tell). Most importantly, this is a podcast about inspiration, hope, action, and connection. We have each other my friends!

About your host

Erika Gilsdorf

Hi! Thanks for being here! I’m Erika, the Global Grit Experience podcast creator and host. Though the podcast format is fairly new to me, I’ve been sharing stories close to 20 years in Minnesota, the U.S. and around the world. Some of those I’ve worked with include The Minnesota Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, General Mills, United Airlines, and National Geographic. I’m an outdoor enthusiast, adventurer, and climate and nature activist. I chose ‘grit’ because everything worth pursuing takes grit - passion, perseverance, courage, curiosity, hope and an unwavering determination to protect. Nature deserves a bit of our grit. Thanks for giving some of your grit for the love of nature.