For our kids (and adults as well), there is barely a part of life that isn't somehow connected to smartphones, social media or screens, and they're starting to feel the effects of being constantly connected.  In today's episode, Ben and Brooke talk about their experience raising two high school-ages kids (12 and 14) and the constant negotiations around tech boundaries. They also talk about the broader impact that high levels of screen time are having on kids in general, the challenges that are beginning to emerge in regards to relationships, well-being and self-esteem, and what we as adults can do to help support them.  Brooke also reflects on a hugely impactful documentary she saw recently, that has given her something that's been in short supply lately: hope.   Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For our kids (and adults as well), there is barely a part of life that isn't somehow connected to smartphones, social media or screens, and they're starting to feel the effects of being constantly connected.  In today's episode, Ben and Brooke talk about their experience raising two high school-ages kids (12 and 14) and the constant negotiations around tech boundaries. They also talk about the broader impact that high levels of screen time are having on kids in general, the challenges that are beginning to emerge in regards to relationships, well-being and self-esteem, and what we as adults can do to help support them.  Brooke also reflects on a hugely impactful documentary she saw recently, that has given her something that's been in short supply lately: hope.   Head over to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tortoise for the full show notes</a>, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Tech and Kids: Episode 5

It's a phrase we hear a lot about — the mental load — but what does it actually mean? And how can we navigate life while carrying it?  Brooke and Ben discuss their differing definitions of mental load and how it plays out for them personally. They also dig into the broader conversation (Is a heavier mental load a gender issue or one of personality? Is it about convenience? Does it differ across generations?) and look at suggestions on how to make changes that could help lessen or even out the load in a relationship. In the reflection part of the pod they discuss the big, beautiful benefits of being content versus being happy, and dig into how our values might help define both contentment/happiness.  Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a phrase we hear a lot about — the mental load — but what does it actually mean? And how can we navigate life while carrying it?  Brooke and Ben discuss their differing definitions of mental load and how it plays out for them personally. They also dig into the broader conversation (Is a heavier mental load a gender issue or one of personality? Is it about convenience? Does it differ across generations?) and look at suggestions on how to make changes that could help lessen or even out the load in a relationship. In the reflection part of the pod they discuss the big, beautiful benefits of being content versus being happy, and dig into how our values might help define both contentment/happiness.  Head over to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tortoise for the full show notes</a>, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Mental Load: Episode 4

If you're feeling squashed between competing needs - raising kids and caring for parents while trying to work/live/look after yourself, for example - then this episode is for you.  Brooke and Ben talk about what it means to be a part of the 'sandwich generation', and why, for them, it represents a transition rather than a challenge to be overcome. They discuss what being sandwiched could look like, why the additional pressures of caring so often fall to women, how they manage expectations, why they're thinking so far into the future, the slow living tools that might help, and yes, their favourite sandwiches (yes, really). In the reflection part of the pod, they talk about different types of community, and the lightbulb moment that came in a recent comments section over on The Tortoise. Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're feeling squashed between competing needs - raising kids and caring for parents while trying to work/live/look after yourself, for example - then this episode is for you.  Brooke and Ben talk about what it means to be a part of the 'sandwich generation', and why, for them, it represents a transition rather than a challenge to be overcome. They discuss what being sandwiched could look like, why the additional pressures of caring so often fall to women, how they manage expectations, why they're thinking so far into the future, the slow living tools that might help, and yes, their favourite sandwiches (yes, really). In the reflection part of the pod, they talk about different types of community, and the lightbulb moment that came in a recent comments section over on The Tortoise. Head over to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tortoise for the full show notes</a>, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Sandwich Generation: Episode 3

What exactly is "wellness" anyway? We hear it tossed about as an umbrella term covering health and fitness and diet and mental well-being and any number of topics, but what does it mean to try and achieve wellness? And what does any of it have to do with slow living? In today's episode, Brooke and Ben dig into wellness and social media - the good, the bad, the quackery, the evidence-based and the liver-eating diets - exploring the messy mixture of influencers, algorithms and genuine well-being tools that exist in the trillion-dollar industry. It's an interesting and fraught conversation, because not only do definitions of wellness differ greatly, as do our individual levels of access, exposure and finances, but there is a clear crossover between wellness and diet culture that muddies the waters even more. And, while some of it is undoubtedly harmful, there are many parts of the wellness industry that offer genuine help too.   Brooke and Ben look at their own experiences with wellness influencers, as well as their own hang-ups, privileges and blind spots.  In the reflection segment, they discuss the benefits of embracing physical discomfort, which leads to a conversation about the different kinds of discomforts we might experience and the pros and cons they offer.  They both give a quick update on their year-long experiments (the 1% and the four-day work week), one of which is going well, the other...not so much.  Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What exactly is "wellness" anyway? We hear it tossed about as an umbrella term covering health and fitness and diet and mental well-being and any number of topics, but what does it mean to try and achieve wellness? And what does any of it have to do with slow living? In today's episode, Brooke and Ben dig into wellness and social media - the good, the bad, the quackery, the evidence-based and the liver-eating diets - exploring the messy mixture of influencers, algorithms and genuine well-being tools that exist in the trillion-dollar industry. It's an interesting and fraught conversation, because not only do definitions of wellness differ greatly, as do our individual levels of access, exposure and finances, but there is a clear crossover between wellness and diet culture that muddies the waters even more. And, while some of it is undoubtedly harmful, there are many parts of the wellness industry that offer genuine help too.   Brooke and Ben look at their own experiences with wellness influencers, as well as their own hang-ups, privileges and blind spots.  In the reflection segment, they discuss the benefits of embracing physical discomfort, which leads to a conversation about the different kinds of discomforts we might experience and the pros and cons they offer.  They both give a quick update on their year-long experiments (the 1% and the four-day work week), one of which is going well, the other...not so much.  Head over to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tortoise for the full show notes</a>, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there. <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Social Media and Wellness: Episode 2

Welcome to the first episode of The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow.  Brooke and Ben are back with the first full episode of The Tortoise, and it's a good'un. They start by talking about what you can expect from the ploddie, and then dig in to today's juicy topic: is a four-day work week feasible?  This is a hot-button issue right now, as many companies around the world look to the results of a recent six-month four-day working week trial. Ben talks through his own experiment with trying to establish one, and the benefits and challenges of doing so as a self-employed person, while Brooke puts her idealist hat on and talks through a couple of interesting case studies.  They also dig into the topic of hobbies - What are they? Do we need to try and improve at them? What happens if we want to turn a hobby into an income? - and discover that it's harder than we think to separate productivity from leisure.  Brooke also gives an update on her 1% experiment and Ben talks about his Japanese lessons as his current form of continual improvement.  Head over to The Tortoise for the Episode 1 show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.   Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the first episode of The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow.  Brooke and Ben are back with the first full episode of The Tortoise, and it's a good'un. They start by talking about what you can expect from the ploddie, and then dig in to today's juicy topic: is a four-day work week feasible?  This is a hot-button issue right now, as many companies around the world look to the results of a recent six-month four-day working week trial. Ben talks through his own experiment with trying to establish one, and the benefits and challenges of doing so as a self-employed person, while Brooke puts her idealist hat on and talks through a couple of interesting case studies.  They also dig into the topic of hobbies - What are they? Do we need to try and improve at them? What happens if we want to turn a hobby into an income? - and discover that it's harder than we think to separate productivity from leisure.  Brooke also gives an update on her 1% experiment and Ben talks about his Japanese lessons as his current form of continual improvement.  Head over to The Tortoise for the <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/p/the-four-day-work-week-episode-1#details" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 1 show notes</a>, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.  <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Four-Day Work Week: Episode 1

We're so excited to introduce you to The Tortoise - a podcast (plodcast!) that digs deep into the power of slow.  Ben and Brooke are back with a new iteration of their slow living conversations, and the first full episode will be released very shortly. Until then, take a few minutes to get reacquainted, learn why The Slow Home Podcast is no more (RIP) and hear a little about what's in store for The Tortoise.  If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to The Tortoise in your favourite podcast app and head over to the website to sign up for a free weekly newsletter. Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're so excited to introduce you to The Tortoise - a podcast (plodcast!) that digs deep into the power of slow.  Ben and Brooke are back with a new iteration of their slow living conversations, and the first full episode will be released very shortly. Until then, take a few minutes to get reacquainted, learn why The Slow Home Podcast is no more (RIP) and hear a little about what's in store for The Tortoise.  If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to The Tortoise in your favourite podcast app and head over to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the website</a> to sign up for a free weekly newsletter. <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Introducing The Tortoise

After 8 years and 400 odd episodes Brooke and Ben discuss closing the door on the Slow Home Podcast and announce an exciting new iteration...The Tortoise Links  Subscribe to The Tortoise for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 8 years and 400 odd episodes Brooke and Ben discuss closing the door on the Slow Home Podcast and announce an exciting new iteration...The Tortoise Links <ul> <li>Subscribe to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tortoise</a> for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters</li> </ul><a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The End - A Hostful

Brooke and Ben check-in and provide a quick update on the year that was, as well as what Brooke is working on and plans for the podcast in 2023.  Links  Subscribe to The Tortoise for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters  Love Slow? Support the show!   Buy us a coffee and share the love  Looking for more?  Follow Brooke on Instagram @brookemcalary Or leave a rating or review in iTunes   Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke and Ben check-in and provide a quick update on the year that was, as well as what Brooke is working on and plans for the podcast in 2023.  Links <ul> <li>Subscribe to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tortoise</a> for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters</li> </ul> Love Slow? Support the show!  <ul> <li><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/slowhome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buy us a coffee</a> and share the love</li> </ul> Looking for more? <ul> <li>Follow Brooke on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brookemcalary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brookemcalary</a></li> <li>Or leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or review in iTunes</a></li> </ul> <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Outdoors and unedited - A Hostful

Brooke and Ben are back for this season's hostful where they discuss teens and tech, Brooke's new hobbies and provide an update on her Dad's health and so much more.  Links  Head to slowyourhome.com/season9 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show   Love Slow? Support the show!   Subscribe to The Tortoise for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters Buy us a coffee and share the love  Looking for more?  Follow Brooke on Instagram @brookemcalary Or leave a rating or review in iTunes     Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke and Ben are back for this season's hostful where they discuss teens and tech, Brooke's new hobbies and provide an update on her Dad's health and so much more.  Links <ul> <li>Head to <a href="slowyourhome.com/season9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slowyourhome.com/season9</a> for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show </li> </ul> Love Slow? Support the show!  <ul> <li>Subscribe to <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tortoise</a> for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters</li> <li><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/slowhome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buy us a coffee</a> and share the love</li> </ul> Looking for more? <ul> <li>Follow Brooke on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brookemcalary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brookemcalary</a></li> <li>Or leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or review in iTunes</a></li> </ul> <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

What a year this week has been - A Hostful

Mary Beth LaRue

Today's guest is the wonderful Mary Beth Larue - a yoga teacher whose soulful, deep-diving brand of slow flow yoga is 100%, completely and utterly Brooke's jam.  Mary Beth shares her yoga origin story and why she now focuses so much of her teaching on slow flow yoga. She and Brooke then dive into a beautiful exploration of how to practice embodiment not only through yoga, but probably more importantly, how to practice in the mundane moments of life. They also discuss:  Mary Beth's journey to motherhood through foster-care and adoption how a yoga practise helped her navigate the uncertainty of those years of not-knowing slow flow yoga - what is it and how to practise? how to apply the idea of slow flow off the mat navigating periods of profound uncertainty using our values and an attuned inner-knowing how to ground yourself in the moment when you feel yourself becoming disconnected  Links  Head to slowyourhome.com/season9 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show   Love Slow? Support the show!   Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love  Looking for more?  Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod  Or leave a rating or review in iTunes     Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's guest is the wonderful Mary Beth Larue - a yoga teacher whose soulful, deep-diving brand of slow flow yoga is 100%, completely and utterly Brooke's jam.  Mary Beth shares her yoga origin story and why she now focuses so much of her teaching on slow flow yoga. She and Brooke then dive into a beautiful exploration of how to practice embodiment not only through yoga, but probably more importantly, how to practice in the mundane moments of life. They also discuss: <ul> <li>Mary Beth's journey to motherhood through foster-care and adoption</li> <li>how a yoga practise helped her navigate the uncertainty of those years of not-knowing</li> <li>slow flow yoga - what is it and how to practise?</li> <li>how to apply the idea of slow flow off the mat</li> <li>navigating periods of profound uncertainty using our values and an attuned inner-knowing</li> <li>how to ground yourself in the moment when you feel yourself becoming disconnected</li> </ul> Links <ul> <li>Head to <a href="slowyourhome.com/season9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slowyourhome.com/season9</a> for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show </li> </ul> Love Slow? Support the show!  <ul> <li><a href="patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Become a patron</a></li> <li>Or <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/slowhome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">buy us a coffee</a> and share the love</li> </ul> Looking for more? <ul> <li>Follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ben_mcalary/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@slowhomepod </a></li> <li>Or leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or review in iTunes</a></li> </ul> <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

How to live an embodied life with Mary Beth Larue

To strive is human, to saunter divine. Welcome to The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow. Brooke McAlary (author of "Slow", "Care" and "Destination Simple") is joined by her husband Ben for a monthly deep dive into the realities of trying to live slow in a world that won't stop racing. On the third Thursday of every month, join Brooke and Ben for an unscripted, unedited, always candid and usually fun conversation about slow living and how embracing our inner tortoise can impact every part of life: relationships, work, family, community, tech, health, care, personal growth. If you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, frustrated at the sheer pace of life or just looking for a sign to slow down, this is the podcast (a plodcast!) for you.

This is one of the first podcasts I found and I’ve loved it since day 1. I’ve laughed, learned a TON about myself and others, and even cried. When I listen to the callers, but also to Brooke &amp; Ben, I feel like these are my people! I’ve found them!

My favorite podcast

I’m hooked. I have been looking for a feel good podcast.. and I’ve found it. So much peace to be found in this audio. A real treat. I’m excited to keep listening.

Listened to one episode and I’m astounded!

To strive is human, to saunter divine. Welcome to The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow. Brooke McAlary (author of "Slow", "Care" and "Destination Simple") is joined by her husband Ben for a monthly deep dive into the realities of trying to live slow in a world that won't stop racing. On the third Thursday of every month, join Brooke and Ben for an unscripted, unedited, always candid and usually fun conversation about slow living and how embracing our inner tortoise can impact every part of life: relationships, work, family, community, tech, health, care, personal growth. If you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, frustrated at the sheer pace of life or just looking for a sign to slow down, this is the podcast (a plodcast!) for you.

The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary

Sam Lustgarten

http://www.slowyourhome.com/25 Sometimes I have a conversation that is so honest and open it floors me. Today’s episode is one of those. Sam Lustgarten writes about frugal living, but he and I dive in to a whole lot more than that.  We talk about how he fell into debt in college, and how spending money on stuff became a much-desired distraction as he moved through a difficult personal time. We also look at the first crucial steps that Sam took to start getting out of debt and live a simpler, more frugal life. Debt can be such a shameful, emotional burden to carry around, but Sam shows how being honest, open and vulnerable can actually lessen the burden and free us up to pay it off (and keep it off).  What I loved about this chat was that Sam never shied away from answering the tricky questions, and as a result I felt myself opening up and talking about our own issues with money and debt.  Enjoy!  Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

<a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/25" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/25</a> Sometimes I have a conversation that is so honest and open it floors me. Today’s episode is one of those. Sam Lustgarten writes about frugal living, but he and I dive in to a whole lot more than that.  We talk about how he fell into debt in college, and how spending money on stuff became a much-desired distraction as he moved through a difficult personal time. We also look at the first crucial steps that Sam took to start getting out of debt and live a simpler, more frugal life. Debt can be such a shameful, emotional burden to carry around, but Sam shows how being honest, open and vulnerable can actually lessen the burden and free us up to pay it off (and keep it off).  What I loved about this chat was that Sam never shied away from answering the tricky questions, and as a result I felt myself opening up and talking about our own issues with money and debt.  Enjoy! <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Sam Lustgarten on living a frugal life - SHP025

Brooke first discovered the idea of deowning via Joshua Becker and initially found it quite challenging to understand. Surely isn't decluttering the same as deowning? Letting go of the excess is the same as no longer needing to own them, right? Not quite. Turns out it’s more about letting go of the need to own things at all. And tied up in that idea are things like ego and convenience, expectations and habits, boredom and discontent, advertising and status. In this episode Brooke and Ben talk about their own realisation that decluttering and deowning are related and yet quite different, as well as some of the ways they’re learning to deown even now.  This includes sharing, hiring and borrowing things, and thinking outside the box when it comes to needs versus convenience. Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/194 for the full blog post and excerpt from SLOW. Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke first discovered the idea of deowning via Joshua Becker and initially found it quite challenging to understand. Surely isn't decluttering the same as deowning? Letting go of the excess is the same as no longer needing to own them, right? Not quite. Turns out it’s more about letting go of the need to own things at all. And tied up in that idea are things like ego and convenience, expectations and habits, boredom and discontent, advertising and status. In this episode Brooke and Ben talk about their own realisation that decluttering and deowning are related and yet quite different, as well as some of the ways they’re learning to deown even now.  This includes sharing, hiring and borrowing things, and thinking outside the box when it comes to needs versus convenience. Head over to <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/194" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/194</a> for the full blog post and excerpt from SLOW. Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

De-own. Don't just declutter.

Christine Walker

Can we incorporate the philosophy of ‘slow’ into modern medicine? Today’s guest, Dr Christine Walker believes so, and is increasingly seeing the benefits of slowing down, becoming more mindful and practicing the mind-body connection in her PT practice. In this episode, Brooke and Christine talk about her personal experience with stress, fatigue and illness and how a realisation that her frantic lifestyle was exacerbating these issues. They also talk about the wider issue of stress and its impact on our bodies, as well as Christine’s personal experiences with meditation and the impact it’s had on her physical and mental well-being. This conversation has some exceptional insights into modern medicine and the opportunity we have to combine the preventative benefits of mindfulness and overall health, with the incredible advances of traditional medicine over the past few decades. Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can we incorporate the philosophy of ‘slow’ into modern medicine? Today’s guest, Dr Christine Walker believes so, and is increasingly seeing the benefits of slowing down, becoming more mindful and practicing the mind-body connection in her PT practice. In this episode, Brooke and Christine talk about her personal experience with stress, fatigue and illness and how a realisation that her frantic lifestyle was exacerbating these issues. They also talk about the wider issue of stress and its impact on our bodies, as well as Christine’s personal experiences with meditation and the impact it’s had on her physical and mental well-being. This conversation has some exceptional insights into modern medicine and the opportunity we have to combine the preventative benefits of mindfulness and overall health, with the incredible advances of traditional medicine over the past few decades. Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or head over to <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Slow medicine with Dr Christine Walker

Welcome back to another season of the Slow Home podcast!  Season 5 of the poggie has a new format, with each episode comprising of two parts. In the first part Ben and Brooke will be diving deep into an area of slow living that listeners want to know more about (think topics like self-care, waste reduction, tech and their relationship to stuff). The second part of the episode will be a dedicated follow-up with guests from Season 4 to see how they have been tracking and whether they have implemented any changes.  Today's episode kicks off with a conversation on rhythms (as opposed to routines) where Brooke and Ben discuss:  What exactly are rhythms? How rhythms are applied to different parts of their life What rhythms have looked like for them since settling into their new town What they have discovered about rhythms and how they best work for them If there is room for flexibility and fluidity within rhythms How to set up and maintain rhythms  Brooke then catches up with Season 4 guest, Kate, who you might remember was struggling with the question of whether slow living might actually be robbing her of ambition.  Kate shares how she has embraced the 'messy middle' and has started to get comfortable with the unknown since she and Brooke last spoke. She also talks about how saying no to things has given her energy, and shares a few examples of opportunities she would have previously said yes to, and the power she felt by saying no instead.  There's so much inspiration and practical slow living in action in this episode and we hope you enjoy it!  Looking for more Slow?  Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season5 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for Brooke's weekly slow-living love letters Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to another season of the Slow Home podcast!  Season 5 of the poggie has a new format, with each episode comprising of two parts. In the first part Ben and Brooke will be diving deep into an area of slow living that listeners want to know more about (think topics like self-care, waste reduction, tech and their relationship to stuff). The second part of the episode will be a dedicated follow-up with guests from Season 4 to see how they have been tracking and whether they have implemented any changes.  Today's episode kicks off with a conversation on rhythms (as opposed to routines) where Brooke and Ben discuss: <ul> <li>What exactly are rhythms?</li> <li>How rhythms are applied to different parts of their life</li> <li>What rhythms have looked like for them since settling into their new town</li> <li>What they have discovered about rhythms and how they best work for them</li> <li>If there is room for flexibility and fluidity within rhythms</li> <li>How to set up and maintain rhythms</li> </ul> Brooke then catches up with Season 4 guest, Kate, who you might remember was struggling with the question of whether slow living might actually be robbing her of ambition.  Kate shares how she has embraced the 'messy middle' and has started to get comfortable with the unknown since she and Brooke last spoke. She also talks about how saying no to things has given her energy, and shares a few examples of opportunities she would have previously said yes to, and the power she felt by saying no instead.  There's so much inspiration and practical slow living in action in this episode and we hope you enjoy it!  Looking for more Slow? <ul> <li>Find show notes, resources and links at <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/season5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slowyourhome.com/season5</a></li> <li>Follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/slowhomepod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@slowhomepod</a></li> <li>Sign up for Brooke's weekly slow-living <a href="https://slowyourhome.com/slowpost" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">love letters</a></li> <li>Or leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or review in iTunes</a></li> </ul><a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Rhythms: A Slow Living Deep-Dive

Kirsty Farrugia

In today’s episode Brooke chats to the delightful Kirsty Farrugia, founder of Feels Like Home professional organising, and co-host of the podcast The Art of Decluttering. This conversation put to bed a few misconceptions Brooke had about professional organisers, as Kirsty really brings warmth and vulnerability when talking about her job, and the full spectrum of relationships between stuff and people that she deals with in her daily life. They talk about the misconception of decluttering as the solution to every problem, when really it’s often just the first step in a long process of creating change in your life. Kirsty also talks about how she gets started with her clients, and the questions she invites them to ask as they sit in the mess and start to deal with it. Just like Brooke talks about the importance of knowing your ‘why’, when it comes to decluttering, having a vision for your home and your life in it makes the process much easier. Wonderfully, Kirsty reveals that she is in fact not a naturally organised person, and that it was only after she married an “uber-organised” man that she started to change her ways. This means that she can really connect and empathise with her clients, as she too has felt overwhelmed in her own home and has done the hard work to make changes. She talks about the idea of grace, and of the benefits of letting go and giving yourself permission to live the life you want to live, not a life dictated by the things around you. It’s a big, honest, vulnerable chat that definitely peels back a couple of onion layers around decluttering and professional organising, and we owe a big thanks to Kirsty for sharing so openly. To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/226/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. Brooke and Ben also announce the first Slow Experiment of 2018 and encourage you to join in. You can find out more at http://www.slowyourhome.com/nature ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ===Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Brooke chats to the delightful Kirsty Farrugia, founder of Feels Like Home professional organising, and co-host of the podcast The Art of Decluttering. This conversation put to bed a few misconceptions Brooke had about professional organisers, as Kirsty really brings warmth and vulnerability when talking about her job, and the full spectrum of relationships between stuff and people that she deals with in her daily life. They talk about the misconception of decluttering as the solution to every problem, when really it’s often just the first step in a long process of creating change in your life. Kirsty also talks about how she gets started with her clients, and the questions she invites them to ask as they sit in the mess and start to deal with it. Just like Brooke talks about the importance of knowing your ‘why’, when it comes to decluttering, having a vision for your home and your life in it makes the process much easier. Wonderfully, Kirsty reveals that she is in fact not a naturally organised person, and that it was only after she married an “uber-organised” man that she started to change her ways. This means that she can really connect and empathise with her clients, as she too has felt overwhelmed in her own home and has done the hard work to make changes. She talks about the idea of grace, and of the benefits of letting go and giving yourself permission to live the life you want to live, not a life dictated by the things around you. It’s a big, honest, vulnerable chat that definitely peels back a couple of onion layers around decluttering and professional organising, and we owe a big thanks to Kirsty for sharing so openly. To read more, head over to <a href="http://slowyourhome.com/226/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://slowyourhome.com/226/</a> for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. Brooke and Ben also announce the first Slow Experiment of 2018 and encourage you to join in. You can find out more at <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/nature" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/nature</a> ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ===<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Secrets of Professional Organisers with Kirsty Farrugia

It's the beginning of a new month, which means the start of a new Slow Home Experiment. In today's episode Brooke and Ben talk about their decluttering experiment, why they wanted to go back to their simple living roots, and the rules of the #minsgame they're following this month, as a motivator to let go of some of the clutter that's crept in over the past year. Essentially though, they're letting go of clutter every day. October 1, they each let go of one thing. October 2, two things. October 3, three things, and so on, all the way to the end of the month. Ben does some impressive arithmetic to work out how many items that is, but suffice to say, it's going to be a challenge!  Both Brooke and Ben talk through their first three days worth of clutter, the strange emotional attachment we form with things - particulalrly when they're tied to important moments in life - and the freedom and lightness that comes with letting go.  Brooke talks about the importance of simplifying and the impact decluttering the family home had on her recovery from post-natal depression, as well as the massive ongoing benefits that letting go of the excess has provided over the past few years.  For links and resources mentioned in today’s episode head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/107 It's going to be a really fun experiment that anyone can join in on, so please feel free to play along, and tag your social media posts with both #minsgame and #slowhomeexperiment. In the meantime, have a cracking week! Enjoy! Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2 or head over to the Patreon page www.patreon.com/slow to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the beginning of a new month, which means the start of a new Slow Home Experiment. In today's episode Brooke and Ben talk about their decluttering experiment, why they wanted to go back to their simple living roots, and the rules of the #minsgame they're following this month, as a motivator to let go of some of the clutter that's crept in over the past year. Essentially though, they're letting go of clutter every day. October 1, they each let go of one thing. October 2, two things. October 3, three things, and so on, all the way to the end of the month. Ben does some impressive arithmetic to work out how many items that is, but suffice to say, it's going to be a challenge!  Both Brooke and Ben talk through their first three days worth of clutter, the strange emotional attachment we form with things - particulalrly when they're tied to important moments in life - and the freedom and lightness that comes with letting go.  Brooke talks about the importance of simplifying and the impact decluttering the family home had on her recovery from post-natal depression, as well as the massive ongoing benefits that letting go of the excess has provided over the past few years.  For links and resources mentioned in today’s episode head over to <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/107" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/107</a> It's going to be a really fun experiment that anyone can join in on, so please feel free to play along, and tag your social media posts with both #minsgame and #slowhomeexperiment. In the meantime, have a cracking week! Enjoy! Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2</a> or head over to the Patreon page <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/slow</a> to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Decluttering #1 - The Slow Home Experiment

Cait Flanders

In today’s episode Brooke talks to the awesome Cait Flanders, mindful money extraordinaire, author and slow living advocate. The last time Cait was on the show was way back in episode 22 in 2015, so the two had a bit to catch up on! Excitingly, Cait’s first book The Year Of Less is about to be released (on 16th January 2018). Brooke has read the book and absolutely loved it. At first glance it might seem to be about a girl who stopped shopping for a year, but it’s actually about so much more. Cait did complete a year-long shopping ban from 2014-2015, and while the book is about that, the ban also provides a framework for her to talk about a lot of other things - drinking, relationships, money (of course) and more. The book is deeply personal and honest, so a lot of excavation was involved in the writing. Cait speaks about the writing process (including self-imposed isolation and extended Airbnb stays) as well as the feeling of finishing her biggest creative project to date. Brooke also asked Cait about the year of slow experiments she’s undertaken in 2017. Cait explained the motivation behind them - that she felt overwhelmed by the classic #newyearnewme self-improvement messages, knowing she’d have a lot of work to do in the new year with her book. But at the same time there were some small changes she wanted to make - things she wanted more or less of in her life. And so the year-long project was born, featuring all the fun of trying something new without the pressure of a challenge. Every month (bar two) had a theme, and rather than setting goals she created intentions, which meant more room for fluidity and flexibility and less feeling bad for not ticking a certain box every day. She kicked off with slow mornings in January, and in a beautiful act of synchronicity, is finishing in December with experimenting with slow evenings. Her favourite experiments were the slow travel and slow food (no surprises there!). Throughout the year Cait realised that anything that makes you stop and think about what it is that you’re doing, in whatever aspect of your life, is a good thing. She and Brooke talk more about that in terms of being overwhelmed with choice, feelings of FOMO, changing slowly, being compassionate and asking for help when we need it. Cait’s overall goal with her book was to encourage people to pause and think about what’s going on when they feel the need to consume more or binge on whatever it is - shopping, drinking, eating, social media etc. And this mindfulness really permeates throughout all her work, and the way she lives her life. Yay for Cait! To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/219/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ===Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Brooke talks to the awesome Cait Flanders, mindful money extraordinaire, author and slow living advocate. The last time Cait was on the show was way back in episode 22 in 2015, so the two had a bit to catch up on! Excitingly, Cait’s first book The Year Of Less is about to be released (on 16th January 2018). Brooke has read the book and absolutely loved it. At first glance it might seem to be about a girl who stopped shopping for a year, but it’s actually about so much more. Cait did complete a year-long shopping ban from 2014-2015, and while the book is about that, the ban also provides a framework for her to talk about a lot of other things - drinking, relationships, money (of course) and more. The book is deeply personal and honest, so a lot of excavation was involved in the writing. Cait speaks about the writing process (including self-imposed isolation and extended Airbnb stays) as well as the feeling of finishing her biggest creative project to date. Brooke also asked Cait about the year of slow experiments she’s undertaken in 2017. Cait explained the motivation behind them - that she felt overwhelmed by the classic #newyearnewme self-improvement messages, knowing she’d have a lot of work to do in the new year with her book. But at the same time there were some small changes she wanted to make - things she wanted more or less of in her life. And so the year-long project was born, featuring all the fun of trying something new without the pressure of a challenge. Every month (bar two) had a theme, and rather than setting goals she created intentions, which meant more room for fluidity and flexibility and less feeling bad for not ticking a certain box every day. She kicked off with slow mornings in January, and in a beautiful act of synchronicity, is finishing in December with experimenting with slow evenings. Her favourite experiments were the slow travel and slow food (no surprises there!). Throughout the year Cait realised that anything that makes you stop and think about what it is that you’re doing, in whatever aspect of your life, is a good thing. She and Brooke talk more about that in terms of being overwhelmed with choice, feelings of FOMO, changing slowly, being compassionate and asking for help when we need it. Cait’s overall goal with her book was to encourage people to pause and think about what’s going on when they feel the need to consume more or binge on whatever it is - shopping, drinking, eating, social media etc. And this mindfulness really permeates throughout all her work, and the way she lives her life. Yay for Cait! To read more, head over to <a href="http://slowyourhome.com/219/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://slowyourhome.com/219/</a> for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ===<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Cait Flanders on her year of less, and why consumption isn't just about stuff

In the final cleaning related episode (many of you have found these really helpful, which is awesome, but truth be told, Brooke is looking forward to not thinking quite so much about cleaning as of next week!) Ben and Brooke look at their rhythms. Specifically the rhythms they’ve developed at home that allow them to stay on top of the home maintenance and ensure things never get overwhelming. It might seem like over-engineering, but this is the rhythm that Brooke has been using in some version or another for years, and while it’s changed as circumstances have shifted and the kids have gotten older, it’s served her well and means they can minimise:  the amount of time they spend thinking about cleaning the overwhelm that strikes when there’s a build-up of jobs that haven’t been done frequently enough. (A bathroom left for a month takes much longer to clean than a bathroom that’s cleaned once a week, for example) the stress and willpower factors involved in cleaning - there’s no need to think too much about housework at all, but simply go through the rhythm that’s in place the chance of things ever getting truly out of hand which in turn means cleaning takes less time, less energy, less product, less of everything.  In order to work out a rhythm, Brooke simply wrote down all the weekly housework tasks and split them up over the days of the week that make sense (for their home). For you it might be a matter of doing all the housework on a Saturday morning or a Thursday afternoon because your schedule doesn’t allow for it to be split over days. Whatever works is the order of the day here! If you head over to the blog at http://www.slowyourhome.com/147 there is a simplified version of Ben and Brooke’s rhythm outlined there, as well as links to the other episodes in this mini series. Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final cleaning related episode (many of you have found these really helpful, which is awesome, but truth be told, Brooke is looking forward to not thinking quite so much about cleaning as of next week!) Ben and Brooke look at their rhythms. Specifically the rhythms they’ve developed at home that allow them to stay on top of the home maintenance and ensure things never get overwhelming. It might seem like over-engineering, but this is the rhythm that Brooke has been using in some version or another for years, and while it’s changed as circumstances have shifted and the kids have gotten older, it’s served her well and means they can minimise: <ul> <li>the amount of time they spend thinking about cleaning</li> <li>the overwhelm that strikes when there’s a build-up of jobs that haven’t been done frequently enough. (A bathroom left for a month takes much longer to clean than a bathroom that’s cleaned once a week, for example)</li> <li>the stress and willpower factors involved in cleaning - there’s no need to think too much about housework at all, but simply go through the rhythm that’s in place</li> <li>the chance of things ever getting truly out of hand which in turn means cleaning takes less time, less energy, less product, less of everything.</li> </ul> In order to work out a rhythm, Brooke simply wrote down all the weekly housework tasks and split them up over the days of the week that make sense (for their home). For you it might be a matter of doing all the housework on a Saturday morning or a Thursday afternoon because your schedule doesn’t allow for it to be split over days. Whatever works is the order of the day here! If you head over to the blog at <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/147" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/147</a> there is a simplified version of Ben and Brooke’s rhythm outlined there, as well as links to the other episodes in this mini series. Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Slow Home: Rhythms

Just so you know straight off the bat, today’s episode is BIG. It’s packed full of practical tips and it moves prettttty fast. But it’s valuable, practical and, even better, it’s going to help you have a positive impact on the planet and your bank balance. Big talk, eh? But this is a big show. In a little under an hour Ben and Brooke offer you 50 ways to reduce food waste in your own home, and it’s quite literally packed full of things you can do today. OK, probably not all of them today, but there is at least one idea in this episode for you to apply today. Guaranteed. And there’s no purchase of backyard chickens necessary. Ben’s got some astonishing stats to share in this episode, but needless to say, the level of food waste in Australia alone is eye-wateringly high. And given what we know about food security in the developing world, and even many communities in our own backyard, it’s truly devastating to think about. And while some of this waste is a result of systems put in place by massive supermarket chains both in Australia and globally, a lot of it is not. Much of the food we waste in Australia is wasted in our own homes, and it’s this waste that we want to focus on in this big ol’ pogpast episode. So dive in to the collective, crowdsourced wisdom of this episode, and head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/169 for the full list of tips Ben and Brooke cover today, as well as a list of resources and links that might be helpful in your own experiments in cutting back on food waste. Enjoy! This poggie is sponsored by ettitude - makers of ethical, organic bamboo bed linen (and now pyjamas!). Head over to http://www.ettitude.com.au/slowhome and use the offer code "sleepbetter" to get 10% off your first order. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====  Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just so you know straight off the bat, today’s episode is BIG. It’s packed full of practical tips and it moves prettttty fast. But it’s valuable, practical and, even better, it’s going to help you have a positive impact on the planet and your bank balance. Big talk, eh? But this is a big show. In a little under an hour Ben and Brooke offer you 50 ways to reduce food waste in your own home, and it’s quite literally packed full of things you can do today. OK, probably not all of them today, but there is at least one idea in this episode for you to apply today. Guaranteed. And there’s no purchase of backyard chickens necessary. Ben’s got some astonishing stats to share in this episode, but needless to say, the level of food waste in Australia alone is eye-wateringly high. And given what we know about food security in the developing world, and even many communities in our own backyard, it’s truly devastating to think about. And while some of this waste is a result of systems put in place by massive supermarket chains both in Australia and globally, a lot of it is not. Much of the food we waste in Australia is wasted in our own homes, and it’s this waste that we want to focus on in this big ol’ pogpast episode. So dive in to the collective, crowdsourced wisdom of this episode, and head over to <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/169" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/169</a> for the full list of tips Ben and Brooke cover today, as well as a list of resources and links that might be helpful in your own experiments in cutting back on food waste. Enjoy! This poggie is sponsored by ettitude - makers of ethical, organic bamboo bed linen (and now pyjamas!). Head over to <a href="http://www.ettitude.com.au/slowhome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ettitude.com.au/slowhome</a> and use the offer code "sleepbetter" to get 10% off your first order. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ==== <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

50 ways to (seriously) reduce your food waste

Jacki Carr

Welcome to the first episode of our Summer Series (Winter Warmies!) Throughout all of January, we’ll be sharing some of your favourite episodes from 2019, to keep you company on the beach (or the slopes!) In this episode Brooke sits down with goals coach, co-founder of Rock Your Bliss and incredible public speaker/human Jacki Carr. Brooke did some work with Jacki in 2018 before embarking on the Slow book tour and it had the most enormous impact on her time on the road. So she was determined to chat with Jacki this season, and especially at this time of year, as there’s so much buzz about resolutions, goals and general New Year vibes, which is all Jacki’s passion. Brooke and Jacki cover so much in this conversation, talking all things resolutions, change, defining and committing to goals, values, balance, community and how to use social media as a tool for connection rather than a crutch, by consistently returning to your values. Questions featured in this episode:  How do you help people define their values? How do you encourage people to keep re-centering on their values even when life happens? Have you intentionally developed a crew of people in your corner to support you in living with your values? What are your thoughts on balance? Do you look for ease in situations, or always look to expansion? When did developing in-person communities become important to you? Do you have any tools you use to help social media be a way to connect rather than a crutch?  Looking for more Slow?  Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/summerseries Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Or leave a rating or review in iTunes  As always, thank you for listening!Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the first episode of our Summer Series (Winter Warmies!) Throughout all of January, we’ll be sharing some of your favourite episodes from 2019, to keep you company on the beach (or the slopes!) In this episode Brooke sits down with goals coach, co-founder of Rock Your Bliss and incredible public speaker/human Jacki Carr. Brooke did some work with Jacki in 2018 before embarking on the Slow book tour and it had the most enormous impact on her time on the road. So she was determined to chat with Jacki this season, and especially at this time of year, as there’s so much buzz about resolutions, goals and general New Year vibes, which is all Jacki’s passion. Brooke and Jacki cover so much in this conversation, talking all things resolutions, change, defining and committing to goals, values, balance, community and how to use social media as a tool for connection rather than a crutch, by consistently returning to your values. Questions featured in this episode: <ol> <li>How do you help people define their values?</li> <li>How do you encourage people to keep re-centering on their values even when life happens?</li> <li>Have you intentionally developed a crew of people in your corner to support you in living with your values?</li> <li>What are your thoughts on balance?</li> <li>Do you look for ease in situations, or always look to expansion?</li> <li>When did developing in-person communities become important to you?</li> <li>Do you have any tools you use to help social media be a way to connect rather than a crutch?</li> </ol> Looking for more Slow? <ul> <li>Find show notes, resources and links at <a href="https://slowyourhome.com/summerseries/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slowyourhome.com/summerseries</a></li> <li>Follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/slowhomepod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@slowhomepod</a></li> <li>Or leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or review in iTunes</a></li> </ul> As always, thank you for listening!<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Jacki Carr on redefining balance (and making room for failure) - Summer Series

In today’s episode we meet Nancy, who has recently moved from the UK to Kuala Lumpur with her family, and is afraid that her introversion, combined with her desire to live a ‘slow life’ is holding her back from making friends. Brooke discovers that she and Nancy share a lot of the same concerns, and they dive head-first in to why they both struggle with connection and what relationship that struggle has to deeper issues of self-worth, guilt and shame.   Brooke also shares some of the practical techniques she’s used over the past six months of living in a new place that have helped her slowly find and connect with like-minded people, while also talking through why we might want to rethink what “like-minded people” means to us. Are we holding out for a perfect fit when there are dozens of great people surrounding us? And if so, how can we get to know whether we’re a good fit as friends or not? To bring another perspective in to the conversation, Brooke is joined by the wonderful friend of the show (and friend in general) Cait Flanders in the second half of the episode and they talk about making friends online, the importance of getting comfortable with awkwardness and letting go of expectations when meeting new people. It’s a really warm, practical and honest conversation about making friends as an adult, with some special attention given to those of us who are on the more introverted side of the spectrum. Enjoy! Looking for more Slow?  Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season4 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode we meet Nancy, who has recently moved from the UK to Kuala Lumpur with her family, and is afraid that her introversion, combined with her desire to live a ‘slow life’ is holding her back from making friends. Brooke discovers that she and Nancy share a lot of the same concerns, and they dive head-first in to why they both struggle with connection and what relationship that struggle has to deeper issues of self-worth, guilt and shame.   Brooke also shares some of the practical techniques she’s used over the past six months of living in a new place that have helped her slowly find and connect with like-minded people, while also talking through why we might want to rethink what “like-minded people” means to us. Are we holding out for a perfect fit when there are dozens of great people surrounding us? And if so, how can we get to know whether we’re a good fit as friends or not? To bring another perspective in to the conversation, Brooke is joined by the wonderful friend of the show (and friend in general) Cait Flanders in the second half of the episode and they talk about making friends online, the importance of getting comfortable with awkwardness and letting go of expectations when meeting new people. It’s a really warm, practical and honest conversation about making friends as an adult, with some special attention given to those of us who are on the more introverted side of the spectrum. Enjoy! Looking for more Slow? <ul> <li>Find show notes, resources and links at <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/season4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slowyourhome.com/season4</a></li> <li>Follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/slowhomepod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@slowhomepod</a></li> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://slowyourhome.com/slowpost" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">love letters</a></li> <li>Join the Slow Experiment Club over on <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a></li> <li>Or leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or review in iTunes</a></li> </ul><a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Can slow living make us lonely?

Gretchen Rubin

WELCOME TO THE SLOW HOME SUMMER SERIES! BROOKE AND BEN ARE TAKING A BREAK OVER JANUARY, SO WE'RE WE REVISITING SOME OF THE BEST EPISODES OF THE PAST TWO YEARS. In this super enlightening episode, Brooke chats with Gretchen Rubin, the New York Times best-selling author of Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. This show starts out as any other - a regular conversation - in this instance, about happiness and habits and the changes Gretchen is most proud of in her own life. But somewhere around the middle it shifts into something different… A personalised habits counselling session, as Gretchen digs into why Brooke is inclined to take on too many projects and burn out in a big way. They also discuss the Four Tendencies of Habits, and why that means Brooke is less likely to do a morning yoga class by herself, but more likely to turn up if Ben joins her. This is such a fun conversation with plenty of insight into why we do and do not find making changes easy. And for anyone looking to make a shift towards a slower, simpler life, there are plenty of tips and tricks from Gretchen to help you make those changes as seamlessly as possible.     Head over to the blog for links to everything discussed in today's episode.Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WELCOME TO THE SLOW HOME SUMMER SERIES! BROOKE AND BEN ARE TAKING A BREAK OVER JANUARY, SO WE'RE WE REVISITING SOME OF THE BEST EPISODES OF THE PAST TWO YEARS. In this super enlightening episode, Brooke chats with Gretchen Rubin, the New York Times best-selling author of Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. This show starts out as any other - a regular conversation - in this instance, about happiness and habits and the changes Gretchen is most proud of in her own life. But somewhere around the middle it shifts into something different… A personalised habits counselling session, as Gretchen digs into why Brooke is inclined to take on too many projects and burn out in a big way. They also discuss the Four Tendencies of Habits, and why that means Brooke is less likely to do a morning yoga class by herself, but more likely to turn up if Ben joins her. This is such a fun conversation with plenty of insight into why we do and do not find making changes easy. And for anyone looking to make a shift towards a slower, simpler life, there are plenty of tips and tricks from Gretchen to help you make those changes as seamlessly as possible. <h3> </h3> <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/ss4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Head over to the blog</a> for links to everything discussed in today's episode.<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Happiness and habits with Gretchen Rubin - The Slow Home Summer Series

Rachel Jonat

Three-time guest Rachel Jonat of The Minimalist Mom is back! This week brings some real-talk to the topics of slow living as a family, as we catch up on the changes in Rachel and her family’s life since she was last on the show, as well as talk about her new book, The Joy of Doing Nothing. In episode 30, Rachel and her family had just moved to Vancouver from the Isle of Man, and she and Brooke talked about the ways city living and slow living tied in together. In episode 93, the talk turned more specifically to kids and slow living. In today's episode they flip the script entirely, as Rachel and her family have moved away from the city to a small town to live a life with their priorities at the centre. The decision to sell their condo in Vancouver and buy a house in a small town in the mountains of BC was a well-thought-out one that aligned with the needs of Rachel’s family (and especially her eldest son, who has additional needs), and also her and her husband’s values. She and Brooke talk about the reality of making this decision, what led up to it, and how the change in location has impacted their lives. Rachel talks about the shift in pace from city to small-town living, which, given her new book, The Joy of Doing Nothing, is utterly relevant. She was working on the book right before she and her husband made the decision to leave Vancouver, and felt inspired by what she was writing about to try and find a life that gave her the time and space she wanted. The book is about slowing down and simplifying, but rather than being about stuff, it focuses on simple, actionable ways to create quiet time for yourself to really unplug and just be. It’s not an extreme approach in any sense, but it definitely taps into that fear so many of us have of not being entertained, distracted or scheduled, and encourages us to hit reset a little more often. To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/225/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ===Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three-time guest Rachel Jonat of The Minimalist Mom is back! This week brings some real-talk to the topics of slow living as a family, as we catch up on the changes in Rachel and her family’s life since she was last on the show, as well as talk about her new book, The Joy of Doing Nothing. In episode 30, Rachel and her family had just moved to Vancouver from the Isle of Man, and she and Brooke talked about the ways city living and slow living tied in together. In episode 93, the talk turned more specifically to kids and slow living. In today's episode they flip the script entirely, as Rachel and her family have moved away from the city to a small town to live a life with their priorities at the centre. The decision to sell their condo in Vancouver and buy a house in a small town in the mountains of BC was a well-thought-out one that aligned with the needs of Rachel’s family (and especially her eldest son, who has additional needs), and also her and her husband’s values. She and Brooke talk about the reality of making this decision, what led up to it, and how the change in location has impacted their lives. Rachel talks about the shift in pace from city to small-town living, which, given her new book, The Joy of Doing Nothing, is utterly relevant. She was working on the book right before she and her husband made the decision to leave Vancouver, and felt inspired by what she was writing about to try and find a life that gave her the time and space she wanted. The book is about slowing down and simplifying, but rather than being about stuff, it focuses on simple, actionable ways to create quiet time for yourself to really unplug and just be. It’s not an extreme approach in any sense, but it definitely taps into that fear so many of us have of not being entertained, distracted or scheduled, and encourages us to hit reset a little more often. To read more, head over to <a href="http://slowyourhome.com/225/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://slowyourhome.com/225/</a> for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ===<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Rachel Jonat on the Joy of Doing Nothing

This week we meet another wonderful listener, Sara, who has found herself in a place many of us can relate to: she's gradually reduced the commitments in her life in order to do more of what lights her up but has found other requests and demands on her sneaking in and is finding it difficult to create boundaries and say no. Sara has been transitioning to retirement over the past couple of years but is struggling to actually retire. She values service in all areas of her life, and is struggling to calibrate what service looks like in a life that has always placed the service of others ahead of her own needs. She's finding it difficult to say no and similarly tough to create boundaries.  Brooke and Sara talk about the role of ego in constantly saying yes, as well as the feelings of guilt that arise when Sara chooses to create and honour the boundaries around her time, energy and other values. Brooke is then joined by Cark Honoré, who talks about our innate desire to feel relevant as we get older, and how to move through the fear of losing our identity when letting go of work, relationships or activities that used to define us. They also have an interesting discussion on the trajectory of slow living and how it’s come to reflect different things now that it’s more of a mainstream idea. Enjoy! Looking for more Slow?  Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season4 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we meet another wonderful listener, Sara, who has found herself in a place many of us can relate to: she's gradually reduced the commitments in her life in order to do more of what lights her up but has found other requests and demands on her sneaking in and is finding it difficult to create boundaries and say no. Sara has been transitioning to retirement over the past couple of years but is struggling to actually retire. She values service in all areas of her life, and is struggling to calibrate what service looks like in a life that has always placed the service of others ahead of her own needs. She's finding it difficult to say no and similarly tough to create boundaries.  Brooke and Sara talk about the role of ego in constantly saying yes, as well as the feelings of guilt that arise when Sara chooses to create and honour the boundaries around her time, energy and other values. Brooke is then joined by Cark Honoré, who talks about our innate desire to feel relevant as we get older, and how to move through the fear of losing our identity when letting go of work, relationships or activities that used to define us. They also have an interesting discussion on the trajectory of slow living and how it’s come to reflect different things now that it’s more of a mainstream idea. Enjoy! Looking for more Slow? <ul> <li>Find show notes, resources and links at <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/season4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slowyourhome.com/season4</a></li> <li>Follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/slowhomepod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@slowhomepod</a></li> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://slowyourhome.com/slowpost" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">love letters</a></li> <li>Join the Slow Experiment Club over on <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a></li> <li>Or leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or review in iTunes</a></li> </ul><a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

When slow becomes fast and no is hard to say

Ali Wright

http://www.slowyourhome.com/39 Have you ever found yourself eating your way through a block of chocolate, despite the fact you stopped enjoying it a while ago? Or ordered the big plate of hot chips even though you know you’lll feel bloated and heavy and low on energy in thirty minutes time? So why do we do it? Why do we repeatedly eat food that we know will leave us feeling depleted?  That’s what I unpack today with my guest, Ali Wright, a nutritionist who turned her own health around after reaching a crisis point just a few years ago.  What I love most about this chat is that it’s not about dieting or following a certain food trend, and it’s certainly not about deprivation. Instead, Ali and I talk about the idea of ‘crowding out’ foods that don’t benefit us, with more of the foods that do.  The focus is also not on weight loss or fitting some arbitrary vision of health and wellness, but rather on eating well to be well. Refreshing, right? Enjoy x ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support us, leave us a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to our Patreon page to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! xx ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

<a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/39" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/39</a> Have you ever found yourself eating your way through a block of chocolate, despite the fact you stopped enjoying it a while ago? Or ordered the big plate of hot chips even though you know you’lll feel bloated and heavy and low on energy in thirty minutes time? So why do we do it? Why do we repeatedly eat food that we know will leave us feeling depleted? That’s what I unpack today with my guest, Ali Wright, a nutritionist who turned her own health around after reaching a crisis point just a few years ago. What I love most about this chat is that it’s not about dieting or following a certain food trend, and it’s certainly not about deprivation. Instead, Ali and I talk about the idea of ‘crowding out’ foods that don’t benefit us, with more of the foods that do. The focus is also not on weight loss or fitting some arbitrary vision of health and wellness, but rather on eating well to be well. Refreshing, right? Enjoy x ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support us, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave us a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or head over to <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! xx ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Mindful eating with Ali Wright

Margy Heuschele

In today’s episode Brooke chats with the utterly lovely Margy Heuschele - a teacher-librarian from Toowoomba in Queensland - who has gradually shifted her life from one of stress and overwhelm and perfectionism and control, to one of slowness, contentment, simplicity and joy in the tiny moments. There are so many things to love in this episode (not least Margy’s amazing book recommendations!) but one of the most striking things is the contentment Margy exudes and the way she describes the tiny, beautiful moments in her life as the turning point in living a slower, more mindful life. There wasn’t a huge traumatic experience or a momentous realisation that brought her to slow living, but rather taking the time for little, mundane moments of beauty in her every day. She and Brooke also talk about the impact simplifying had on her now-grown kids, why it’s so important to teach people (both the young and not-so-young) foundational skills such as sewing and gardening, and why she and her husband started a simple living organisation in their community. For links to all of Margy’s book recommendations and other resources mentioned in today’s episode, head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/97 Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes: (https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2) or head over to the Patreon page (www.patreon.com/slow) to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Brooke chats with the utterly lovely Margy Heuschele - a teacher-librarian from Toowoomba in Queensland - who has gradually shifted her life from one of stress and overwhelm and perfectionism and control, to one of slowness, contentment, simplicity and joy in the tiny moments. There are so many things to love in this episode (not least Margy’s amazing book recommendations!) but one of the most striking things is the contentment Margy exudes and the way she describes the tiny, beautiful moments in her life as the turning point in living a slower, more mindful life. There wasn’t a huge traumatic experience or a momentous realisation that brought her to slow living, but rather taking the time for little, mundane moments of beauty in her every day. She and Brooke also talk about the impact simplifying had on her now-grown kids, why it’s so important to teach people (both the young and not-so-young) foundational skills such as sewing and gardening, and why she and her husband started a simple living organisation in their community. For links to all of Margy’s book recommendations and other resources mentioned in today’s episode, head over to <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/97" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/97</a> Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes: (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2</a>) or head over to the Patreon page (<a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/slow</a>) to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Create More, Consume Less with Margy Heuschele

Stacey Roberts

The first non-McAlary podcast guest of 2016 is the delightful Stacey Roberts of Veggie Mama, and honestly, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an hour on a rainy Friday morning. We talk about negative relationships and why they drove her to learn about mindfulness, what she’s learnt from a decades-long meditation practice, and the negative thought patterns both of us have had to break free of and how living a simpler, more intentional life has helped with that. We also talk about the importance of saying no, having fun and what ‘pretty minimalism’ looks like. Don’t forget that next week we start publishing two shows a week (I know! Exciting!) and next Monday we kick off our first month-long experiment by giving up sugar. If you want to play along with us, head over to Facebook or Twitter and tag your posts with #slowhomeexperiment. For today's show notes and links to Stacey's blog and social media, visit http://www.slowyourhome.com/42 ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support us, leave us a rating or a review in iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2) or head over to our Patreon page (http://www.patreon.com/slow) to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! xx ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first non-McAlary podcast guest of 2016 is the delightful Stacey Roberts of Veggie Mama, and honestly, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an hour on a rainy Friday morning. We talk about negative relationships and why they drove her to learn about mindfulness, what she’s learnt from a decades-long meditation practice, and the negative thought patterns both of us have had to break free of and how living a simpler, more intentional life has helped with that. We also talk about the importance of saying no, having fun and what ‘pretty minimalism’ looks like. Don’t forget that next week we start publishing two shows a week (I know! Exciting!) and next Monday we kick off our first month-long experiment by giving up sugar. If you want to play along with us, head over to Facebook or Twitter and tag your posts with #slowhomeexperiment. For today's show notes and links to Stacey's blog and social media, visit <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/42" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/42</a> ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support us, leave us a rating or a review in iTunes (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2</a>) or head over to our Patreon page (<a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.patreon.com/slow</a>) to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! xx ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Pretty minimalism with Stacey Roberts

In this ridiculously enlightening episode, Brooke chats with Gretchen Rubin, the New York Times best-selling author of Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. This show starts out as any other - a regular conversation - in this instance, about happiness and habits and the changes Gretchen is most proud of in her own life. But somewhere around the middle it shifts into something different… A personalised habits counselling session, as Gretchen digs into why Brooke is inclined to take on too many projects and burn out in a big way. They also discuss the Four Tendencies of Habits, and why that means Brooke is less likely to do a morning yoga class by herself, but more likely to turn up if Ben joins her. This is such a fun conversation with plenty of insight into why we do and do not find making changes easy. And for anyone looking to make a shift towards a slower, simpler life, there are plenty of tips and tricks from Gretchen to help you make those changes as seamlessly as possible. Also, in light of the #slowhomeexperiment, Gretchen has some killer insight into why some changes stick while others fall by the way, so if you’re giving up sugar along with Brooke and Ben this February, you’ll definitely want to tune in. For show notes from today's episode, head to http://www.slowyourhome.com/44 ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this ridiculously enlightening episode, Brooke chats with Gretchen Rubin, the New York Times best-selling author of Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. This show starts out as any other - a regular conversation - in this instance, about happiness and habits and the changes Gretchen is most proud of in her own life. But somewhere around the middle it shifts into something different… A personalised habits counselling session, as Gretchen digs into why Brooke is inclined to take on too many projects and burn out in a big way. They also discuss the Four Tendencies of Habits, and why that means Brooke is less likely to do a morning yoga class by herself, but more likely to turn up if Ben joins her. This is such a fun conversation with plenty of insight into why we do and do not find making changes easy. And for anyone looking to make a shift towards a slower, simpler life, there are plenty of tips and tricks from Gretchen to help you make those changes as seamlessly as possible. Also, in light of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/slowhomeexperiment?src=hash" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#slowhomeexperiment</a>, Gretchen has some killer insight into why some changes stick while others fall by the way, so if you’re giving up sugar along with Brooke and Ben this February, you’ll definitely want to tune in. For show notes from today's episode, head to <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/44" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.slowyourhome.com/44</a> ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating or a review in iTunes</a> or head over to <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Happiness and habits with Gretchen Rubin

http://slowyourhome.com/4 - Episode 4 of our massive launch week, and this episode is a solo show. Just me, you, my mic and some thoughts on slow living.  In this episode I dig in to what I mean when I talk about slow living. That is, what do proponents of slow living actually do differently, what is important and what isn’t important. I also round out the show with a list of 9 massive benefits of slowing down and living a simpler life.  Grab a cup of something and enjoy. Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

<a href="http://slowyourhome.com/4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://slowyourhome.com/4</a> - Episode 4 of our massive launch week, and this episode is a solo show. Just me, you, my mic and some thoughts on slow living.  In this episode I dig in to what I mean when I talk about slow living. That is, what do proponents of slow living actually do differently, what is important and what isn’t important. I also round out the show with a list of 9 massive benefits of slowing down and living a simpler life.  Grab a cup of something and enjoy. <a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

What is Slow Living Anyway? - SHP Episode 4

Rob Greenfield

Welcome to the second episode of the Summer Series (/Winter Warmies!) For all of January, we’ll be bringing back the best of 2018, re-sharing some of our favourite episodes to keep you company on the beach (or the slopes!) Today we’re highlighting one of Brooke’s most inspiring picks of the year - her interview with Rob Greenfield. Rob is a self-described ‘dude making a difference’: an activist, environmentalist and all-around legend. We love that Rob shares his story so honestly and in a very relatable way - he was just an average guy who had a wake up call, and he talks about what his catalyst for change was, how he started to make changes, having the realisation that you can’t make enormous changes overnight and more.  We can’t wait to see how Rob goes with his current project - growing or foraging 100% of his food for a whole year. To read more about the episode and Rob, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/241/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ===Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the second episode of the Summer Series (/Winter Warmies!) For all of January, we’ll be bringing back the best of 2018, re-sharing some of our favourite episodes to keep you company on the beach (or the slopes!) Today we’re highlighting one of Brooke’s most inspiring picks of the year - her interview with Rob Greenfield. Rob is a self-described ‘dude making a difference’: an activist, environmentalist and all-around legend. We love that Rob shares his story so honestly and in a very relatable way - he was just an average guy who had a wake up call, and he talks about what his catalyst for change was, how he started to make changes, having the realisation that you can’t make enormous changes overnight and more.  We can’t wait to see how Rob goes with his current project - growing or foraging 100% of his food for a whole year. To read more about the episode and Rob, head over to <a href="http://slowyourhome.com/241/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://slowyourhome.com/241/</a> for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ===<a href="https://brookemcalary.substack.com/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Rob Greenfield on the enormous power of small changes - Summer Series

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