slow home

Hello, and welcome to the Slow Home Summer series! For 5 weeks over December and January we’ll be revisiting some of our favourite episodes from 2017, so we can walk the walk and slow down during the Christmas break. Also it turns out podcasts, just like fine wine, really do get better with age. Whether you missed them the first time around, or are having another listen, we hope you enjoy these poggies as much as we did!

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Tim Silverwood is one of Brooke’s environmental role models. He maintains that he’s just an ordinary guy who somehow found himself at the forefront of environmental activism in Australia, but his passion and knowledge means that while he may be an ordinary guy, the impact he’s having on the growing environmental movement in Australia is anything but ordinary. As one of the founders of Take 3 for the Sea and a powerful voice in the movement away from single-use plastics, Tim is having a massive impact both in Australia and around the world.

In today’s episode Tim and Brooke talk about the Plastic-Free July campaign and why it’s so important, but they also go back to the catalyst for Tim’s shift to environmentalism. Perhaps not surprisingly, Tim’s passion for protecting the ocean started in his passion for the waves and like so many people now heavily invested in protecting our wild spaces, Tim was a surfer who used his love of the ocean to drive changes in his own life.

They also talk about the importance of small steps, and why Tim believes it’s the only way to convert the apathetic in to the passionate, but also why these small steps are only the first part of creating global change.

One of the beautiful themes that keeps emerging in Brooke and Tim’s conversation is the idea of connection - both to each other and the environment we all live in - and Tim specifically talks about the ways in which we’re all connected to the health of the oceans. It’s far too easy to think the issue of plastic pollution isn’t one we’re part of, and Tim gets very passionate as he talks about the different ways our actions can have an impact - both positive and negative.

They also talk about the problematic issue of recycling and why so much of what we think of as ‘good recycling’ is actually exacerbating the problem, and why the circular economy and circular design is the way of the future.

To read more, head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/ss184 for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.

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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.

Hello, and welcome to the Slow Home Summer series! For 5 weeks over December and January we’ll be revisiting some of our favourite episodes from 2017, so we can walk the walk and slow down during the Christmas break. Also it turns out podcasts, just like fine wine, really do get better with age. Whether you missed them the first time around, or are having another listen, we hope you enjoy these poggies as much as we did!

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In today’s episode Brooke sits down to chat with Rebecca Sullivan - founder of the ‘granny skills’ movement, serial entrepreneur, food lover and sustainability advocate. In what can only be described as an utterly delightful conversation, Brooke and Rebecca talk about traditions, heritage and the importance of intergenerational connection, as well as how to make the perfect blush for less than $1.

After coming to the realisation that she was completely removed from the process of creating and growing her own food (something to do with cheese and maggots in a small Italian town) Rebecca began the process of educating herself. From that realisation has grown a career of incredible depth and breadth, covering food, traditional skills, agriculture, creating natural homemade products and recently a pilot program that placed grandparents in local schools. This program saw older people teaching kids traditional skills around cooking and woodworking, which not only had an incredibly positive impact on the kids, but the older teachers as well.

Brooke and Rebecca talk about the importance of failure, and the liberation that comes once we accept and even embrace our own screw-ups. As a keen balcony gardener, Rebecca also shares her hottest hits for container growing, including some native edibles that are the most likely to survive some light-to-moderate neglect.

To read more, head over to INSERT LINK HERE (NOT SURE WHAT THE URL WILL BE?) for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.

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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.

Hello, and welcome to the Slow Home Summer series! For 5 weeks over December and January we’ll be revisiting some of our favourite episodes from 2017, so we can walk the walk and slow down during the Christmas break. Also it turns out podcasts, just like fine wine, really do get better with age. Whether you missed them the first time around, or are having another listen, we hope you enjoy these poggies as much as we did!

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In today’s poggie Brooke speaks with Katy Bowman, a biomechanist, founder of Nutritious Movement and all-round activity advocate, about the curse of convenience in modern life and what it is costing us in terms of movement, the food we eat, our health, our relationships and the larger structure of our society in general.

They also talk about the infiltration of technology into the lives of both adults and kids, as well as some really practical ways of lessening the impact technology has on our days, and how to deal with the inevitable complaints from kids (and maybe some adults) when they’re forced outside. They also talk about the massive benefits of spending more time outdoors and why Katy is lobbying for outdoor exposure to be classified as a nutrient.

Katy shares her family’s journey towards minimalism and why it began with letting go of their couch, and how the root of their simplification lies in a desire for more movement rather than less stuff.

Enjoy!

To read more, head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/ss181 for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.

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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.

It’s the last (new) episode of the year! Today’s hostful was going to be a “year-in-review” type affair, but Brooke is officially sick of talking about their plans, and so instead it’s a wrap up of Brooke and Ben’s favourite things from 2017! 

There are mixed emotions in the McAlary house as they finish the school year and start to have that nostalgic appreciation for a place you know you’re going to be leaving soon. So they kick things off light, starting with their favourite TV shows, small details and movies of the year. Brooke and Ben end up sharing the same favourite movie as it was the only time they went to the movies this year - together, without the kids, in the middle of the day. “It felt strangely wrong but awesome at the same time”, said Ben of the experience.

They then move onto their favourite new destinations, books (featuring a suspicious amount of Stephen King, no surprises there) and discovery of the year. Then it’s on to favourite album, new podcast, meal and last of all, favourite experience of 2017. They both feel incredibly fortunate for all the great things that have happened this year, and also talk a little bit about the intention or feeling they might like to try and cultivate in the new year.

And that is that! Thank you so much for listening this year, buying the books, and supporting us in any way. We truly feel so grateful to be part of this growing slow community. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and happy holidays, and hope you can soak in the downtime. We’ll be back next week with the summer series, and with new podcasts on the 1st February. Until then, have a great few weeks!

To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/221/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.

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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!

===

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Ben loves goals, Brooke doesn’t. Will they be able to find a way around this and continue in life, love and podcasts? You’ll have to listen to find out!

Like florals to spring are goals and New Year’s resolutions to the end of the year. Today Brooke and Ben talk about their recent discovery that Ben is way more goal oriented than Brooke. Like a lot more. The nature of Ben’s work is project-based, with distinct start and end dates - he’s used to end-points and moving on to the next thing, both professionally and personally. Whether it’s learning a new song on the guitar or painting the front fence, Ben feels like his life is like this, and Brooke feels like hers is not.

Brooke’s natural tendency is not to be goal-oriented at all. While she does need structure and to-do lists to tame her “panster” ways, goals actually make her feel claustrophobic. As soon as a goal is down on paper, no matter how SMART it is, she instantly wants to rebel against it, a habit that’s potentially formed from years of feeling shame around not finishing things that she started. She does semi-regularly sit down and partake in a big-picture brain dump or epic mind-map making session, but even those will be forgotten about and discovered a year later (often, interestingly, with many of the things having taken place, even without the piece of paper in sight!). Unsurprisingly, Brooke is also not a fan of New Year’s resolutions, but more about the actions and the doing.

However, both Brooke and Ben agree that one of the downsides of not setting goals is not celebrating success enough. It’s a work in progress for them - actually stopping to take it in, reflect on what you’ve done and celebrate how far you’ve come, and what you’ve achieved. This also ties back to mindfulness for Brooke, who can see that being more present allows her to really pause and soak in the details of things.

The key takeaway for this week? It’s ok to not be a goal setter, but maybe try being a little more mindful of what it is you’re working towards. And maybe try experimenting with thinking of a couple of short, medium and long-term goals and writing them down in the Notes app in your phone (Ben’s location of choice). Think about something that extends you personally or professionally, or maybe make a mindmap or do a brain dump, and then look at the end game. What is it that you’re working towards? Once it’s time to turn that bullet point into a satisfying tick, take a moment (or a glass of something bubbly) to celebrate your success.

Are you a goal-setter? If so, tell us how you do it, we’d love to hear. Also if anyone really knows what SMART stands for, feel free to get in touch.

To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/220/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.

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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!

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Slow by name, slow by nature is the topic for this Monday episode. After last week’s Facebook Live hostful and the end of the very first Live Life Simply online retreat, Brooke and Ben felt like they were hearing a lot of people come to the realisation that they’d been trying to rush their way to slow as quickly as possible, and that it wasn’t going to work. So they thought it was time to address this paradoxical approach to slowing down and remind us all (including themselves!) that the only way to do it really is slowly.

Slow living has been packaged and sold as a solution to all of the problems we face in our modern world, but people are coming to understand and accept that living a slow life is a slow process, not a quick fix. If you’re living a life of “I’ll be happy when”s (I’ll be happy when I have less stuff, when I’ve paid off my credit card, when I’ve got a weekend with nothing on) it’s hard to appreciate and be present for those moments in between. There’s nothing wrong with having these things in mind to aim for, but it’s important to remember to live life along the way and not get caught up looking at the end goal. It really is all about the journey, not the destination.

Brooke and Ben talk about the realisation that working towards slow living doesn’t mean everything is done slowly, but rather understanding that change comes slowly. It also means accepting that backsliding and failure and frustration are all part of the process too, and that actively softening into the things that we’re resisting can help us be present with where we are, let our experiences deepen and allow ourselves a little compassion.

The take-away from this week is to ask yourself what is something that is bringing you stress or rigidity in your life right now? Maybe it’s a few things - write them down, then just choose one and ask what would it look like if you softened into the process, understand that changes take time and keep slowly working towards it?

Let us know what that looks like for you - we’d love to hear how you’re softening into slow, especially at this time of year.

To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/218/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.

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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!

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It’s the 27^th of November, and if anyone listening is already on holidays, Brooke and Ben salute you. It’s one month til Christmas, and the craziness/silliness/festiveness has well and truly begun. This is the last episode in the Slow Holidays Monday series, and in the spirit of trying to find pockets of slow in these full and exciting weeks, today Brooke and Ben talk about the importance of holiday traditions.

They both agree that traditions are really important, especially at this time of year. However they acknowledge that traditions change and evolve over time, and that there’s no need to stick to something that doesn’t serve you.

Ben challenges Brooke about a couple of their holiday traditions (e.g. getting a real Christmas tree every year and decorating the house with what he terms “clutter”, much to Brooke’s objection) and asks if they still align to their values. Brooke maintains that she still values fun, and that the most important part of these traditions (and this time of year) is spending quality time with friends and family. The joy of hanging out with their kids on the first weekend in December, going to get a tree and then listening to The Beach Boys while decorating is what matters, not necessarily the tree and decorations themselves.

It’s testing, but Ben puts it out there that it’s good at this time of year to question why we partake in certain holiday traditions. This week’s action? Look at what you do at this time of year and the traditions you love, and why you love them. See if there are any traditions that need to evolve and start having those conversations. What small shifts can you start to make to ensure your traditions sit comfortably with your values? And most importantly, don’t forget to embrace the fun and soften into the season.

Head over to http://slowyourhome.com/216/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the blog post.

PS Keep listening all the way to the end for some blooper gold.

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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!

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It’s been a few months since Brooke and Ben shared their 2018 plans with you and thought it was time for an update, because, well, things have changed. Head back to Episode 193 if you’re curious to hear all the previous details, but in a nutshell next year the plan is for Brooke and Ben to pack up their lives in the Blue Mountains and head off on an adventure. First stop will be Canada for a few months before heading to the United States for a book tour to celebrate the release of SLOW. After that, they really don’t know. (And that part, at least, hasn’t changed).

Up until recently the plan was to rent out their house, work remotely and home school the kids while attempting to travel in a slow way, living like locals wherever possible. It was going to allow them to travel, experience the world and still have somewhere to come back to at the end of the trip.

Now? Some of those plans have changed and some of them have become clearer, and in today’s episode Brooke and Ben give you a big old run-down of what they're doing instead.

They talk about why they've decided to sell their house, why they're giving away all their stuff, and why 2018 is all about experimentation.

This is a loose conversation, mostly because Brooke and Ben are feeling pretty nervous/daunted/excited about it all. So enjoy! 

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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!

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This Slow Holidays episode is all about The Pre-Holiday Catch Up, and includes complimentary Christmas puns, now even earlier in the year!

We all know the drill: “Oh, we must catch up before Christmas”, says your well-meaning long-lost friend/colleague/distant cousin/neighbour. Text messages are flying back and forth, and everyone you run into makes the same suggestion. Sometimes you even find the dreaded words coming out of your own mouth.

Work winds down and our social lives ramp up at this time of year. But the reality is, we put so much pressure on ourselves to commit to all these social engagements in such a short window of time that it can make this period a lot more frantic than it needs to be.

Of course there will be end-of-year concerts, assemblies and catch-ups that we have to (and want to) commit to, but now is a great time to start to alleviate the pressure on ourselves before the silly season starts.

Brooke and Ben outline some great steps to take to start to make changes:

1. Accept that it will be a busier time, no matter what steps we take
2. Remember that it’s fun! Enjoy it for what it is
3. Think about what you did last year and will have on this year, write it all down and see if you can combine events or postpone them to the New Year
4. Acknowledge that you can’t do it all and give other people permission to feel the same way
5. Be honest when responding to invitations - say how you feel!
6. Look at your energy requirements and question how much of your energy you want to commit to social events at this time of year

The action for this week is step 3 - write down everything you think you’ll have on this year and start think about ways you can simplify before the time comes. Prepare to be the person in your social group driving change in order a create a slower holiday season for you and your family.

Head over to http://slowyourhome.com/212/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the blog post.

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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!

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Today's episode is such a treat. Courtney Carver, one the first ever guests on the show (Episode 10!) returns to chat with Brooke about her story of simplicity, and how the changes were born of an incredibly difficult time. 

So often the idea of simplifying life is presented in a fairly dogmatic, unemotional way. Initially the focus is on stuff and the process of letting it go, then the focus moves to habit changes or health or food, and then it shifts to mental wellbeing or enviromental awareness. Very rarely does it begin with soul, and hardly ever is it shaped (in the beginning at least) by love. 

But in this conversation and in Courtney's wonderful new book, Soulful Simplicity, love is everywhere. It's sprinkled throughout each story and lesson learnt, and it's love that Courtney returns to every time. 

Soulful Simplicity is not your standard decluttering book. There is heart and soul and passion and vulnerability on the pages, and Brooke and Courtney go deep in to what it means to share fully and honestly some of their hardest lessons learnt throughout the simplifying process, and the impact of a gradual and concerted effort to strip back the layers. 

They speak about the discovery of self throughout the process, and the re-making of self as part of that, as well as the actual head and heart work that's involved.  Courtney also talks specifically of her must-haves when it comes to living a simple, mindful, soulful life.

This is such a love-filled, soul-centred conversation. Enjoy! 

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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.

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Brooke's book tour has given her the opportunity to speak with hundreds of people over the past few months at libraries and bookstores around the state, and the experience has been brilliant. Not only has she been able to talk about the process of writing SLOW, but she's also been able to meet so many poggie listeners and get a real sense of the questions and struggles people face as they undertake their own slow journey. 

So today's episode is a live recording from the recent book talk Brooke gave at the State Library of NSW, where Ben first interviewed Brooke about SLOW and then they both answered audience questions. As always, the questions were fantastic and covered a wide range of topics, including: 

• finding your purpose or Why
• encouraging friends and family to slow down with you
• how to keep extra-curricular activities to a manageable level 
• how to balance your needs with those of others in your home 

It was a fun event to record and Brooke and Ben are excited to bring the tour to Canada and the US next year. If you've got suggestions on where they should visit, feel free to leave them in a comment over at http://www.slowyourhome.com/207 or on the Facebook page. 

Enjoy! 

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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!

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In this second episode in the social media series, Brooke and Ben take on Instagram (Ben’s favourite social media channel!), and talk about how they make it work for them in their business as well as personally, while still living slowly .

First up they talk about the expectation that when you have a business online, you’re always accessible. Being mindful of social media use and setting boundaries around the amount of time spent on social media can feel like the opposite of all the business advice you read and hear. And that’s OK!

They discuss the evolving strategy for The Slow Home Podcast, with a dedicated Instagram on its way as their team grows. Brooke also shares some tips that she uses for managing her Instagram while still being present in everyday life. She rarely posts in real-time, and doesn’t post everyday (mainly because she thinks her life is too boring!). She also recommends that businesses prepare and schedule content where they can. As a self-employed person, it’s important to remember that social media is part of the job, and so it can be labelled as work and only done during work hours.

Lastly, Brooke and Ben talk about the dreaded comparisons that can happen when scrolling through Instagram. They challenge listeners to unfollow anyone that gives them that sinking feeling and see what happens. Instead, follow people who inspire and educate you, and who make you laugh (and keep an eye out for The Slow Home Instagram coming soon!).

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/204 for links to the previous social media episode and for the full blog.   

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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!

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Last week Brooke and Ben attempted to answer a listener question about dealing with eco-anxiety. That is, the pressure or frustration we feel when even our best intentions to minimise waste and tread lightly on the earth are thwarted by an errant plastic bag or forgetting to ask for no straw.

In today’s episode Brooke chats with Erin Rhoads, who is undoubtedly more qualified to answer this question, as a zero-waste advocate and creator of The Rogue Ginger - a website that has both the coolest name and the most accessible and practical tips on living a zero-waste (or low-waste) life.

Brooke and Erin go back to the moment (the movie, actually) that changed Erin from a mindless consumer to conscious advocate and why her journey towards zero waste began with very small and gradual changes (and why she believes yours should too).

Erin answers a few questions that Brooke is consistently asked when it comes to living plastic-free, specifically:

• How can we avoid plastic wrapping when buying cheese?
• Is there an alternative for lunch wraps that doesn't require us to cook our own?
• How can we open up the low-waste conversation with suppliers, family and friends without making people feel judged?

They also talk about the one simple change you can make today - regardless of where you are in your journey towards living plastic-free - as well as offering an encouragement to act rather than get angry.

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/203 for all the links to Erin’s website and social media, as well as all the resources mentioned in today’s episode.

Erin is also part of the upcoming Live Life Simply Online Retreat and will be taking all attendees through the essentials of zero-waste living. Registration is open now so be sure to secure your place before October 22, 2017. The retreat opens its doors on October 23 and Brooke, Erin and co can’t wait to have you!

Head over to https://livelifesimplyretreat.com/ for all the details.

Enjoy!

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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!

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Quite often Brooke and Ben are asked about social media and slow living. That is, how have they managed to build a business that relies of social media to spread the word and build a community (namely Facebook, Twitter IG) without letting it encroach on their time. 

So rather than try to cram a lot of information in to one hostful answer they've decided to spend the next few Mondays talking through the various social media platforms they use, and the strategies they employ for each of them. 

Today it's Twitter, which has shifted a lot over the past couple of years. While both Brooke and Ben still use it personally and often rely on Twitter to keep on top of the news, it's become less central to their business. 

Twitter itself is now a bit of a "let's shout our opinions at each other" space and that's made it a far less enjoyable way to communicate with people. Plus, the changing vibe of Twitter means a lot of slow living folk are no longer hanging out there anyway, so letting it dry up has been a pretty easy choice for Brooke to make. 

They talk about the scheduling vs real-time posting question too, and why Twitter is the most political of the social media platforms for both Brooke and Ben. 

In short, it's not what it used to be over in Twitter Land, but if you're looking to follow interesting people, activists, news organisations etc, it can be a valuable place to spend time (maybe a limited time though?)

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/202 for all the links mentioned in today's episode and for the full blog post. 

Enjoy! 

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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!

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It's hostful time again, and this week Brooke and Ben answer three very different listener questions and launch the big, exciting project they've been working on for the past few months. It's a good day all round!

First up, Rachael asks about coping with eco-anxiety - a great term which encapsulates the frustration that results when we try to make positive changes to our home and the waste we create, only to be constantly reminded by how imperfect our efforts are. It's an obstacle that many people come across and Brooke and Ben give their insights in to how to let go of the perfectionism and embrace smaller, more consistent changes. 

Brooke then puts on her ranty pants as she and Ben discuss the inanity of tit-for-tat holiday gift giving. You know the gifts for the extended family and friends, the office Christmas party, the neighbourhood get-together? Those ones really grind Brooke's gears and today she and Ben talk about how to best opt out of those gift giving arrangements if at all possible, and what crap-free options are available for the situations where a gift is still appropriate. It's a good time of year to start considering the impact of all these novelty gifts, as we edge closer to the holidays. 

Finally, Kerry asks Brooke and Ben what's most recently made them laugh uncontrollably. Brooke's answers are absurd and Ben's are a little closer to home! 

Months ago Brooke and Ben mentioned a new project they were working on in response to the recent listener survey results, and today they're finally ready to put it out in to the world! The Live Life Simply Online Retreat is the first of its kind and brings together the wisdom and expertise of 13 mindfulness, simplicity and slow living experts into one blissful six-week online retreat. 

The retreat is super practical and designed to help you learn at your own pace, in your own home. You can practice yoga and meditation, uncover your purpose, learn the essentials of low tox and zero waste living, dive deep in to mindfulness, slow money, creating a rhythm that works for your daily life, plus loads more - all at a time and pace that works for you. 

Join Brooke and Ben, plus previous podcast guests, Jessica Murnane, Rachael Kable, Alexx Stuart, Kelly Exeter, Janell Burley Hoffman, Carolyn Tate, Kevin Janks and Dr Sarah McKay, as well as Erin Rhoads, Sam Doove and Lauren Verona from Zenko Yoga. 

The line-up is incredible and we can't wait to see you there!

Head over to https://livelifesimplyretreat.com/  for all the details and to secure your place. 

For more info on today's episode, head over to the blog at http://www.slowyourhome.com/201. 

Enjoy!

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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!

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Happy 200th! The Slow Home Poggie is now 200 episodes old and in today’s show Brooke and Ben talk through some of the lessons they’ve learnt over the past two and a half years.

Interestingly, the biggest lesson has directly impacted today’s episode, which was going to be a big, spectacular, complex show. Brooke and Ben wanted to do something significant to celebrate and thought that needed to be different to the normal poggie, but the past couple of weeks travelling and the previous two months of book promotional touring has taught them the importance of flexibility and fluidity in their expectations.

And there-in lies the lesson. We need to let go of the self-imposed expectations and pressures. We need to simplify rather than complicate. And we need to understand that while there are things (many, many things) out of our control, there are also many other things we can control, to say no to, to let go of.

So instead of featuring voicemails and call-ins and loads of interesting insights from their wonderful community, this episode goes deep in to this big lesson.

Brooke and Ben also talk about their recent road trip and the unexpected pace of what they assumed would be a slow travel experience, as well as the pros and cons of camper van life.

It’s been a fun double century - here’s to another 200! Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/200 for the full post and links mentioned in today’s episode.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Last episode Brooke and Ben went deep in to the idea of mindfulness - what it is, what it's not and how we can create opportunity for living more mindfully without having to add ever more tasks to our endless to-do lists. 

It makes perfect sense then, that in this episode Brooke sits down to chat with the utterly delightful Rachael Kable, creator and host of one of the most uplifting mindfulness podcasts in the world, The Mindful Kind. 

Brooke and Rachael chat about the meaning of mindfulness and the genesis of Rachael's personal discover of mindfulness. We also talk about mindful living and teenagers, a topic I'm asked a lot about, and Rach has some excellent tips on how to bring mindfulness in to the lives of a stressed out, highly connected teenager. 

They also look at the intersection of mindfulness and kindness, which is evident as soon as you begin to listen to the way Rachael encourages not only self-compassion but also the multitude of ways she personally serves others. It's a really interesting part of the wider mindfulness conversation, because so often self-care is aligned with being selfish, but Rachael believes that it's vital to fill ourselves up with kindness and compassion in order to turn around and pass it down the line to others. 

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/199 for links to all the resources Brooke and Rachael discussed as well as Rachael's podcast and social media accounts. 

Enjoy! 

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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!

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Over the past few weeks Ben and Brooke have been looking at some of their favourite ideas from SLOW, and have left one of the biggest for last. Mindfulness.

Interestingly, mindfulness is facing a bit of an over-saturation backlash these days, as Brooke discovered in the writing of SLOW. And while she was at first surprised that an idea as gentle as mindfulness could ever be sneered at, she also hadn’t realised just how over complicated the idea of mindfulness had become and how the meaning of mindfulness has been diluted and lost in a sea of products, apps and programs.

Brooke, however, is a huge advocate for mindfulness, knowing that it has changed her life in a multitude of big and tiny ways. Not because of a specific app or a mindfulness colouring book, but because it has taught her to pay attention.

So how do we bring mindfulness to our daily lives without over-complicating it? What does that look like? And how do we find the time for it when life is already full and busy?

In this poggie Ben and Brooke talk through the ways they both add mindfulness to their days. For Brooke it includes both traditional practices such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing or body scans, as well as things that may not immediately strike you as mindful. Ben also talks about golf as mindfulness and why traditional practices like meditation haven’t worked for him.

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/198 for the full blog post and excerpt from SLOW, and enjoy!

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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!

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Today’s episode is a little different. It’s hosted not by Brooke, and it’s not hosted by Ben either. It’s hosted by their mate Mike Campbell from Live Immediately, and in a strange turn of events, he actually interviews Brooke.

Mike and Brooke have a fantastic conversation about life at the moment, and how Brooke is dealing with the wobbly balance between the busy-ness of launching a book and the importance of maintaining a slower pace of life over all. They also talk about the messy and imperfect process of learning to be emotionally available, why it was so stunningly uncomfortable to do so, and the impact Brooke has felt on her relationships, self-worth and the direction her life has taken since.

They talk about softening in to the unknown, and the importance of allowing ourselves time to come to decisions. Mike also talks about some big possibilities he and Inga are weighing up at the moment as well as his (very sensible) approach to making those big decisions. That is, once a choice has been made, it’s made, but until then it’s OK to not know. It’s OK to revisit and marinate in the possibilities because that’s a necessary part of the process.

Brooke and Mike also chat about our upcoming Newcastle event on September 27 and Brooke is super excited to talk some more about their travel plans for 2018 (Mike and Inga were a huge influence on Brooke and Ben taking the plunge in 2018). They look at the logistics, the planning and the not planning!

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/197 for the full blog post, plus links to Mike’s podcast, the Newcastle event details and all the links and resources mentioned in today’s episode.

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!

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Technology is an inevitable part of even the slowest of modern lives. This podcast, news sites, social media, blogs, forums, videos… even if you’re being intentional it can (and will) be overwhelming at times.

This week Ben and Brooke talk about what we all stand to gain by disconnecting regularly and why it’s so important to reconnect with what matters, without the distracting blare of notifications and devices vying for our attention.

The biggest question we face though, is how? How do we learn to untether ourselves from our devices when the expectation is that we are always on call?

Brooke talks about the important first step of understanding what we stand to gain by having more in-person connection (things like time, humanity, action and peace) as well as the boundaries she and Ben have established at home.

Some of the simple boundaries they talk about include:

• screen-free bedrooms
• no screens at the table
• pockets of screen-free time every day (the first and last hours of the day, for example)

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/196 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.