Listener Chat with Louisa

It’s been a while since Brooke has had a listener chat on the poggie and today’s episode is a gem.

Brooke chats with Louisa from Western Australia about her personal journey from a hectic suburban existence to a life lived in a slow-paced coastal town. They talk about Lou’s experience of overwhelm and anxiety, as well as her post natal depression and eventual bipolar diagnosis, and how managing these issues and getting treatment for them has led her to a place of letting go. Not just letting go of stuff (that actually came later) but letting go of her plans, expectations, ideas and self-imposed obligations, and trusting that on the other side would be acceptance or peace or simplicity, or maybe even all three.

In the end it was an unexpected job loss and a few months spent living in a camper trailer on the remote coast of Western Australia that delivered Lou to stillness, and she and Brooke explore what it looks like to pack up a big family house and go adventuring with no particular outcome in mind.

They also talk about Lou’s life now, after her family made a sea-change late last year. It’s interesting to hear her experience of the sea-change expectations vs reality, and how moving to a slower-paced community doesn’t necessarily mean that life gets slower by itself. W’re sold the idea of sea-change (or tree-change or moving to a farm or insert your grass is greener solution here) as a one-size-fits-all fix for a busy modern life, and Lou’s honesty here as well as throughout the entire conversation is a breath of fresh air.

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/173 for the full post and a list of resources mentioned in today’s show.

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.

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