The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary

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!  ==== 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.

Continuing the Slow Holidays theme, in today’s episode Brooke and Ben talk about valuing presence over presents as the year comes to an end. This chat follows on nicely from episode 210, which was all about clutter-free gifts, but goes a step further to really question why it is that we choose to show our love through the giving of stuff. Brooke and Ben talk about the emotional connection we feel to giving things, and the fact that it can sometimes come down to feelings of guilt or obligation. If you haven’t been there for a loved one throughout the year, you might feel the pressure to give them a whizz-bang gift come Christmas time to show them you care. But if you flip it and reverse it, and start with time, maybe there’s another way. For Brooke, slow living means more time for the people in her life, and investing in relationships. The reason we give gifts is to show love, but what other ways can you show love? Giving presence is giving time and energy and turning up for people throughout the entire year. Maybe consider setting up rituals with people that you love, like you’re gifting a year-long subscription to you. Feel free to share your thoughts with us over on the blog, or Facebook or Instagram - we’d love to hear how you think you could incorporate this into your holiday season, and the rest of your year, and whether it’s shifted your perspective on gift-giving at all! Head over to http://slowyourhome.com/214/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the 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 this episode Brooke sat down to chat with mindfulness expert and advocate for awareness of postnatal depression Chelsea Pottenger. Chelsea works with organisations to develop mindfulness and wellbeing programs for their staff, is studying to be a clinical psychologist, and works as an ambassador for R U OK? and the Gidget Foundation, an incredible organisation that offers a range of services for new mums who are experiencing (or think they might experience) postnatal depression. This week is actually Postnatal Depression Awareness Week, so it’s a perfect time for an honest, very open chat about this often-hidden disease. Chelsea and Brooke have had parallel experiences into new parenthood, both of them suffering from postnatal depression and then using it as a vehicle to improve their mental health across the board, as well as their lives and work. Soon after her daughter Clara was born Chelsea started to experience symptoms of postnatal depression (including anxiety, insomnia, hypersensitivity to sound, shame and guilt) but like so many of us do, she put up a front and pretended that everything was fine. She eventually got to a breaking point, and after opening up to her husband was admitted to a postnatal depression ward in hospital the next day. During her time in hospital she worked with an amazing psychiatrist who introduced her to mindfulness from a clinical perspective. Chelsea became curious about neuroplasticity, felt the benefits of meditation throughout her stay and when leaving the hospital, decided to study to become a clinical psychologist herself. Now her life’s work is twofold: to bring awareness to postnatal depression as an ambassador for R U OK? and the Gidget Foundation and to share what she’s learned about mindfulness and its benefits in the corporate environment. She now spends part of her time helping people in big organisations like Ebay and Uber learn healthy coping tools under the umbrella of mindfulness. Her programs cover everything from self-care and productivity to gut health and meditation, all of it backed by science. Chelsea’s life is full and mindful, and at the end of the podcast she shares some of the tools she uses to stay grounded and productive, while fiercely protecting her time as well as being selective about the people you spend your time with. There are some great tricks and tools here for anyone wanting to get better at saying no, like the 2am appointment time! Head over to http://slowyourhome.com/213/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the 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.

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: Accept that it will be a busier time, no matter what steps we take Remember that it’s fun! Enjoy it for what it is 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 Acknowledge that you can’t do it all and give other people permission to feel the same way Be honest when responding to invitations - say how you feel! 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. ==== 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.

They’re happy, they’re delighted, they’re back. This week Brooke chats with the founder of Folk Rebellion, AKA Chief Rebel Jess Davis. Jess is an unapologetic advocate for getting the hell off our devices and getting into life. This episode follows on nicely from the recent Monday series about social media and is a continuation of the theme of the relationship between technology and distraction. Folk Rebellion is a call to arms for all of us to get off our phones, look people in the eye when we talk to them and live an analog life; do things with our hands, go hiking, start making, listen to a whole album on vinyl. While working as a digital brand strategist, Jess started to realise the impact her tech dependent life was having on her brain. She found herself losing focus, struggling with memory and feeling disassociated, and went to see doctors about these issues. After a tech intervention by her husband on a holiday to Hawaii, she felt a shift. Eight days of no technology meant she started to feel like her old self again, and this triggered a series of massive shifts and changes Jess has since made to her life. In this episode, Brooke chats with Jess about about how to get people on board with changes, thoughts on digital detox, insight into Jess’ daily routine with technology, changing expectations around technology and availability as well as slow living in the city.  There’s also talk of an exciting new Folk Rebellion project; the launch of an IRL, old-school, paper newspaper called Rebel Times. Delivered to your door, featuring long form pieces and a throwback to the funny pages, this monthly publication is coming out in January 2018. Check out @folkrebellion on Instagram or go to folkrebellion.com to stay posted or find out how to get involved. Head over to http://slowyourhome.com/211/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the 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.

It’s the most wonderful (exhausting?) time of the year… and it’s almost upon us. Considering we’re now well in to November, Ben and Brooke wanted to spend the next few weeks talking about how you may be able to reduce the stress, overwhelm, expense, clutter and expectations we all feel when the silly season arrives, and today they begin by going to the heart of the matter - gifts.   In this episode they offer you a few ways of changing your mindset when it comes to gifts and showing love, but also share a whole heap of practical and interesting gifts that won’t add to the endless clutter that comes with the seemingly endless gift giving.   Plus, they also talk about the benefit of experiences over things, homemade and consumable gifts and one of Brooke’s favourites - giving the gift of time and skills.   They also talk about the fact that, yes, Ben and Brooke do give Christmas gifts to their kids, and that rather than get lost in the Toy of the Year debacle, buying whatever plastic piece of junk is on the Must Have List for all girls and boys, they stick to a simple set of guidelines.   Brooke and Ben then list some of their favourite clutter-free gift ideas for a variety of ages, including, as well as a list of experiences or activities that would appeal to people of all ages.   Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/210 for the full blog post and a link to Brooke’s Clutter-Free Gift Guide.   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.

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!  ==== 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.

Over the past few weeks Ben and Brooke have been talking about social media and how they utilise it while still maintaining a slow(er) paced life.  They spoke about Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and finished last Monday's episode with a challenge - to delete social media apps of our phones for the next month.  That was supposed to be the end of the discussion, but then Brooke read an article on The Guardian that was so fascinating that they wanted to talk it over on today's show.  The article examines the 'attention economy' and the impact that social media platforms and, specifically the design of their apps, are having on the way we live, work, learn, vote, communicate and view ourselves and the world at large.  It is an article absolutely worth reading, and the link to it can be found in the show notes over at http://www.slowyourhome.com/208  Brooke and Ben also talk about some of the strategies and specific tools they use to combat the worst of these effects, and also what the result has been for them so far, as they removed the social media apps from their phones.  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'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!  ==== 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 this final episode of the social media series, Brooke and Ben talk about the behemoth that is Facebook. Ben’s only just returned to Facebook after many years away, and is keeping it at arm’s length, only using the platform to help Brooke run the pages for the podcast and the online retreat. Brooke, on the other hand, has been using Facebook for more than 10 years and has a distinct love/hate relationship with it. It allows her to build a wonderful community of podcast listeners, but the immersive, all-consuming nature of Facebook means she barely uses it personally. Today she and Ben talk through some of the strategies they’ve employed over the past year or so, to try and maintain a balanced approach to Facebook. Brooke talks about the decision she made a few years ago to only accept friend requests from people she knows in person, and that, paired with her decision to keep their kids and personal lives off Facebook means that it’s largely not a privacy issue any more. It’s just a time issue, which is largely managed by the fact that she doesn’t really use it a lot. When it comes to work however, Facebook is by far the biggest consideration. It’s where the majority of the podcast audience spends time, so it’s important that Brooke and Ben show up. Brooke talks through some of the strategies she’s instigated over the past couple of years, and the pros and cons of each of them. Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/206 for the full blog post and links to any of the resources mentioned in today’s show. 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.