The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary cover image

The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary

Latest episodes

undefined
Apr 26, 2017 • 36min

Sunday funday, managing emails and our favourite beers

It’s hostful time again and the questions Brooke and Ben answer today are, as always, complete crackers. Do you have any tips on managing email and the impact it’s having on my life, both personal and professional? How can I deal with kids clothes? We’re constantly receiving hand-me-downs and the sheer volume is making things difficult. Any tips on keeping it manageable? Has there ever been a point in the beginning of your journey where you felt stuck? Perhaps lost momentum? I'm feeling a little frustrated at the moment, but I'm a long way away from where I've come. What can I do to move past this? Do you meal plan for lunches and breakfasts as well as dinners? How does this work? What's your favorite choice of beer?! And what do you like to throw on the grill?! I'm trying to slow things down here and implement "Sunday Fun days" at my house. Would love to hear your take on slow, fun days at home. As you can see, a varied offering of questions and lots of fun was had in the answering. You can head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/155 for all the details from today’s show plus the recipe for Brooke’s black bean and sweet potato patties. ==== 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.
undefined
Apr 23, 2017 • 12min

Your Why: Values

Last week Ben and Brooke both went fairly deep in to the idea of legacy. Brooke spoke about her eulogy and Ben spoke about the things that drive him in a big picture, high level way. They spoke about the kind of life they want to live in order for those legacies to come to fruition, and the jarring realisation that they often miss the mark. The only problem Brooke has ever had with the idea of eulogy is that there was always a certain level of specificity missing, so in today’s episode they look at the next level of intention - values - what they are, what theirs are, and how they use them in addition to their Why to determine their choices and actions on the day to day level. Brooke picks apart her eulogy from last week and extracts three key values on which she can essentially make any decision, and Ben does the same with his. Next week, as they wrap up this series, they’re going to look at how to use these values as a framework on which to base decisions and take action. Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/154 to read about this week’s task and to dive deep in to Brooke and Ben’s values. ==== 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.
undefined
Apr 19, 2017 • 32min

The Slow WIP (aka a Work in Progress podcast)

When is a hostful not actually a hostful? When it's a WIP! (Otherwise known as a Work In Progress).  In this episode Brooke and Ben talk about the one thing they do every week which allows them to work together, be productive and actually like each other at the end of (almost) every day. Their Monday morning WIP is the cornerstone of their working week and in today's poggie they look at how it works and the structure it takes now that they're 18 months into the self-employment adventure. They also use this as a springboard to discuss the bigger issue of living a less-than-slow life right now, and how they find balance between building a business and maintaining a certain level of slow-ness in home and family life. It's not an easy one to strike and Brooke admits to the toll it can take when advocating for slow while not being able to live it. But on the flipside, she also talks about how she's turned that from a guilt-ridden experience to one of learning and a deeper understanding of what the mindset of slow living looks like - even when it's not slow-paced.  Ben and Brooke also talk about some of the changes they're currently making in their work and how they imagine it's going to impact the podcast and the ways in which they can help people live a slower, simpler life themselves.  This is very much a Work In Progress poggie, with plenty of honesty from all corners. Enjoy!  And thanks to today's sponsor - Pocketbook. To download the free Pocketbook app and take control of your finances today, head to http://www.getpocketbook.com/slowhome ==== 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.
undefined
Apr 16, 2017 • 12min

Your Why: Legacy

Last week Brooke and Ben spoke about the idea of developing your Why - specifically, what it is and why it’s important. Today they continue that same conversation, focusing on how to uncover your Why. Brooke has spoken about it on the podcast before, but it was an eulogy writing exercise that helped her uncover her personal Why, so in this episode she reads that eulogy aloud and talks about the impact it’s had on the years since. Ben also digs in to the idea of legacy for the first time, and they both discuss how important it is to have this big-picture notion of what will remain once they're gone.  It can seem like a very heavy thing to consider, but Brooke and Ben both agree that doing the work to uncover these big Whys, and the smaller ones over the following couple of weeks, is one of the most informative things we can do in creating a life we're proud of.  Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/152 for this week's action and to answer some questions designed to help you tap in to your own Why.  ==== 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.
undefined
Apr 12, 2017 • 51min

The Art of Frugal Hedonism with Annie Raser-Rowland

Have you ever had a conversation that changes your entire outlook on the world? One that shifts your worldview in monumental ways? That challenges and invites you to think about your choices in terms that are entirely different? In today's episode, Brooke chats with the utterly wonderful Annie Raser-Rowland, co-author of The Art of Frugal Hedonism and experiences one of those conversations...  Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
undefined
Apr 9, 2017 • 9min

Your Why: Why start with why?

This year our Monday shows are focused on small, bite-sized actions you can take that will help you move towards living a slower, simpler life. The past few episodes were about the very practical tasks of green cleaning, so the next few weeks are going to look at things from a very different, bigger picture perspective. Brooke and Ben are going to do a deep dive on one of the topics Brooke speaks about a lot - finding your Why. It's something she's asked about frequently - not only how to uncover it, but what to do with your Why once it's been uncovered - so she and Ben have decided to spend the next few weeks exploring the idea of Why, and why it's so important in creating a simpler, slower, more values-based life.  In today's show, Brooke looks at two main topics: what is a Why, and why is it important to have one? She and Ben talk about the ways in which their personal Why is at the centre of everything they do, how it adds clarity and confidence to their decisions and how it helps them to stay on track when things get difficult. They also talk about the fact that your Why can (and will) change over time, which is OK, and also have a simple action for you to try this week as you begin to explore the question of your own Why. Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/150 for the full blog post and to see what this week's action is.  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.
undefined
Apr 5, 2017 • 53min

How to meditate with Kevin Janks

A few weeks ago Brooke sat down to chat all things meditation with Kevin Janks - founder of Centred Meditation in Sydney. It was a fascinating look into Kevin’s journey from skeptic to practitioner and the benefits of meditation he’s experienced personally, as well as those he sees daily in his clients and students at the studio. What Brooke failed to do though, was ask him how to actually meditate. (Quite the oversight, really!) When she started getting lots of questions wanting to know more about meditation, she knew she needed to sit down with Kevin again, but this time go back to basics. In today’s poggie Brooke and Kevin talk about his definition of meditation and why it can be much simpler than we expect and he takes us through the simple process they teach at Centred Meditation. Brooke also asks him how long we need to meditate in order to start feeling the benefits and what kind of words or visualisations we need to practice. Brooke also asks Kevin some of the most common questions she’s received over the past few weeks, including: What equipment do I need to start meditating? What apps does he recommend in order to learn meditation? How can I avoid falling asleep when I start meditating? Is there ever any reason to not meditate? How can I maintain a regular practice of meditation? Then, blissfully, Kevin closes today’s episode with a simple guided meditation. Head over to the blog at  http://www.slowyourhome.com/149 for links to all of the apps and resources Kevin mentions in today's show, 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.
undefined
Apr 2, 2017 • 12min

Slow Home: Rhythms

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.
undefined
Mar 29, 2017 • 37min

Slow camping and dealing with doubters

It’s that time of the month again! Where Ben and Brooke sit down and answer some of your questions about all things slow living, and try to keep the stupid jokes to a minimum. (In today’s episode they succeed in at least one of these areas). This month the show opens with a question from Sharni about camping, which is super fun and timely as Brooke and Ben are currently waiting for the soaking wet Sydney March to end so they can spend some time in the national park down south. Sharni asked specifically for a list of the bare essentials when it comes to camping, which you can find over on the blog at http://www.slowyourhome.com/147. Keep in mind, much of what is suggested in the list can be borrowed rather than bought (particularly if you’re just starting out with your camping adventures and aren’t sure of your style yet) and it’s definitely worthwhile taking a few exploratory trips before committing to one kind of set up. Aside from camping, Brooke and Ben also answer questions about phone use and the arguments it can cause, as well as how to deal with the guilt that arises from even necessary purchases, learning to adopt ‘holiday slow’ in to daily life, and what to do when people aren’t down with the changes you’re making in life. 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.
undefined
Mar 26, 2017 • 11min

Slow Home: Minimise Cleaning Waste

One of the biggest changes Brooke and Ben have made in cleaning their house over the past few years (aside from their love of vinegar and citric acid!) is to really think about the materials they use, and to start looking at ways of reducing waste. When she realised the dishcloths they used at home were made from plastic and would spend hundreds of years in landfill, Brooke decided to make a simple change and started using compostable kitchen cloths instead. Over the years, she has developed a life cycle of products at home that makes the most of upcycling and re-using products, making a big difference to their waste output. In today’s poggie Ben and Brooke talk about what that lifecycle looks like and how you can start making simple changes at home too. Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/146 for all the details and links to some of the products Brooke and Ben use at home. 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.

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app