The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary

When they started The Slow Home Podcast 18 months ago, Brooke and Ben had no idea it would work out the way it has. More than 1.2 million downloads, named one of the best shows of 2015 by iTunes, and an amazing community of like-minded people has them routinely shaking their heads in wonderment. Today marks the 100th episode of the poggie and it’s a fun one. Brooke opened up an AMA (ask me anything) on Facebook last week and got some great questions, so today they do their best to answer a whole heap of them.They talk about TV and books, the things they miss about pre-slow life and where they’d spend 24 child-free hours anywhere in the world. They also share some of their favourite music, areas of life that challenge them to live slow and the pretty mundane story of how they met. It’s a celebration of the past 100 episodes, peppered with lots of chat about slowing down and more than a couple of inside jokes. Enjoy! And thank you for being part of it. For the full blog post and links to websites and resources mentioned in today’s poggie, head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/100 ==== 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.

This month’s Slow Home Experiment is only a few days old and Brooke and Ben are super excited to see how many people have decided to join in on the daily kindness experiment. In today’s episode they talk about how they’re feeling a few days in to this experiment, what’s been challenging, what’s been surprising, and what small acts of kindness they’ve undertaken over the first few days. When this experiment was first announced there were two questions that kept coming up, so they spend a little time today unpacking their thoughts on each of them. Firstly, what constitutes an act of kindness? Does it count if we’re kind to ourselves? The second question related to money, and the cost of many popular random acts of kindness. The oft-quoted ideas of buying a coffee for the person behind you at the coffee shop, or buying flowers or a meal for someone - while lovely, thoughtful ideas - are out of the financial realm for most of us. So Ben and Brooke also spend some time working through a list of non-financial ideas that will hopefully encourage even more people to spread kindness this month. There is a long list of ideas over on the blog and you can find the show notes at http://www.slowyourhome.com/99 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.

As Brooke and Ben prepare for the 100th pogpast episode next week, they thought it would be fun to take a look back at the very beginning. Not for the awkwardness (although it IS awkward) and not for the laughs (although it IS cringeingly funny) but so you can see how much things have changed over the past 18 months. One of the things Brooke is most passionate about in advocating for a slower way of living is the idea that there is no 'right way'. There isn't a perfect road map to simplicity or a step-by-step guidebook that will take you to the best version of your best life. It's messy and real and sometimes frustrating, and it almost certainly involves a lot of questioning and evolution and iteration.  By going back in time Brooke and Ben can see just how much they've changed and how much more aligned they are with their Why, but also just how important those earlier stages have been in creating the life they're living today. Here's to awkward conversation and a wonderful day! 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.

The end of the month is near which means it’s time to wrap up the August Slow Home Experiment and introduce a new one for September. This month’s screen-free bedroom experiment has been one of the simplest and most effective changes Brooke and Ben have made all year, and in today’s episode they talk about its challenges and benefits, as well as some of the reasons people didn’t or couldn’t join in, alongside possible solutions for the most common of those. When it comes to the September experiment, Brooke and Ben were inspired by her recent conversation with Jono Fisher, and have decided to commit one random act of kindness every day for the entire month. As Brooke reveals in this conversation - she’s actually pretty nervous about this one! She and Ben talk about potential acts of kindness they could try, as well as some of the options that aren’t going to cost money every day. For links and resources mentioned in today’s episode head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/98 This is another experiment anyone can join in on, so please feel free to play along, and tag your social media posts with #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.

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.

As they roll into the fourth week of their screen-free bedroom experiment, Brooke and Ben talk about this week's challenges as well as some of the self-sabotage they've been partaking in. Brooke also talks about blue light and her recent discovery that it's present in far more than just our phones, computers and tablet screens.  They also talk about September’s experiment (which both Brooke and Ben are feeling a little nervous about) and what you can do to get involved. For links to everything mentioned in today's episode (including Alexx Stuart's sleep-themed episode of Low Tox Life, and Cybele and Brooke's Simply Calmer challenge) head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/96.  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.

This week Brooke chats with listener Colleen Valles, who has managed to slow down and simplify her life to amazing lengths, despite a full and busy life as a single mum working a full-time (and then some!) job.  Colleen has so much to offer and goes deep into how she uncovered her priorities and slowly changed her job, her schedule and her home to live a life more aligned to those priorities.  She's now building a tiny home in one of the most expensive areas in the US, and her and Brooke talk about how she plans to combine households with her non-minimalist partner too!  For show notes, and links to Colleen's blog and social media head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/95 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 this week's episode, Brooke and Ben talk some more about their current Slow Home Experiment - creating a screen-free bedroom - and the surprising impact it's had on not only their sleep, but a whole heap of other areas too.  Better quality sleep is the one area they expected to improve, but better and more conversations, higher productivity, better mornings, happier days... It's been a revelation! They also have some suggestions on the best way to adopt a screen-free experiment into your own life, and some options for those living in small spaces. For links and resources mentioned in today’s episode head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/94 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.

Rachel Jonat is back for her second visit to the pogpast and, as always, it’s such a great conversation. Last they spoke, Rachel and her family had recently moved back to Vancouver from the Isle of Man and were finding their feet and discovering what it meant to keep a slow and simple pace in a busy city. Today they talk about the move, and the unintentional decluttering that came when a lot of their possessions were ruined in transit. Rachel and Brooke also talk about her new book and what it looks like to live a minimalist life with three young boys - particularly the baby years. They talk about creating a home that’s flexible enough to change as your family grows, and Brooke decides that their families should house-swap very soon - whether Rachel wants to or not. For links and resources mentioned in today’s episode head to http://www.slowyourhome.com/93 Today’s episode was brought to you by Ettitude. For 10% off your first order of ethical, environmentally-friendly, sustainable, bamboo lyocell bed linen, visit http://www.ettitude.com.au/slowhome and use the code: sleephealthy 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.

Ben and Brooke are in to the second week of their screen-free bedroom experiment and enjoying it SO MUCH. As Brooke mentioned in last week’s episode there’d been some backsliding in allowing phones in to the bedroom and this past week has been such a great reminder of how much there is to gain when we lose the tech. Brooke is feeling far more relaxed in the morning, while Ben loves the fact that he’s reading more. One of the interesting things to note has been “the twitch” that Anthony Ongaro spoke about back in Episode 54 of the poggie. Brooke particularly  has found it amazing to see just how often she goes to reach for her phone and this experiment is making it easier to break the twitch - even outside the bedroom. This is a really easy experiment to join in, so feel free to play along, and tag your social media posts with #slowhomeexperiment. Ben and Brooke also talk a little more about the launch of the Jackrabbit.FM app, where you can find it and why they’re so excited about it! For links and resources mentioned in today’s episode head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/92 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.