The Slow Home Podcast With Brooke Mcalary

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

Last year Ben and Brooke tried their hand at Plastic Free July. They tried to cut their use of plastics to zero for a full month, alongside tens of thousands of other counter-cultural, environmentally-minded souls. And… it was a bit of a bust. The truth is that they were vastly unprepared. They hadn’t really thought through their daily needs or systems, and hadn’t gathered the required replacements for many of their plastics, which meant they were left high and dry when time came to go food shopping. Or buying takeaway. Or grabbing a coffee. Or living, really. Over the next four Mondays they’re going to take a deep dive in to the issue of excessive plastic use and what small changes you can make - starting today - to reduce plastic use over time. In part this series is timed to coincide with Plastic Free July, but also because there is an emerging desire for change that wasn’t apparent even this time last year. Mostly people are just overwhelmed and confused by where to begin, a

Just so you know straight off the bat, today’s episode is BIG. It’s packed full of practical tips and it moves prettttty fast. But it’s valuable, practical and, even better, it’s going to help you have a positive impact on the planet and your bank balance. Big talk, eh? But this is a big show. In a little under an hour Ben and Brooke offer you 50 ways to reduce food waste in your own home, and it’s quite literally packed full of things you can do today. OK, probably not all of them today, but there is at least one idea in this episode for you to apply today. Guaranteed. And there’s no purchase of backyard chickens necessary. Ben’s got some astonishing stats to share in this episode, but needless to say, the level of food waste in Australia alone is eye-wateringly high. And given what we know about food security in the developing world, and even many communities in our own backyard, it’s truly devastating to think about. And while some of this waste is a result o

Today is the third and final episode in our meditation basics series and Kevin Janks is back for one final, insightful meditation mini-workshop. In today’s workshop Kevin talks us through the notion of present moment awareness. That is, what it looks like to practice living specifically and solely in the present moment, by training ourselves to pay attention to each of our senses, one at a time. He talks us through the following ideas and then leads you through a brief guided meditation where you’ll have the opportunity to practice what you’ve learnt: This practise is all about being in the moment, simply because our senses are only ever in the moment (you can't be touching something yesterday). By noticing what’s actually happening in our lives right now, we can liberate ourselves from the state of constant 'rehearse and replay' that at times dominates our lives. With practice, it quickly becomes quite easy to draw joy and love from even the most basic of events, like feeling the sun

In this episode Brooke chats with Helen Hayward - an author, freelance writer and psychotherapist who lives on a beautiful old property in Hobart and embraces a slow family life in almost every way. And while Helen’s most recent book, ‘A Slow Childhood: Notes on Thoughtful Parenting’ is, obviously, about parenting and raising a family, so much of what Helen and Brooke speak about in today’s poggie applies well beyond motherhood and parenting. They talk a lot about what it means to live an examined life, and why, as they’ve both discovered over the past years, the little things really are the big things. And they also talk about the realities of encouraging (or keeping) older kids engaged with the idea of a slower, simpler life, as well as the benefits of boredom (or non-stimulation, as Helen calls it).  Brooke also raises one of her favourite bug-bears: the myth of work-life balance and Helen discusses why she’s not even sure long-term balance is a possibility. It's an

Kevin Janks is back this week with the second mini-meditation workshop, and this week he’s helping you focusing on your emotions. In today’s mini workshop, Kevin he talks through the physical sensations of our emotions - where we feel things like love or anger or anxiety in our bodies - and how to begin to notice the thought commentary that comes along with those feelings, as being distinct from the sensations themselves. He also talks about the following ideas: Just like we are not our thoughts, we are also not our emotions Emotions (feelings) are made up of bodily sensations and usually accompanied by thought patterns/stories By distinguishing between the sensations (emotion) and thoughts, and observing 'us' as distinct from it all, our lives can change as we begin to take apart their power over us. No longer will we identify with "being an angry/sad/frustrated/etc person Rather, we can simply observe these emotions as they pass through us. In everyday life, begin to observe the emotions that p

When Brooke and Ben had a last minute interview cancellation earlier this week, they thought it might be a good opportunity to do another hostful, but this time spend it digging a little deeper in to the parts of them you may not know about. Parts that might surprise you (or not) and parts they’re a little hesitant to share. They talk about secret habits and vain concerns. They dive in to little-shared talents and personality traits. They disclose some rather embarrassing admissions about farm-based gaming apps and also share their thoughts and reasons for using social media the way they do (and the way they don’t). So take a listen as Ben and Brooke reveal 10 things you may not know about them, including… What’s Ben’s dirty little secret? Which of them was addicted to My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic? Just how successful is Jackrabbit.FM? Has Brooke or Ben has recorded an album? Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/165 for the full post, and enjoy! ==== If you're enjo

Brooke has invited Kevin Janks from Centred Meditation back for the next three Monday shows, and together they’ve designed three mini-meditation workshops for you. These workshops go back to the basics of meditation, with each episode focusing on one key topic, that, over time, will allow you to create a well-rounded meditation practice. The three weeks will cover: thoughts emotions present moment awareness Each episode will begin with a brief introduction from Kevin on the topic we’re exploring, followed by a short guided meditation centred on the week’s topic, allowing you to put in to practice what you’ve learnt. The focus of this week’s workshop is thoughts and these are the key takeaways from today’s mini-meditation lesson: We are not our thoughts, even though we’re the ones who make them up (which is really more reason not to take them too seriously!). We have a choice as to how we interact with our thoughts. In everyday life, start to notice the thoughts pas

The last time Tsh Oxenreider appeared on the poggie, she and her family had just returned to the States after a year-long, round-the-world adventure. In the 18 months since, Tsh has turned her family’s adventure in to a beautiful new book called ‘At Home in the World’ where she talks about the paradox of being a wandering homebody - someone who feels at home on the road but also yearns for the deep roots of community. In today’s episode Brooke and Tsh talk about that tension, and the freedom she discovered when she embraced both sides of her personality - the homebody and the wanderer - and why she is now happy to be deep in a home phase of life as she and her husband renovate an old house in a small Texas town. They also talk about community and what it means to Tsh. Her definition, “A place where we know, and are known,” leads them to the topic of finding community in a new place. How can you cultivate community in a place you’re new to? And also, how can you feel p

A couple of weeks ago Brooke came across an article on parent.co talking about the benefits of starting a day with gentleness and decided that she really wanted to talk about it on the poggie. And while she is a big advocate for a little bit of slow in the morning, knows that many other people - both parents and non-parents alike - find the advice frustrating. There’s already so much to do in the mornings, so many pieces of the puzzle to fit together, that adding “start the day with gentleness” often feels a stretch too far. What the article suggests, and what Brooke has found to be true time and time again, is that if we think we don’t have time for a moment of slow in the morning, then we really don’t have time for a meltdown. Taking even just a few minutes to greet our kids with a cuddle, asking how they slept, letting them wake at the pace they need, means they’re far more likely to start the day feeling secure and happy, and less likely to feel overwhelmed or overstimu

It's hostful time again on the podcast and this time (as always) the questions are SOLID.  Brooke and Ben have fun answering your questions, including these gems: I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you think the role of your job/career fits into ones life, if it doesn't link specifically with your 'why'. What are some strategies to manage the paper that builds up so that it does not become overwhelming clutter? How do you manage filing things that need to be kept, and dealing with the rest? What advice would you give your 18 year old self? How do I throw away gifts without the giftee noticing next time they visit?! Brooke has a lot of fun answering the 18 year old question (pink hair?!) and there's a good mix of practical and heart-felt advice to be had.  Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/161 for links and the full blog post, and in the meantime - 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

Ben and Brooke are back with another simple experiment for you this week, and it’s all about empty space. Emptiness gets a pretty bad reputation. Seen as a negative trait, a lack of personality, a boring experience for a boring person. But Brooke is a big fan of emptiness and this week she and Ben talk about the fact that there is something wonderful to be gained by embracing a little empty space in your home, your days, your head… It’s not necessarily about convincing you that emptiness is something you should like. In fact, you may discover that you really miss the photos, the books, the cushion or the vases that you pack away, which is great. What this very simple experiment is doing is asking you to pay attention, to be intentional, to tap back in to your reasons for having things, rather than operating on auto-pilot. So while it might look like an experiment about stuff or space, it’s actually a reminder to notice more. Of course you may also realise (much like Ben and Brooke did

After her blog post, 'Top 5 Regrets of the Dying' went viral in 2009, Bronnie Ware was catapulted in to the limelight. Her words impacted countless people as she laid bare those regrets faced by so many of her elderly patients as they faced the end of their lives.  (If you haven't read it you can find a link to the full post over on http://www.slowyourhome.com/159).  Today, however, Brooke and Bronnie sit down to talk about what has come since that post went berserk on the internet. And it turns out it's been an incredible ride, full of unexpected growth and pain and discomfort and beauty. Today Bronnie shares her personal journey and insights with Brooke as they talk about what it means to live a regret-free life and why it's so often incredibly painful to do so.  They talk about why discomfort is the way through and how learning to soften in to it is vital in finding acceptance and gentleness in life, as well as the role of simplicity and meditation in unlocking that acceptance and gentleness

In a recent New York Times article, journalist Karen Rinaldi ruminated on the benefits of sucking at things: “The notion of sucking at something flies in the face of the overhyped notion of perfectionism. The lie of perfectionism goes something like this: “If I fail, it’s only because I seek perfection.” Or “I can never finish anything because I’m a perfectionist.” Since the perfectionist will settle for nothing less, she is left with nothing… “By taking off the pressure of having to excel at or master an activity, we allow ourselves to live in the moment.” In this episode Ben and Brooke dive in to the idea of being OK with not being good at something, and why there is a freedom in accepting that they may never move beyond the mediocre. Brooke talks about the fact that she enjoys things a lot more (like snowboarding, for example) when she lets go of the need to ride like a boss and that there is a lightness and a fun that exists in doing something f

Today Brooke chats with the wonderful, challenging, inspiring author Sarah Wilson. Sarah is someone Brooke has admired for years - not only for the work she’s done to promote the notion of drastically cutting sugar in our diets, preventing food waste, and her more recent work in mental health awareness - but also the way she goes about that work. She is honest and open, prepared to stand for something regardless of whether people agree with her, and she’s also funny and smart and good at not taking herself too seriously. In this conversation Brooke and Sarah talk about her new book, ‘first we make the beast beautiful: a new story about anxiety’ and dive deep in to how Sarah slows down in order to both strengthen herself against anxiety’s harmful side, and simultaneously go deeper in to it. They talk about the discomfort of true reflection and Sarah’s growing boredom with shallow conversations and external grasping (and why cocktail parties are the worst example of this!) as

Today marks the final episode of Ben and Brooke’s series on uncovering and harnessing your Why.   As Brooke mentioned last week, she’s sometimes struggled to take her personal Why and use it to help steer her in the smaller, more everyday decisions, which is why she distilled her big picture Why (her eulogy) in to a list of personal values. It’s these values that they talk about today, and more specifically, how to apply them in the everyday.  Brooke shares how she puts some of her decisions on a values scale and asks herself, “On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being least compassionate and 10 being most, where does this choice lie?” The helpful thing with doing it this way is that she can see that not everything is going to be a 10. In fact, most things aren’t going to be a 10. But aiming for more compassion over less is a good place to work towards regardless. Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/156 for the full blog post and this week’s simple task, and in

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 c

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

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

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 questi