Podcasts about slow home

Welcome to How's the Market, our weekly look at what's happening in the US housing market, powered by data from Altos Research. If you want to see all the inventory, pricing, and supply and demand charts we reference in the show, head on over to our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/altosresearch. Enjoy the data! Hosted by Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. Altos provides national and local real estate data to financial institutions, real estate professionals, and investors across the country, and the company is now part of HW Media, publisher of HousingWire and RealTrends. Mike uses Altos data to identify trends in the real estate market well before the headlines, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Fortune, Forbes and other publications.

National Correspondent Erin Real talks about the time it takes to close on a home sale and its impact on the housing market.

National Correspondent Erin Real talks about the time it takes to close on a home sale and its impact on the housing market.

Gabi is joined by Natalie Paquin, who has been seen slowly renovating her home that caught the attention of many online and on HGTV. Natalie shares with the audience how she purchased a home in her early 20s and flipped the spaces. She gives the rundown on realistic and budget friendly design. And of course walks us through the different rooms in her home that she's completed! Natalie speaks to the first time home buyers giving them insight on how much to save, where to start, and making home buying more accessible to our generation.

Brooke McAlary has built a life and brand around slow. She's the author of three books, the co-host of The Slow Home podcast and the voice of a movement that says, "Dear Joneses, I'm opting out of the rat race."But hey, that doesn't mean she's exempt from overwhelm. This convo opens with Brooke and Jade swapping stories of exhaustion.  File that under honesty. So join us on the couch as we define our zone zero, get our inner turmoil sorted before facing the outer chaos, and discuss a potential inner care deficit.We talk packaged up versions of “balance” “slow” and “simple” and why “tilting” may be more useful; leaning into the most pressing issue of the moment.Why multi tasking is a farce but barefoot bushwalking creates a heady sense of lightness, wonder and awe that  just might hold the answers.Say no to fast and yes to slow living with Brooke McAlary.SHOW NOTESWhy her books and pod are basically talking to herself to maintain a slower paceBeing diagnosed with severe postnatal depression Googling in search of solutionsLetting go of the relentless ‘keep up' approach to lifeStabilising mental health and finding a deeper sense of contentmentLiving life with no bufferOperating at 70% capacity to ensure there's room for unplannedDefining and protecting  zone zeroGetting the inner turmoil sorted before facing the outer chaosAvoiding an inner care deficitThe intrinsic link between inward care and capacity to give Why the words 'balance', 'simple' and 'slow' are all fraughtThe endless wrestle of living counter culturally Learning to “tilt” rather than “balance”The fraudulence of multi taskingExperiencing a loss of connection, celebration and grieving as a result of covidFacing into the need for ‘unlearning' to build a brave new non-consumerist worldBuilding your tribe without preaching  Equating simple with ‘ease' not ‘easy' Why simplicity lives in the process of finding easeNoticing = gratitudeFamily rituals that offer hopeBarefoot bushwalking on a bliss waveA designated slow room Reconciling the footprint of travel by embracing her local areaVision Quests Why small actions of care, purpose and values are creating powerful ripples Rebuilding rites of passage for our youth to test and expand resilience and tap into the wisdom from older generationsWriting a letter to your younger selfJump starting our memory making function LINKS YOU'LL LOVEZenHabitsSlow - Brooke McAlaryDestination Simple - Brooke McAlaryCare - Brooke McAlaryRites of passage instituteAlone - SBS seriesVision Quest ChallengesSupport the showSupport the show

From the creator of the award-winning Slow Home podcast comes Slow the perfect companion on the long road to living a simpler and more fulfilled life. 'Dear Mr & Mrs Jones, I am writing to inform you of my withdrawal from the race to keep up with you . . .' Once upon a time, Brooke McAlary thought she was close to having it all. Married to a wonderful man, mother to a lively young daughter, and pregnant for a second time, she'd acquired all the things she'd once thought important-holidays, cars, a renovated home. Yet despite this, she found herself utterly despondent. Realising that they wanted a simpler, more fulfilling existence, Brooke and her family gradually created their own way of living, with an emphasis on depth, connection and experiences. In Slow Brooke gently encourages you to find pleasure and value in a simpler life, sharing the practical tips and rituals that have helped her on her own journey, from decluttering to de-owning, messiness to mindfulness, from asking why to asking where to now? Part memoir, part practical companion, Slow provides a fascinating insight into the benefits of slowing down. It will inspire you to forget about the Joneses and create a life filled with the things that really matter to you . . . slowly, of course.

Every December we take a little break from recording and bring you some of our favourite episodes to listen to. For the next 5 Mondays we will be bringing you our favourite famous guest episodes! Up this week we have the wonderful Brooke McAlary chatting to us about her brilliant book 'Care'. Brooke is a beautiful friend of ours and we very much enjoyed this catch up. We hope you enjoy the episode and are inspired to schedule in some downtime in the midst of the holiday chaos. Oh and if you haven't already got Brooke's book, then we highly recommend you add it to your Christmas list!In this episode we;● Catch up on what Brooke has been up to since we last spoke;● Remind you who Brooke is for those who may not have heard from her before;● Ask Brooke to share how writing 'Care' came about;● Highlight the importance of down time and it's impact with and without it;● Dig into rest and what it truly means and looks like;And so so so so much more...We hope from this conversation we all learn something and put a smile on your face!Things mentioned in this episode and other helpful links:● Brooke McAlary Episode● Brook McAlary Listener Questions Episode● Brooke's Instagram ● Brooke's Website● The Slow Home Podcast● Care● Get Curious EpisodeThank you so much Brooke for your time!! We absolutely adore spending time with you, thank you for coming on our podcast (again!) and sharing so much gold with all our listener.For more details on how to connect with us head to our website.For details on becoming a Patreon supporter take a look here. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She's baaaack! Yes lovely listeners, the fabulous Brooke McAlary is with us today! It's been way to long since we have caught up with Brooke so make sure you tune in today as we check in and see the McAlary clan have been up to AND hear all about her latest book 'Çare'. Of course there will be much fan girling and giggles - so what are you waiting for?! Grab that cuppa or pop on those sneakers and get listening! Oh and don't to buy Brooke's book - we'd love you to come share in our FB community if and when you do.In this episode we;● Catch up on what Brooke has been up to since we last spoke;● Remind you who Brooke is for those who may not have heard form her before;● Ask Brooke to share how writing 'Çare' came about;● Highlight the importance of down time and it's impact with and without it;● Dig into rest and what it truly means and looks like;And so so so so much more...We hope from this conversation we all learn something and puts a smile on your face!Things mentioned in this episode and other helpful links:● Brooke's Instagram ● Brooke's Website● The Slow Home Podcast● CareThank you so much Brooke for your time!! We absolutely adore spending time with you, thank you for coming on our podcast (again!) and sharing so much gold with all our listener.If you have a stack of books piled up next to your bedside table that represent something that you would like to do or try but have not yet done. Join our community Become a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there an answer to the incredible overwhelm of life as a modern parent? This week's podcast looks at how to escape the cycle of doom-scrolling and really start to care.

Brooke is the bestselling author of Slow (2017) and creator/host of the internationally loved podcast The Slow Home. Her brand new offering CARE is the book we all need to sink into after the year we had in 2020.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Returning guest Jess Davis from Folk Rebellion talks with Brooke about how New York has changed since the pandemic, what has survived and what has thrived as the City (that now sleeps!) rebuilds from the devastation caused by COVID-19.  Links Watch Jess' film "What day is it?"  Connect with Jess on Instagram and Facebook Order Brooke's new book 'Care' Amazon Booktopia Looking for more Slow? Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for the Slow Post, Brooke's weekly slow-living love letters  Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life often seems to be pulsing or pushing; it has a hum beneath us telling us to go, making us honk in traffic and get mad at the slower person in line. This hum can create anxiety and stress in us and our children, but often, we don’t question it. In this episode, Felica talks with Carl Honore, author of In Praise of Slowness about how we can be free from that constant rushing hum. Related Episodes Craving a Slow Down? Start with Your Mind Is Being Busy Stealing Your Life? How to: Create Pockets of Peace Books and Links We Mentioned In Praise of Slowness // Carl Honore Under Pressure // Lisa Damour WORKBOOK // 30 Days to Slow: Build a Calmer, Richer Life // Carl Honore Carl’s website: carlhonore.info This episode’s sponsors: OnVive is a health and wellness company that is giving away a Mercedes Benz SUV and $10,000 cash to one lucky customer on June 1st! Right now, every dollar spent on OnVive.com gives you 3 entries towards winning. Make sure to use discount code “Magic15” at checkout. Get entered today, follow along on their Instagram @onvivelife for more updates, and good luck! Utah House Doctors: Everyone knows that the market is hot right now and it is the perfect time to sell your home, but what you may not know is using a professional in this type of market will actually make you more money then if you try and sell your home yourself, or sell with a discount brokerage. We have experienced the service of Utah House Doctors, and they make buying and selling homes so easy and painless. You can find them at Instagram at @utahhousedoctors or on their website, http://www.utahhousedoctors.com. Thank you for the kind reviews! We appreciate them so much. Here is how to leave a review for us on iTunes: Open Find the Magic in the podcast app Scroll to the bottom of the page Click on write a review Tap the stars to rate us and then write us some feedback:) Hit SEND --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/findthemagic/support

Brooke McAlary has built a life and brand around slow. She's the author of three books, the co-host of The Slow Home podcast and the voice of a movement that says, "Dear Joneses, I'm opting out of the rat race."But hey, that doesn't mean she's exempt from overwhelm. This convo opens with Brooke and Jade swapping stories of exhaustion.  File that under honesty. So join us on the couch as we define our zone zero, get our inner turmoil sorted before facing the outer chaos, and discuss a potential inner care deficit.We talk packaged up versions of “balance” “slow” and “simple” and why “tilting” may be more useful; leaning into the most pressing issue of the moment.Why multi tasking is a farce but barefoot bushwalking creates a heady sense of lightness, wonder and awe that  just might hold the answers.Say no to fast and yes to slow living with Brooke McAlary.SHOW NOTESWhy her books and pod are basically talking to herself to maintain a slower paceBeing diagnosed with severe postnatal depression Googling in search of solutionsLetting go of the relentless ‘keep up’ approach to lifeStabilising mental health and finding a deeper sense of contentmentLiving life with no bufferOperating at 70% capacity to ensure there’s room for unplannedDefining and protecting  zone zeroGetting the inner turmoil sorted before facing the outer chaosAvoiding an inner care deficitThe intrinsic link between inward care and capacity to give Why the words 'balance', 'simple' and 'slow' are all fraughtThe endless wrestle of living counter culturally Learning to “tilt” rather than “balance”The fraudulence of multi taskingExperiencing a loss of connection, celebration and grieving as a result of covidFacing into the need for ‘unlearning’ to build a brave new non-consumerist worldBuilding your tribe without preaching  Equating simple with ‘ease’ not ‘easy’ Why simplicity lives in the process of finding easeNoticing = gratitudeFamily rituals that offer hopeBarefoot bushwalking on a bliss waveA designated slow room Reconciling the footprint of travel by embracing her local areaVision Quests Why small actions of care, purpose and values are creating powerful ripples Rebuilding rites of passage for our youth to test and expand resilience and tap into the wisdom from older generationsWriting a letter to your younger selfJump starting our memory making function LINKS YOU'LL LOVEZenHabitsSlow - Brooke McAlaryDestination Simple - Brooke McAlaryCare - Brooke McAlaryRites of passage instituteAlone - SBS seriesVision Quest ChallengesSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)

Imagine someone telling you at 14 years old that you'll find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to have children. Surprisingly, this isn't as uncommon an occurrence as you might think. Millions of desperate women struggle to conceive thanks to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). My guest today, who's also a former patient of mine, found herself in that group but managed to overcome the odds. As a teenager, Valentina McCachren knew her developing body differed in a major way in comparison to other girls her age. As an adult, she's sharing her story online, forming connections across the globe, and making a difference for other women through a relatively new technique. Val and I started working together seven years ago. She created her website to share her own experience in healing her body of PCOS to beat her diagnosis and get pregnant. Through hard work and some pretty wild adventures, she managed to balance her hormones and eventually give birth to two daughters. Now, Val helps other women heal their bodies naturally. She completed a continuing education course through the Institute of Holistic Nutrition with a focus on the body's ability to nurture a baby through nutritional and holistic practices. As a certified Breathwork Facilitator through David Elliot's Healer Training series, she uses breathwork to support her clients. With her guidance, they learn to honor the big and small things facing them and help them move through it all while learning to love themselves. She prides herself on her honesty about fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood which has helped other women have the courage to openly share their journeys about feeling ashamed or anxious about their diagnosis. Listen as Val recounts her own experiences with fertility, mindset, the tools she used, and the work she did to help her conceive, give birth to, and take care of her children despite PCOS and postpartum issues. Show Notes: [01:22] - Val supports women primarily through fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum with a relatively new tool. [03:28] - Why did Val start Lovefestjourney? [04:44] - As a young woman, Val's body never produced a menstrual period. Her parents and fertility specialists asked some pretty point-blank questions of her to discover why. [06:55] - Michelle asks Val how she felt to be given a diagnosis without any real guidance about root causes or solutions beyond a pill. [08:28] - Val describes walking out of the office knowing that the birth control hormone prescription in her hand wasn't the answer. This eventually led her to Michelle. [10:26] - Val's story isn't uncommon in women. Michelle hears some version of it on an almost daily basis. [11:52] - Val believes everyone possesses the capability to change but acknowledges that it's not everyone's cup of tea. [13:18] - Having connections and forming a bond with her practitioner is important to Val. Here's what her biggest struggle was before getting pregnant with her first child. [14:59] - Michelle wants to know what Val personally did to take care of and nourish herself. Hear how she implemented slow living into her life. [16:39] - Val describes her 21-day holistic eating and living journey where she'd write to women and share what she was doing for her physical and mental body. [18:25] - Val teaches an active breath pattern to the women she works with. Calling it a breathwork meditation, she walks us through the process. [20:41] - Breathwork can be done in smaller or larger time frames. Val practices it for herself for 5-10 minutes in the morning. [22:56] - Val expresses her love of working with Michelle and creating a space for people to comfortably show up. [25:06] - There's so much we don't know about how conception really works. Michelle believes an aspect of surrender needs to occur to make it easier. [26:41] - Val swears by ayurvedic medicine. It restores the balance of what you need. [28:45] - Michelle urges Val to recount her postpartum expectations and how they compared with the reality of it. [30:00] - These issues with her first child, Agatha, particularly triggered serious postpartum anxiety for Val. [31:20] - Surprisingly, Val's non-maternal mother came to her aid by hiring help. Here's how the doula who showed up on her doorstep got her through it. [33:28] - With the second child, Val set aside resources to give herself full support. [35:38] - Val tried these two popular activities to restore herself during early postpartum--and they failed her. [36:57] - Michelle and Val touch on the guilty feelings of having a hard time with postpartum difficulties. [38:24] - The biggest community built for Val wasn't through her fertility journey but this instead. [39:53] - Before signing off, Val speaks to people at the beginning of their journey who're feeling lost or overwhelmed. Links and Resources: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Slow living Breathwork meditation Ayurvedic medicine What is a doula? The Slow Home podcast David Elliot's Healer Training series Val McCachren @lovefestjourney on Instagram Michelle Kapler @fertilityacademy on Instagram Fertility Academy Community

Today's episode is a follow-up to episode 9 where I am sharing some of the biggest lessons I learnt from creating my book Still: The Slow Home, and some practical ways you can apply these ideas into your own home and life.  For notes on this episode visit nataliewalton.com/podcast/10 You can also find me at instagram.com/nataliewalton  

In today's episode I'm sharing the biggest lessons that I learnt from creating my book Still: The Slow Home, and some practical ways you can apply these ideas into your own home and life. For notes on this episode visit nataliewalton.com/podcast/9 You can also find me on Instagram.

And just like that, the end of Season 5 is upon us.  In today's hostful episode, Brooke and Ben spend some time answering the most common pandemic-related questions as asked by you, as well as tackling some lighter topics to try and provide some much-needed balance to not only this episode but also their own mindset.  It's undoubtedly been an incredibly difficult few weeks for everyone, with many more challenges and dark days ahead. Today Brooke and Ben offer some insights in to how they're trying to use the tools in their slow living toolbox to navigate some of these hard days, as well as offering some suggestions for how you might want to adapt some of them in to your own life.  They also answer the following questions:  How are you managing remote schooling while also trying to work from home?  Do you think slow living is helping during lockdown? And if so do you think it will have a positive effect in the future?  What did you learn about schooling and spending a lot of time together while travelling? And has any of that been helpful during lockdown?  How to create rhythms for working or studying at home, for those who've never done it before?  What good new recipes have you tried lately?  What's bringing you joy right now?  What are you listening to/watching/reading right now?  Brooke and Ben end with a brief update of what you can expect from Season 6 (which will be in your ears shortly - they've decided not to take a break between seasons in light of the current situation and all of the excellent guest interviews they have coming up which may offer some help) as well as what to expect from the next round of the Slow Beginnings Online Retreat, which starts on April 26.  Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season5 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for Brooke's weekly slow-living love letters Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to another season of the Slow Home podcast!  Season 5 of the poggie has a new format, with each episode comprising of two parts. In the first part Ben and Brooke will be diving deep into an area of slow living that listeners want to know more about (think topics like self-care, waste reduction, tech and their relationship to stuff). The second part of the episode will be a dedicated follow-up with guests from Season 4 to see how they have been tracking and whether they have implemented any changes.  Today's episode kicks off with a conversation on rhythms (as opposed to routines) where Brooke and Ben discuss: What exactly are rhythms? How rhythms are applied to different parts of their life What rhythms have looked like for them since settling into their new town What they have discovered about rhythms and how they best work for them If there is room for flexibility and fluidity within rhythms How to set up and maintain rhythms Brooke then catches up with Season 4 guest, Kate, who you might remember was struggling with the question of whether slow living might actually be robbing her of ambition.  Kate shares how she has embraced the 'messy middle' and has started to get comfortable with the unknown since she and Brooke last spoke. She also talks about how saying no to things has given her energy, and shares a few examples of opportunities she would have previously said yes to, and the power she felt by saying no instead.  There's so much inspiration and practical slow living in action in this episode and we hope you enjoy it!  Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season5 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for Brooke's weekly slow-living love letters Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke and Ben are busily preparing for the Season 5 launch of the podcast (next Thursday!) and sat down earlier this week to record a quick catch-up episode, to share where they're at after a strange and awful summer. They chat about the bushfires, the amazing efforts of the Slow Home community in helping support a local wildlife rescue organisation and how they're moving forward. They also share a little more of what you can expect from Season 5, including weekly deep-dive conversations on topics like daily rhythms, stuff, waste reduction, community, technology, exercise and running a household, as well as catch-up conversations with guests from last season.  Season 5 will be with you in no time, but until then, enjoy!  Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season5 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we meet another wonderful listener, Sara, who has found herself in a place many of us can relate to: she's gradually reduced the commitments in her life in order to do more of what lights her up but has found other requests and demands on her sneaking in and is finding it difficult to create boundaries and say no. Sara has been transitioning to retirement over the past couple of years but is struggling to actually retire. She values service in all areas of her life, and is struggling to calibrate what service looks like in a life that has always placed the service of others ahead of her own needs. She's finding it difficult to say no and similarly tough to create boundaries.  Brooke and Sara talk about the role of ego in constantly saying yes, as well as the feelings of guilt that arise when Sara chooses to create and honour the boundaries around her time, energy and other values. Brooke is then joined by Cark Honoré, who talks about our innate desire to feel relevant as we get older, and how to move through the fear of losing our identity when letting go of work, relationships or activities that used to define us. They also have an interesting discussion on the trajectory of slow living and how it’s come to reflect different things now that it’s more of a mainstream idea. Enjoy! Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season4 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are at that stage in life where you are looking to upgrade your furniture in terms of quality and sustainability then you should definitely know about artisan furniture.In this episode, we discuss what it is, the pros and cons of investing in high quality, handmade furniture and why this is an eco friendly option. We are also going to give you the names of some of our favorite makers. We hope this will inspire you while creating your Slow Home.

If you are a conscious consumer and want to know how to shop for eco friendly furniture that is good for people and the planet, then you're going to want to watch this.In this video, Mette and Sarah will teach you 3 eco friendly goals to keep in mind and four strategies for sourcing eco friendly furniture from best to worst. They'll also give you a few additional suggestions for what to look for if you prefer new furniture. Links Mentioned In the Video:Goodee: https://www.goodeeworld.com/pages/our-storyFN Furniture: https://www.fnfurniture.com/Schoolhouse: https://www.schoolhouse.com/pages/about-usSAY HI ON SOCIALWebsite: https://aamodtplumb.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aamodtplumb/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aamodtplumb/Twitter: https://twitter.com/metteaamodtPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/aamodtplumb/pins/

When we look around and see the environmental crises facing the world it can be easy to slip in to despair, as we wonder, “What difference can I make? I’m only one person.” In today’s episode we meet Georgi, who has made massive strides in changing the way she lives as an individual but is now looking at the bigger picture and wants to know, “What are some bigger things I can do, outside my own home, to make a real impact? What are the best things we can do to make a real difference?” Georgi and Brooke have a really wide-ranging conversation that looks at both the highly practical changes each of us can make in our attempts to live a slower, more sustainable life, as well as the broader issue of how to work out what we have to offer our community and how to begin delivering it. Brooke is then joined by special guest, Sarah Wilson (author of First, We Make the Beast Beautiful) who talks about the importance of us coming together to make change, as opposed to buying in to the story that we as individuals need to fix every single problem the system has created. This is a really refreshing conversation that highlights the idea that making change is as simple as showing up in our own communities and as complicated as learning to let go of the guilt at not being able to do it all. Enjoy! Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season4 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to reduce plastic and use eco friendly storage bins instead? LISTEN THIS!Were you aware that plastic leaches into our food, off-gasses into our air and pollutes our environment for hundreds of years? Are you looking to reduce the amount of plastic you use in your daily life? In this latest video, Mette Aamodt shows you several natural and beautiful alternatives to use in your Slow Home.And if you're looking for more tips and inspiration for creating a home that is good, clean and fair, subscribe to the Slow Homes channel.

In today’s episode we meet Nancy, who has recently moved from the UK to Kuala Lumpur with her family, and is afraid that her introversion, combined with her desire to live a ‘slow life’ is holding her back from making friends. Brooke discovers that she and Nancy share a lot of the same concerns, and they dive head-first in to why they both struggle with connection and what relationship that struggle has to deeper issues of self-worth, guilt and shame.   Brooke also shares some of the practical techniques she’s used over the past six months of living in a new place that have helped her slowly find and connect with like-minded people, while also talking through why we might want to rethink what “like-minded people” means to us. Are we holding out for a perfect fit when there are dozens of great people surrounding us? And if so, how can we get to know whether we’re a good fit as friends or not? To bring another perspective in to the conversation, Brooke is joined by the wonderful friend of the show (and friend in general) Cait Flanders in the second half of the episode and they talk about making friends online, the importance of getting comfortable with awkwardness and letting go of expectations when meeting new people. It’s a really warm, practical and honest conversation about making friends as an adult, with some special attention given to those of us who are on the more introverted side of the spectrum. Enjoy! Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season4 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surprise! We're popping in to your earholes on a Monday with a very special bonus episode featuring the utterly delightful Clare Bowditch - songwriter, actress, storyteller and author of one of the most powerful memoirs Brooke has ever read.  In this conversation Brooke and Clare talk about the stories we tell ourselves and why they matter, loss and grief, mental health and healing, learning to be patient and what happens when we show up scared.  It's deep, it's funny, it's bittersweet and we hope you enjoy it.  Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season4 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unbelievable though it may seem, today's episode is the final poggie of Season 3. (Time flies when you're having fun!)  Before Brooke and Ben get in to today's episode and the outstanding listener questions that have been submitted throughout the season, they begin on a bittersweet note as they bid a very fond farewell to two Slow Home team members.  Once they wipe away their tears and (literally) play Steph and Ryan off in to the sunset, Brooke and Ben dive head-first in to some terrific listener questions. These include:   Apart from people, what do you most miss about Canada and the US? And what are you most glad to have in Australia? Is it easier to live slower in Australia or in the US/Canada? What are you finding challenging in regards to slow living, and what are you doing in response? What area did you decide to buy and live in, and why did you chose that area? Were you ever nervous about not being close to the city, not being close to family and instead living in a rural area? Are you living mortgage free? Is there a slow way to manage money? Slow aspirations versus fast career path advice please? What is your ultimate ’slow’ date night?  How have you gone re-buying things for the house? Slowly or all at once?  Have you bought things you gave away when you left for your trip?  What made Ben choose to go to therapy?  What are your favourite books of 2019?  Is Brooke currently writing a book? What poggies are you currently listening to?  When will the next season of the podcast start?  As always, they do their do their best to answer these as honestly as possible (if not always, or ever, briefly) and end up discovering some really interesting things about themselves, their experiences of the past couple of years, and how they're each feeling now. Season 4 of the poggie will be in your ears late October, and until then, take it slow! Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season3 Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes As always, thank you for listening! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The housing market has cooled a little in recent months. What could this be signaling?

Welcome to this week’s poggie! Today Brooke talks to zero-waste blogger and YouTuber Christine Liu of Simply By Christine. Christine is not only a great source of practical information in the low-waste world, she also talks about her experience in her previous job at Cisco where she was instrumental in organising the Green Team network. This initiative brought sustainability to the workplace, and is a great example of how to create real-world, community-based change in our own lives. Christine shares how the Green Teams initiative started small and then grew throughout the entire organisation, as well as the impact it had on her own efforts to live more sustainably, as well as those of her colleagues. Christine also talks about her low-waste wedding and the challenges of owning a pet while living sustainably. Questions featured in this episode: What is a Green Team? Why and how did you start it? Do you have any suggestions for where people can start making changes in their own workplace? Where did your personal zero-waste journey start? Any tips for where to start with zero-waste and pets? How has simplifying your life impacted your mental health? What were the reactions you received from friends and family around your zero-waste wedding? Any tips for people planning their wedding or big event who are keen to minimise waste? Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season2/ Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes As always, thank you for listening! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Brooke shares her conversation with the delicious and delightful Rebecca Sullivan. The two first spoke on the podcast back in 2017, and since then Rebecca has published four (!!) books, with another on the way, and moved from an apartment in Adelaide to a closed loop eco-farm in the Clare Valley. There’s just a bit for the two to catch up on, so we thought it was about time! Rebecca reflects on the challenges and joys that living on the land have brought so far, how paying attention to nature and slowing down have come hand-in-hand, living with fear, failure and taking risks and the aim of her new work: reconciliation on a plate Questions featured in this episode: What’s the transition been like as you moved to the farm, from theory to reality? How do you think about your own environmental impact? What does it practically look like to live in a circular (closed-loop) house? What was the seed for the idea of Warndu - both the company and the book? Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season2/ Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes As always, thank you for listening! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is slow living? So many of us want to change our lives because we want more space for things we love, as well as a job we love. But life often seems too hectic to find that space, sense of peace or a feeling that we're really able to enjoy what we have worked so hard to achieve. When Brooke McAlary realised the stress of her life was causing her anxiety she decided to slow her life right down. It started with a failed attempt to declutter the garage... but today she's host of the Slow Home podcast, author of 3 lovely books about slowing down your life and living a dramatically different life to the one she thought she would be living at this point in her life. What I love about this interview is how down to earth Brooke is about what slow living actually is and how you can design a slower life that's unique to what works for you. Do check out her website and follow her on Instagram. Also check out Zen Habits. And maybe try writing your own eulogy and see if it helps you get clarity about your life as much as it helped Brooke. Stay in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and of course, the website.

This week Brooke is joined by early-childhood educator April Hepokoski for a fascinating discussion about all things child-led and nature-based learning. April is the founder and teacher at The Little Barnyard Preschool in Duluth, Minnesota, where she centres learning around being outside in nature every single day. April also founded a zero-waste living group on her local community, where she shares tips and tricks for living with less waste as well as lobbying the city council to make changes in her town. There are so many parallels between slow living and the approach of nature-based learning, and April is a prime example of someone taking action into their own hands in every aspect of her life. We hope you enjoy this inspiring (and practical) chat about learning, nature and grassroots change. Questions featured in this episode: When did you first become interested in zero-waste living? How did you structure a localised zero-waste living group? What is the philosophy or mission of The Little Barnyard Preschool? What caused you to combine child-led learning with nature-based learning? What does nature-based learning look like on a day-to-day basis? What do parents say? What benefits and differences do they see? How can people begin to bring this philosophy into their own home if there are no nature-based learning offerings in their area? What can educators do to start to bring nature-based learning into their school? Any resources or recommendations on how to start the conversation? Do you have any tips for bringing zero-waste principles into the classroom? Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season2/ Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes As always, thank you for listening! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s Brooke sits down for a heartfelt discussion with Jojo Hogan: founder of the Slow Postpartum movement, yoga teacher, aromatherapist, massage therapist and doula. Jojo has been working with expectant mothers for many years, and now specialises as a postpartum doula, providing much needed support to mothers after giving birth. There are so many beautiful intersections between slow living principles and the postpartum care practices that Jojo provides and educates around, and especially considering her own experience as a new mother, Brooke was so excited to have Jojo on the show. Brooke and Jojo talk about the pillars of postpartum care that cultures around the world share, the importance of deciding your parenting values before baby arrives, how women can create their own villages to support them after birth, and ways to bring more slow and presence to a stressful time. Questions featured in this episode: When did your own journey of slowing down and simplifying begin? What prompted it? When did you begin working with new parents? What does a slow postpartum look like? What’s something realistic that a new parent can do to bring some slowness into those early days post-birth? How can we approach the ‘stuff’ that often comes with having a baby with a slower, more conscious mindset? Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season2/ Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes As always, thank you for listening! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we welcome back listener chats, as Brooke sits down to talk with Xan Holyoak. Xan is a listener of the show, a writer, a single parent and a slow living and nature loving woman. She first reached out to us after the nature experiment last year, and the more Brooke learned about her story, the more she wanted to share Xan’s wisdom with our wider community. So here we go! In today’s chat Xan and Brooke talk about when she first started to slow things down, why she started writing about it on her blog, how her life changed after her husband suddenly passed away in 2015 and how she lives slowly now as a single, working parent. There’s a wonderful thread throughout the conversation of the importance of values, journaling and boundaries, and we hope you enjoy. Questions featured in this episode: Where did your journey to slow living/simplifying start? Why did you start your blog? Tell us about the way life changed after your husband died in 2015. How do you make everyday work, as a single parent, working mum and living slowly? Let’s talk about our shared love of journaling as a self-care practice. When do you journal? Looking for more Slow? Find show notes, resources and links at slowyourhome.com/season2/ Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Sign up for our love letters Join the Slow Experiment Club over on Patreon Or leave a rating or review in iTunes As always, thank you for listening! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you live “slow” in a fast-paced world? How can you possibly keep up if you’re moving slow? What would a good minimalist do? In one of my favorite conversations to date, I sit down with Brooke McAlary, author of SLOW: Simple Living for a Frantic World and The Slow Home Podcast host, to discuss what slow living actually looks in modern society. We talk about key simple living topics, such as decluttering, going small, and even using the body as an entry point for this lifestyle (think yoga). We also discuss common concerns that often crop up, such as keeping with the Joneses, comparison, shoulding on yourself, and finding time for slow. Ironically enough, many of us end up feeling like we’re not doing a good enough job at slow living, or minimalism as an extension, and in doing so, suck the joy and original intentions out of this simplistic lifestyle. As Brooke describes, slow living is a lot of paradoxes. It’s about caring more and caring less. Having more and having less. By the end of this conversation, you’ll have essential wisdom and key questions to ask yourself to slowwwly embrace this lovely way of living more fully AND simply. --------------SHOW NOTES:thejournaldeck.com/episode77 Shop the Deck:The Journal Deck Goddess EditionPittsburgh Workshop:Living and Leading from Your Feminine Power Sunday, February 245-7pm @ Om LoungeBrooke's info:SLOW: Simple Living for a Frantic World (book)The Slow Home (podcast)

Welcome to the fifth and final episode of the Summer Series (/Winter Warmies!) For all of January, we’ve been bringing back the best of 2018, re-sharing some of our favourite episodes to keep you company on the beach (or the slopes!) Last but not least, this week is our episode with the awesome Jocelyn Glei, writer and creator of the podcast Hurry Slowly. Now seemed like the perfect time to feature Brooke’s chat with Jocelyn, as they focus on the relationship between technology, work, life, slow and creativity, as we all get back into the swing of work after the holidays. Jocelyn shares so many great resources with us, and we hope you find something to explore from this episode. Head over to http://slowyourhome.com/234/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. And we’ll see you in February for the new season of the show! ==== 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! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the third episode of the Summer Series (Winter Warmies!) For all of January, we’ll be bringing back the best of 2018, re-sharing some of our favourite episodes to keep you company on the beach (or the slopes!) Today we’re highlighting one of the most-loved episodes of last year - when Brooke interviewed Ben about his slow living journey. What started out as a chance to turn the tables and switch the spotlight ended up being a deeply personal and raw conversation. Ben talks about how he went from working a stressful, corporate job to being self-employed, and how he continues to make choices to live a slower life. So many people connected with this episode, which is why we decided to include it in the Summer Series. If it resonates, we’d love for this to start a new conversation about slow with your loved ones. It’s the perfect time of year to check in and examine your priorities for 2019, so we hope this helps! To read more about the episode, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/242/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cue the jazzy Christmas tunes - it’s our final episode of the year! Welcome to the crowd-sourced holiday special, where we share your tips for staying slow in the silly season (and throw in some of our own). Thank you so much to everyone who got in touch - we loved reading through your responses, and hearing all the different ways you not only cope with, but enjoy what can be a stressful time of year. Brooke and Ben share more than 40 tips from listeners, all about how to bring a little more slow to your holiday traditions, gifts, finances, food, time with family and friends, decorations and environmental impact. There’s so much goodness in here, and definitely something for everyone to consider for either this year or next. Whether it’s sipping a candy cane martini every Friday night like Steve or getting organised with gifts, we hope you’ll find a nugget that resonates with you! When in doubt, if you come back to ask what your priorities for the season are, how you want it to feel and what you want to remember, that’s a pretty great place to act from. Annnnnd that’s a wrap (pun intended)! Thank you so much for your support for all of this year, it means so much and is why we do what we do every day. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and all the best for 2019. Looking forward to more slow times ahead! To read more about the episode, or to sign up for the 365 Days of Slow experiment, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/262/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is all about LIAM! We talk about his new EP: First Time! When will his album be released? Are these the songs that feel "from another age"? What are our favorite songs? Which songs sound like One Direction songs? Did Liam write on any of the songs on his EP? Is there a central theme to this EP? GET EXCITED!!! Check out Talk Direction Down Low on patreon.com/talkdirection for EXTRA PODCAST CONTENT!! Get in touch with us! talkdirection.tumblr.com talkdirection@gmail.com twitter// @talk_direction instagram// @talkdirection FOLLOW LUCIA: twitter // @LuciaOberste instagram // @lucciaoh & @frolicdogtraining

We’re onto the last of our slow relationships episodes, and this week is all about new friends: where to find them and how to get from barely know each other to BFF, slowly. It’s all about taking the time, being intentional and paying attention, as well as discovering the joy of spending time with people based on what’s important to you rather than the situation you find yourself in (bye awkward office/school drop off chats, hi fellow slow living friends). First up, Ben asks Brooke if, given last week’s episode all about maintaining existing friendships and the time it takes, as well as the effort involved in meeting new people, do we even need any more friends? Brooke says yes, and shares some of her own story and the challenges she has faced around friendships. In case you need convincing, she also highlights some of the benefits of friendships according to science. Including everything from improved self-esteem to reduction in stress and depression, it seems that finding like minded folk to while our days away with is worth the effort. So how do we find these new friends? Brooke considers a few steps, and talks about the importance in shifting your attitude and being open in social situations. Think about the values you’re looking for in a new pal, and find ways to put yourself into a relevant community, whether IRL or online. The guys talk about a few ways to do this, as well as reminding us that not all friendships work out, and that’s OK. Brooke also shares some helpful strategies for introverts when meeting new people. In a beautiful full circle moment, it all comes back to active listening. Which brings us to the end! We’ve loved hearing your thoughts and feedback on Instagram and Facebook about slow and relationships, so keep on sharing. Ben would also love your food recommendations for Dallas and Austin, so feel free to hit us up with those also. To read more about the episode, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/248/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re continuing the relationships theme, looking at existing friendships: not only how to maintain them, but how to deepen them. There’s no question that as time goes on and big life milestones pass, friendships change and some fade. But one of the biggest things we stand to lose by living a busy, un-intentional life is the relationships that have the potential to be deep and life-long. How do we make sure we give these friendships our time and attention? And how do we talk about slow living with our pals? Let’s dive in. Brooke and Ben kick off by sharing that, like any relationship, friendships are built on trust and time. So how can we ensure we commit to our people, even if we’re operating in different spheres, or don’t necessarily share the same values? They talk about some different ways you can talk to friends about slow living, including how to explain any impacts that the changes you’re making might have on them, and the importance of showing that you’re still there for them. If you value someone, bring them into what you’re doing without being forceful – invite them to where you are, and reciprocate the love and acceptance. When it comes to those deep, true friendships, so many of us ask ourselves how we can take them to the next level, and have the deeper conversations beyond the everyday and superficial. Brooke shares some practical tips, and Ben shares his experience with this as a male. They finish by sharing some different ways you can spend time and build bonds with your buds, highlighting that it doesn’t have to be all deep & meaningful, teary conversations. Joy, creativity, play and shared projects all play a role in strengthening friendships. As does telling your friends that you love them, and that you’re thinking of them. Which is this week’s action – reach out to a friend and tell them you appreciate them, and that they sprung to mind after listening to this episode. Then reach out to us: we’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode. How are you trying to bring more slow, depth and intention to your friendships? Comment on Facebook or Instagram and share the love. To read more about the episode, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/247/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. And stay tuned for next week, when we’ll talk about making new friends! ==== 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! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s week two of our month of slow and relationships, and this episode we’re looking at family: kids, parents, siblings, and all those broader relationships (including those friends that feel more like favourite cousins) that make up the family tree. They’re not always neat and tidy, but hopefully there will be something in this episode that resonates with you, whatever your family situation. Brooke and Ben begin by talking kids. We’ve covered slow parenting in many an episode before (links in the show notes), but they share a few important reminders and tools here as well. Kids are not slow, and so living slowly with kids can be difficult to near-impossible. There are tools you can use and boundaries you can set in place (especially around time, technology and presence) to establish some great foundations, but the best advice is to drop the expectations, don’t be afraid to say no and let boredom happen. When it comes to parents and siblings, Brooke highlights that we all crave connection but are often scared of being vulnerable in conversation. She recommends some ways to start those difficult chats, and highlights that time is the real key here. Making and allowing time and creating a safe space for deeper conversations and connections helps to create stronger bonds. They then address what to do when there maybe isn’t as much connection within a family, and Ben comes back to this idea of resilience: being tolerant, open and then resilient enough to always try to end interactions on a positive note. Putting love above differences in opinion isn’t always easy, but it’s a choice we can make. They finish the episode by talking about ways to maintain connection when there’s a great physical distance between family, and then sharing the value of affection within all familial relationships (hugs are always on the cards). This week’s action? Tell someone you love them, every day. And let us know how that feels - get in touch on Facebook or Instagram and share the love. To read more about the episode, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/246/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Annnnd we’re back. It’s the first week of July, and while we’re due for a Slow Experiment, thanks to book tour commitments and a tight travel schedule, Brooke and Ben are taking the pressure off. Instead, July will be a deep dive into bringing slow to relationships. Romantic, family and friendships old and new, each week the guys will be exploring ways you can create deeper connections with the people around you. We received so much feedback after Ben shared his story in episode 242, as well as a bunch of questions, emails and feedback on the topic, so let’s get to it! This week kicks off looking at bringing more slow to romantic relationships. Brooke and Ben look at their own relationship, and acknowledge up front that their experience of the dating scene goes back a while now (Brooke has never swiped right). However, they talk about the fact that a lot of the technology around dating these days doesn’t necessarily support people looking for a deeper, more meaningful connection. Side note: Brooke did discover a slow dating app, but did not give it a test run (which Ben was grateful for). They talk about the importance of entering into relationships and getting to know people with a focus on intention over the endgame, and how presence and time helps to cement trust. The same principles apply to people already in a long-term relationships. Intention, turning up and building trust are where it’s at. Dropping the distractions and being present with your s/o is so important in building that solid, steady foundation. They bring up some of the challenges they’ve faced in their own relationship, invite us to reframe the way we view relationship milestones (as new understandings rather than specific events) and remind us that romance is constantly evolving. Which is comforting. To finish off, they invite you to be aware this week of your expectations in your relationships, and to explore finding joy and depth in the ordinary, everyday moments. If you have anything to add or that you’d like to share, especially if you have any apps or resources that have helped you slow down the dating scene, feel free to get in touch! Comment on Facebook or Instagram and share the love. To read more about the episode, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/245/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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! ===   Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest on the podcast this week is Anita Van Dyke: zero waste activist, literal rocket scientist, medical student, author and all-round breath of fresh air. Anita brings a new, more practical perspective to the zero waste lifestyle, and in this episode she and Brooke talk about her journey to living a zero waste life, the impact of her cultural and familial upbringing, tips for helping people get started and so much more. Anita talks about her life a few years ago, as a self-described ‘maximalist’, and how she went from working in corporate engineering at the height of her career to being burnt out, and having to quit her job and step back for six months to think about what she wanted in life. She talks about her cultural background, as her parents immigrated to Australia from China during the communist regime, and how this informed both her value of money, power and status in her early 20s and her work ethic, but also how her upbringing cemented her understanding of living minimally. She talks about her discovery of this very podcast during that six month break, and how this, combined with other resources, volunteering, meditating and economic necessity started her on the journey of simplifying her life and decreasing her waste. Now Anita is studying medicine and has just written a book, called ‘A Zero Waste Life: In 30 Days’. Her scientific background means her approach to zero waste living is incredibly practical, with a creative, problem-solving bent to help you make small changes in your everyday life. Her focus is accessibility, and Brooke loved her three-tiered approach to any issue: dipping your toe in, living low waste and living zero waste. This podcast is full of so many nuggets of wisdom and great ideas for approaching a slower, more simple life. Start where you are, take stock, ask for help and stick to the 80/20 rule are just some of our main takeaways. What about you? Be sure to share your favourite bits with us on Instagram and Facebook. To read more about the episode and Anita, as well as to heck out her book, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/244for all the links and resources mentioned, 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 join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode, Brooke sits down for a chat with Rob Greenfield, a self-described ‘dude making a difference’. He’s an activist, environmentalist and legend - a guy who is very good at raising people’s awareness of an issue by doing big, bold things to grab your attention, like collecting the amount of rubbish the average American creates in a month, and strapping it to his body and wearing it like a trash suit. Talk about making a statement! Brooke and Rob talk about how he came to be where he is today, where he started and what’s next on his horizon. 10 years ago Rob was living what he calls a typical American life. He was driven by money and ideas of success, obsessed with his car and didn’t consider the impact of his choices on the planet or the people around him. Things started to shift as he began reading books and watching documentaries about the state of the world, and the more he learned, the more he realised he had to change his life. So he did. Slowly, one step at a time, he made changes. Rob talks about the fact that making positive changes in your life is a has a snowball effect, and he and Brooke agree that this slow steady approach might seem frustrating or overwhelming at first, but it really is the only way to go.  He breaks down the changes he made, and how these fed into his big, bold experiments and projects that he’s become known for. He talks about how he communicates these changes to the people around him, the idea of comfort zones and change and societal norms, as well as the need to practice compassion and get good it at, just like building any other muscle or skill. It’s incredibly inspiring to hear Rob share so honestly about his life, and is a much-needed reminder that we can all make choices in our daily lives to have a more positive impact on the world. We can’t wait to see how Rob goes with his next project - growing or foraging 100% of his food for a whole year. To read more about the episode and Rob, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/241/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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 join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the fourth week of the creativity Slow Experiment, and Brooke and Ben are feeling good. Today’s episode is all about play and creativity - forgetting about output and audience, and doing something just for the joy of it. It’s something that Brooke finds particularly challenging, and she and Ben explore why that is, before diving into perfectionism, ideas of worth, courage and more. They also spend some time answering a listener question around kids and creativity. Stick around to the end to hear an update on the North American book release and tour (with a full update coming soon! First up the guys reflect on the week that’s been, before launching into a discussion about the childlike joy of creating playfully. Brooke talks about the idea of rules in creativity - something as simple as lines on a page can hinder her from letting go and creating. She then shares the project she’s been working on, and how she’s brought an element of spontaneity and play into her process this week. Ben shares a question asked by a listener, who was wondering if their kids had been involved in the experiment so far. He and Brooke talk about this, and also bounce around some ideas about how they can be more creative together down the track (especially when they’re on the road for the book tour!) They finish up with a little challenge for the week - if you struggle with playfulness, try setting an alarm and spending 10 minutes doing something fun and playful. Let go of judgment and try to find the joy in the challenge. If you’re playing along at home, don’t forget to use the hashtag #slowexperiment on Instagram if you’d like to share, and stay tuned for next week’s episode wrapping up the experiment. To read more about the episode and the May experiment, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/239/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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 join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! ===   Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke and Ben are knee-deep in the May Slow Experiment, and in this episode they explore what daily creativity has looked like for them so far, ideas around challenge and play, as well as looking more closely at analog and digital when it comes to the creative process. Brooke shares the unexpected impact of the experiment so far - the shift in headspace she’s experienced, which sees her coming at things from a creative problem-solving angle, focusing on the process rather than the output. Questions she’s been pondering for months suddenly have clear solutions, and she’s also found herself being more empathetic in her parenting as her brain “opens up”. Ben’s challenge this week was to do something creative for himself, without an audience, and so he shares how he’s played with skiing switch, and reflects on the joy of truly sucking at something. Ben also identifies some different ways you can categorise creativity: cognitive v emotional, and deliberate v spontaneous. The guys share their experiences of these so far, before diving into the issue of analog v digital. While Brooke was hoping for a unanimous “analog rules” verdict in her research, what she found instead was that there is no right or wrong, that it’s closely tied to how we learn, and that everyone could benefit from dabbling in both means of creative expression. So if you’re getting creative with us this week, why not try mixing it up again? If you’re always in analog-land, why not try creating using digital this week. And vice versa - if you’re a tech-head, why not try something a little more tactile? Don’t forget to use the hashtag #slowexperiment on Instagram if you’d like to share, and stay tuned for next week’s episode all about letting go of ideas of “good” and “perfect” and getting back to creating, just for the sake of creating. To read more about the episode and the May experiment, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/238/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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 join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time for the new #slowexperiment, and for the month of May it’s all about daily creativity. In today’s episode Brooke and Ben spend some time chatting about what creativity means for them, before diving into some ways the experiment might look for you, what their plans are and how they think creativity relates to slow living. To kick off, the guys talk about the relationship between creativity and slow living, and how even though at first glance they might seem unrelated, they actually have so much in common: making time to think and ponder, being intentional, following a process, problem solving. They’re counter-cultural and both tap into mindfulness, paying attention and self-awareness, and work pretty well hand-in-hand. They then dive into the theme for the episode - the difference between creative input and output. If you feel like you don’t have time to be creative, Brooke recommends doing an audit of your daily inputs (e.g. social media, news websites, podcasts etc) and asking yourself if they fuel creativity or not. Then pick one, and swap out the time you’d normally spend doing it with a form of creative output for the month, and see how you go. And now for the “rules” (more like guidelines) for the experiment. If you’re playing along at home, the aim is to do some kind of creative practice every day. It can be a specific creative project, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s more about approaching life through a more creative lens, rather than having an agenda or making anything for a specific audience (more on that next week). It might mean simply approaching an everyday task (like getting dressed or making dinner) as a creative act, rather than a chore. Or it might mean writing, sculpting, knitting, singing - whatever it is, it doesn’t have to look the same every day, it just has to happen. So how will you flex your creative muscle? We can’t wait to see - if you’re playing along and feel like sharing, don’t forget to use the hashtag #slowexperiment on Instagram. To read more about the episode and the May experiment, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/236/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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 join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy hostful! Today Brooke and Ben sit down to answer your burning questions, as well as update you on what’s been happening in their world, and the plans for the May Slow Experiment! It’s an epic episode, and the guys were excited to have the time to dive into the insightful questions you sent in. First up they reflect on their travels so far, and what they’ve learned about themselves and each other. They also talk about the rhythms that have developed in their day-to-day lives, how they’ve been travelling and what’s up next. Then it’s into the Q&A! It’s a mix of questions around slow living with kids and slow travel. One listener asked about slow living with really young kids, another about kids who always want to be on the go. Another listener asked about slow living when you have a child with special needs, and the wonderful community on Facebook helped out with their answers based on their own experiences. Then there were also questions about slow living when you’re on the road, slow as a counter-cultural decision and how to know what changes to make when you set out to change the pace. And now for the May Slow Experiment - it’s all about daily creativity! Brooke and Ben will be committing to creativity every day in May, and encourage you to play along if you’re keen. It doesn’t have to be the same thing every day, or anything tricky at all. There will be more information over on the blog, but we can’t wait to see what you create. So there you go! As the guys said in the episode, if you’re in the US in one of the states they mention and have a hot lead on a bookshop or venue that might be keen to host a Slow Home Podcast event, please reach out to us at hello@slowyourhome.com. We really appreciate your help and support, and can’t wait to meet as many of you as possible on the tour. To read more about the episode and the May experiment, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/233/ for all the links and resources mentioned, 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 join in on our live monthly video calls. And thanks so much for listening! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Brooke chats to the delightful Kirsty Farrugia, founder of Feels Like Home professional organising, and co-host of the podcast The Art of Decluttering. This conversation put to bed a few misconceptions Brooke had about professional organisers, as Kirsty really brings warmth and vulnerability when talking about her job, and the full spectrum of relationships between stuff and people that she deals with in her daily life. They talk about the misconception of decluttering as the solution to every problem, when really it’s often just the first step in a long process of creating change in your life. Kirsty also talks about how she gets started with her clients, and the questions she invites them to ask as they sit in the mess and start to deal with it. Just like Brooke talks about the importance of knowing your ‘why’, when it comes to decluttering, having a vision for your home and your life in it makes the process much easier. Wonderfully, Kirsty reveals that she is in fact not a naturally organised person, and that it was only after she married an “uber-organised” man that she started to change her ways. This means that she can really connect and empathise with her clients, as she too has felt overwhelmed in her own home and has done the hard work to make changes. She talks about the idea of grace, and of the benefits of letting go and giving yourself permission to live the life you want to live, not a life dictated by the things around you. It’s a big, honest, vulnerable chat that definitely peels back a couple of onion layers around decluttering and professional organising, and we owe a big thanks to Kirsty for sharing so openly. To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/226/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post. Brooke and Ben also announce the first Slow Experiment of 2018 and encourage you to join in. You can find out more at http://www.slowyourhome.com/nature ==== 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! === Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.