The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary

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 li...

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...

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...

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 i...

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...

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...

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, Bro...

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 perfectionis...

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...

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 a...

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 ther...

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 eul...

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...

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 eul...

Have you ever had a conversation that changes your entire outlook on the world? One that shifts your worldview in monumental ways? That challenges and invites you to think about your choices in terms that are entirely different? In today's episode, Brooke chats with the utterly wonderful Annie Raser-Rowland, co-author of The Art of Frugal Hedonism and experiences one of those conversations... &nbs...

This year our Monday shows are focused on small, bite-sized actions you can take that will help you move towards living a slower, simpler life. The past few episodes were about the very practical tasks of green cleaning, so the next few weeks are going to look at things from a very different, bigger picture perspective. Brooke and Ben are going to do a deep dive on one of the topics Broo...

A few weeks ago Brooke sat down to chat all things meditation with Kevin Janks - founder of Centred Meditation in Sydney. It was a fascinating look into Kevin’s journey from skeptic to practitioner and the benefits of meditation he’s experienced personally, as well as those he sees daily in his clients and students at the studio. What Brooke failed to do though, was ask him how to actu...

In the final cleaning related episode (many of you have found these really helpful, which is awesome, but truth be told, Brooke is looking forward to not thinking quite so much about cleaning as of next week!) Ben and Brooke look at their rhythms. Specifically the rhythms they’ve developed at home that allow them to stay on top of the home maintenance and ensure things never get overwhelming...

It’s that time of the month again! Where Ben and Brooke sit down and answer some of your questions about all things slow living, and try to keep the stupid jokes to a minimum. (In today’s episode they succeed in at least one of these areas). This month the show opens with a question from Sharni about camping, which is super fun and timely as Brooke and Ben are currently waiting for the...

One of the biggest changes Brooke and Ben have made in cleaning their house over the past few years (aside from their love of vinegar and citric acid!) is to really think about the materials they use, and to start looking at ways of reducing waste. When she realised the dishcloths they used at home were made from plastic and would spend hundreds of years in landfill, Brooke decided to make a simpl...

As someone who espouses simplicity and buying only what we need, Brooke has an uneasy relationship with the idea of capitalism. But as a business-owner, a traveller and someone who does indeed purchase things on occasion, she recognises that this means she takes part in a capitalist society every day. During a conversation with Carolyn Tate back in September last year, Brooke was introduced to the...

Honestly, Brooke and Ben thought they might be testing the friendship by having a series of shows about cleaning, but it turns out many of you are keen on learning more about how they’ve shifted to sustainable products over the past few years.  Today they go a little further than last week (where they extolled the significant virtues of white vinegar) by looking at a handful of addition...

Dr Justin Coulson is one of Australia's leading parenting experts - a father of six, a doctor of psychology and a passionate advocate for intentional relationships - and in today's episode he and Brooke sit down to discuss the importance of turning up for the people we love.  Intention is the cornerstone of slow living, which is one of the key reasons Brooke wanted to chat with Justin, and th...

Brooke and Ben often talk about the idea of creating a home that works for you, and how that will look different to each of us, depending on lifestyle, circumstance and priorities. But, practically speaking, what can we do to create a home that actually does work for us? Enter Amelia Lee!  Amelia Lee is an architect based in the beautiful Byron Bay hinterland, who helps people create hom...

Let us give you fair warning: the next few Monday shows are all about cleaning your home BUT BEFORE YOU GO AWAY BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS INSANELY BORING just know that the info Ben and Brooke are going to share is actually interesting and relevant and designed to help you: save money use fewer toxic chemicals in your home simplify your cleaning routine minimise waste keep the same level of cleanliness...