the tortoise & the hare

Latest Episodes:

Eric Zimmer on choosing which wolf to feed - SHP016 Jul 08, 2015

Show notes

http://www.slowyourhome.com/16

In today’s episode I sat down to talk with Eric Zimmer - the man behind one of my favourite podcasts, The One You Feed.

Eric was such a delightful, insightful person to talk to, and while Ben gives me grief for saying this too often, I genuinely could have sat and chatted with him for hours.

We talk about his podcast and the stunning parable that gives the show its name, his unexpected thoughts on social media and its role in our dissatisfaction, comparison and perfectionism, as well as how to create and maintain habits in the best and easiest possible way.

Once you’ve listened to our conversation, I’d definitely urge you to go and check out The One You Feed in iTunes - you won’t regret it!

In the meantime though, enjoy the show.

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When it's not all about you - SHP015 Jul 01, 2015

Show notes

http://www.slowyourhome.com/15

It’s time for another hostful episode!

Ben and I have a ridiculous amount of fun recording these host-only episodes and I really love the opportunity to answer listener questions in a relaxed, non-posturing kind of way.

We inadvertently themed today's three questions around other people. Or more specifically, how to approach slow, simple living while living with and taking into consideration the needs and desires of other people.

These questions are thought-provoking and also quite common and I do my best to answer them:

How can I create a slower home with less “stuff” when my spouse isn’t on the same wavelength?
How can I simplify large amounts emotionally-charged clutter, like kids artworks?
How do I shift my thinking about "stuff" and what constitutes clutter as my children grow and develop their own interests and tastes?

One really important part of slow living is acknowledging that everyone's path is different - what works for one person may not work for another. For this reason I'm always hesitant to offer specific advice, but would rather ask questions that get you thinking about what works best for you. Hopefully today's episode will help do that.

Enjoy!

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Dr. Sarah McKay on Neuroscience and Napping - SHP014 Jun 24, 2015

Show notes

http://www.slowyourhome.com/14

Much like ‘mindfulness’, ’neuroplasticity’ is a buzz word we’re seeing more and more of in the health/wellness world. And this makes my guest today incredibly happy.

Dr. Sarah McKay is a neuroscientist, health writer, TedX speaker, surfer, Kiwi and mum, and is thrilled that people are starting to pay attention to what’s happening in our brains.

In today’s episode, Sarah and I talk about the science of napping (yes! there is now a scientific reason for you to indulge in an afternoon siesta!) and its impact on our brain health.

And while I’m obviously no neuroscientist, we did discover a lot of similarities in our personal stories, which made me feel more intelligent simply by association. I’ll take it where I can, and I hope you enjoy the show!

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Today’s episode is sponsored by audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choosing (there are over 180,000 to choose from) by visiting www.audibletrial.com/slow

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Nina Nelson on Living in a School Bus! SHP013 Jun 17, 2015

Show notes

http://www.slowyourhome.com/13

Today’s guest is such a delight. Nina Nelson is a mum, writer and entrepreneur who happened to live with her family (of six!) in a converted school bus.

We chat about a whole lot of things, including the pressure that simple living can put on people to maintain a certain way of life, the process she went through to cull her family's belongings before moving into the bus, and the reasons they eventually returned to a "regular" home (for the time being at least).

I also reveal what type of unconventional home I'd love to live in, and our kids make their first podcast appearance.

Enjoy!

And please don't forget to leave a rating or a review if you're enjoying the show.

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Donnie Maclurcan on post-growth and what happens when we stop spending money Jun 10, 2015

Show notes

http://www.slowyourhome.com/12

One of the biggest questions I have of the minimalism movement is a somewhat unexpected one: What happens to the world’s economies if we all stopped buying stuff?

Like it or not, many of the planet’s economies are built, at least in part, on ever-growing levels consumption, so it makes sense that a decrease in buying stuff would have a big impact on things like wealth, employment, government spending, infrastructure…

Honestly, it’s one of the few questions I’m asked that make me uncomfortable. Which is why today’s conversation with Donnie Maclurcan is such an interesting one.

Donnie is the co-founder of The Post Growth Institute and is a vocal advocate for a new economy. He is also an Affiliate Professor of Social Science at Southern Oregon University, and one of the most interesting guests I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing.

I came away from our chat feeling hopeful and light and significantly more aware of the issues our world is going to face in the coming years. There is a whole heap of food for thought in this episode, and I really hope you enjoy it.

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Hostful Episode: How to deal with judgement - SHP011 Jun 03, 2015

Show notes

http://www.slowyourhome.com/11

Today is the first of our hostful Q&A shows and Brooke is doing her best to answer three listener questions:

How do I deal with the negative judgements (both internal and external) that come with slowing down and simplifying my life?

How can I integrate outdoor play and exploration into every day life?

What books have helped in your journey towards a slower, simpler life?

Plus, Brooke may or may not go on a small rant about the personification of our stuff and why it’s harming our ability to let go.

Today's show format is a little different, and hopefully it’s something you enjoy. We certainly enjoyed sitting down and recording a full show together.

If you have any questions about slowing down or simplifying, we’d love to answer your question on our next Q&A show. Simply head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/qa and ask away.

In the meantime, enjoy the show!

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Courtney Carver on Health, Minimalism and Tiny Wardrobes - SHP010 May 27, 2015

Show notes

http://slowyourhome.com/10

In today’s show I sit down with the delightful Courtney Carver of Project 333 and Be More With Less. Aside from her work as a simplicity writer, Courtney is also a photographer, wife, mother and traveller. She also happens to live with a diagnosis of MS, which is something we talk about in our conversation today.

Aside from talking about the benefits of a smaller wardrobe, we also dig into her decision to adopt minimalism after her MS diagnosis, how her husband and daughter reacted to the changes, and the weird place I like to keep my jeans.

As the founder of minimalist wardrobe challenge Project 333, Courtney has helped thousands of people experience the massive benefits of living with less stuff. Fewer clothes means less stress, less waste, less clutter, less time standing in front of an overstuffed wardrobe while declaring we have nothing to wear. In essence, it's just another example of how we stand to benefit from simplifying and slowing right down, even when it feels counter-cultural to do so.

I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Carl Honoré Talks Technology, Good Slow and Getting to Know Your Butcher - SHP009 May 20, 2015

Show notes

http://slowyourhome.com/9

Carl Honoré is one of the most well known advocates for the Slow Movement and the author of three books, including the international best-seller, ’In Praise of Slow’. He is also a celebrated TED speaker, traveller, father and husband.

In today’s conversation he and I dig in to what life was like for him and his family pre-slow and what first steps he took to create a slower, more mindful life. It’s a really interesting look at the pressures we all live under in today’s hectic, results-driven society and how any one of us can adopt the idea of ‘good slow’ into our lives.

Neither Carl nor I believe that busy and slow are mutually exclusive and its fascinating to talk to someone who so passionately advocates a slower way of life while living in a fast-paced city like London.

I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Katie Clemons on being a pilot, tiny homes and why journalling is good for the soul May 13, 2015

Show notes

http://slowyourhome.com/8 - Today I chat to Katie Clemons, a pilot, writer, journal-maker, mother, wife and all-round lovely human.

We dig in to the time she and her husband spent living in Germany and the impact that had on her simple living ways, as well as the home they now live in - a tiny house inside an airplane hangar! It’s also fascinating to learn how Katie’s training as a pilot has impacted her life in very unexpected ways.

Enjoy!

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Joshua Becker - SHP007 May 06, 2015

Show notes

http://slowyourhome.com/7 - Joshua Becker is a writer, a father, and a self-described regular suburban family man, only without the dog and the garage full of stuff. As the writer behind hugely successful blog, Becoming Minimalist, I’m quite certain you know a little about him. I know he’s been one of the biggest influences in my life as I worked to slow down and simplify and I know he has impacted hundreds of thousands of other people in similarly powerful ways.

In today’s episode we talk about what made him realise that the life he was living wasn’t fulfilling in the ways he expected it would be, as well as the impact blogs, Facebook, Instagram and the like are having on our expectations of what a “successful life” looks like.

I asked Joshua if he ever feels as though his work in encouraging people to simplify is actually adding to our anxiety - whether we now feel we need to keep up with a different, less materialistic but ultimately still aspirational set of Joneses - and his thoughts on this really fascinated me.

I hope you enjoy listening in to our chat about life, family, clutter and the new Joneses as much as I enjoyed taking part in it.

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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