Episodes

  • You know the feeling. Life is motoring on in much the way you expected it to, you’ve got plans, you’ve got goals and then — BAM — a curveball gets whacked your way. Suddenly the plans, the goals, the vague idea of what we thought life would look like are shaken.

    In this month's episode of The Tortoise, Brooke and Ben are talking curveballs, trying to answer the question of how to navigate the unexpected challenges life can throw in our way.

    In this conversation they look at what defines a curveball, how to use some of the ideas of slow living to help navigate them, as we as:

    examples of some curveballs they've faced themselves recently

    the role that simply noticing — our emotions, our stories, our egos — can play in accepting and moving forward once we face an unexpected challenge

    “feeling our feelings” as the first step in moving on from a curveball, and why there are many different ways to do that

    how acceptance of what is can help us to move forward and why it’s such a difficult thing to achieve

    the rising movement of Stoicism and concerns about the difference between being stoic and repressed

    two different ways of using perspective to reframe our curveballs over time

    the role of gratitude in moving on from an abrupt life change, and why we can’t always rush straight to it

    why self-care is so important when navigating new life circumstances

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

    Thanks for listening!

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Today’s episode is all about joyful living. What it is, what it isn’t, how to get more of it and how it differs from happiness.

    Stemming from Brooke's intention to try and find more joy in 2024, this conversation is delightfully and unexpectedly wide-ranging, and in it Ben and Brooke explore:

    the definition of joy, and why it means so many different things to so many different people

    why much of the literature around joy is religious or spiritual

    how joy differs from happiness and how it is similar

    the role that alcohol has on our ability to experience happiness and joy (and how Brooke's experience has changed since she stopped drinking)

    how to adopt a lens of joy and happiness to life when you’re not a joyful person by default

    why choosing joy is a revolutionary act

    what the difference is between choosing joy and toxic positivity

    how we can add more joy to our lives

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, including links to the articles mentioned in today's episode, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

    Thanks for listening!

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • Welcome to Episode 10 of The Tortoise - the p(l)odcast all about the possibilities of slow. In today's show — the final one for 2023 — Brooke and Ben look back over the year that was and walk through their personal Top Ten list. That is, their favourite:

    TV show

    Small detail

    Movie

    New destination

    Book (you know I failed to limit this one)

    Discovery

    Album

    New listening (podcast or otherwise)

    Meal

    Experience

    It’s a fun thing to do together, and they'd love to hear your Top Ten list for 2023.

    Head over to The Tortoise to share your list and to see the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

    Thanks for listening, and see you in 2024!

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • This month's episode digs into the topic of addiction (and more broadly, obsessive behaviour) for things like tech-use, busyness, food and consumption. If you need help with addiction or mental health, there's a list of resources over at The Tortoise.

    In today's show, Ben shares his experience with tech over-use and the links he sees between it and the hustle-grind-capitalism-productivity culture, and he and Brooke look at how the proliferation of tech (especially smart phones and social media) have increased our desire for instant gratification.

    Brooke talks through her compulsion to consume bad news, and shares a few ways she's trying to break those patterns of behaviour. She also talks about the role that tech and consumerism intertwine to create a world that feels simultaneously too much and not enough, and how that has her and many other women she knows feeling angry.

    It's an interesting and meandering conversation that will hopefully leave you with lots to think about. Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

    Thanks for listening!

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Today Brooke and Ben are talking about hard times. Or more specifically, how to deal with the emotional heaviness that comes from living through really difficult things.

    Digging into this feeling of heaviness, they discuss how they're trying to acknowledge and accept the challenges, as well as the tools they use to help them move forward. They also talk about practical ways to protect ourselves when things feel hard, why limiting social media is a powerful way of drawing boundaries, the impact of gentle activism, why rage-cleaning can help process anger, the rebelliousness of finding joy and why pairing all of these things with action is so important.

    Hopefully this conversation shows that it’s okay to look for and hold onto joy in amongst the difficult times.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

    Thanks for listening!

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • In this month's episode, Brooke and Ben dig into the topic of seasonal living. Not only the calendar kind of seasonal living, but also the other seasons that exist in life too. The ones that don’t change every three months. The internal seasons, the life seasons, the in-built cycles and rhythms that — whether we realise it or not — have a profound impact on how we live, how we grow, how we show up in the world.

    They begin with a pretty traditional look at what seasonal living means — that is, how it can impact the food we eat, the activities we do, our energy, our personal environmental impact, our connection to the world around us and the rhythms that drive it all.

    But from there, they dig into the broader conversation around seasonal living, including the seasons we experience throughout life, why many people find themselves resistant to the stereotypical ‘spring, summer, autumn, winter’ analogy, the archetypes that mark our way through adulthood and the importance of recognising the inherent messiness of transitions.

    It's thought-provoking and juicy in all the best ways.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

    Thanks for listening!

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • For a term we throw around a lot, self-care is not all that well defined. It’s attached loosely to the ideas of wellness, self-help, relaxation and mindfulness, and so often comes to us packaged, commoditised and ready to be bought/sold.

    Ben and Brooke start today’s episode by trying to define self-care, and eventually land on one that is as broad and inclusive as possible:

    Self-care can be anything that leaves us feeling cared for or supported from within.

    From there, they dig deeper into their own experiences of self-care, including how they make time for it, what constitutes "boring self-care", the weird rituals that act as self-care on the days there's not a lot of time and the parts of self-care they struggle with.

    Brooke then reflects on a comment left on a recent Tortoise newsletter about toxic positivity, which asked about the difference between resilience, positive thinking, wallowing and toxic positivity. It's a juicy topic that both Brooke and Ben have some thoughts on, and will no doubt return to again.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

    Thanks for listening!

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • For our kids (and adults as well), there is barely a part of life that isn't somehow connected to smartphones, social media or screens, and they're starting to feel the effects of being constantly connected.

    In today's episode, Ben and Brooke talk about their experience raising two high school-ages kids (12 and 14) and the constant negotiations around tech boundaries. They also talk about the broader impact that high levels of screen time are having on kids in general, the challenges that are beginning to emerge in regards to relationships, well-being and self-esteem, and what we as adults can do to help support them.

    Brooke also reflects on a hugely impactful documentary she saw recently, that has given her something that's been in short supply lately: hope.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • It's a phrase we hear a lot about — the mental load — but what does it actually mean? And how can we navigate life while carrying it?

    Brooke and Ben discuss their differing definitions of mental load and how it plays out for them personally. They also dig into the broader conversation (Is a heavier mental load a gender issue or one of personality? Is it about convenience? Does it differ across generations?) and look at suggestions on how to make changes that could help lessen or even out the load in a relationship.

    In the reflection part of the pod they discuss the big, beautiful benefits of being content versus being happy, and dig into how our values might help define both contentment/happiness.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • If you're feeling squashed between competing needs - raising kids and caring for parents while trying to work/live/look after yourself, for example - then this episode is for you.

    Brooke and Ben talk about what it means to be a part of the 'sandwich generation', and why, for them, it represents a transition rather than a challenge to be overcome. They discuss what being sandwiched could look like, why the additional pressures of caring so often fall to women, how they manage expectations, why they're thinking so far into the future, the slow living tools that might help, and yes, their favourite sandwiches (yes, really).

    In the reflection part of the pod, they talk about different types of community, and the lightbulb moment that came in a recent comments section over on The Tortoise.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • What exactly is "wellness" anyway? We hear it tossed about as an umbrella term covering health and fitness and diet and mental well-being and any number of topics, but what does it mean to try and achieve wellness? And what does any of it have to do with slow living?

    In today's episode, Brooke and Ben dig into wellness and social media - the good, the bad, the quackery, the evidence-based and the liver-eating diets - exploring the messy mixture of influencers, algorithms and genuine well-being tools that exist in the trillion-dollar industry.

    It's an interesting and fraught conversation, because not only do definitions of wellness differ greatly, as do our individual levels of access, exposure and finances, but there is a clear crossover between wellness and diet culture that muddies the waters even more. And, while some of it is undoubtedly harmful, there are many parts of the wellness industry that offer genuine help too.

    Brooke and Ben look at their own experiences with wellness influencers, as well as their own hang-ups, privileges and blind spots.

    In the reflection segment, they discuss the benefits of embracing physical discomfort, which leads to a conversation about the different kinds of discomforts we might experience and the pros and cons they offer.

    They both give a quick update on their year-long experiments (the 1% and the four-day work week), one of which is going well, the other...not so much.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the full show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Welcome to the first episode of The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow.

    Brooke and Ben are back with the first full episode of The Tortoise, and it's a good'un. They start by talking about what you can expect from the ploddie, and then dig in to today's juicy topic: is a four-day work week feasible?

    This is a hot-button issue right now, as many companies around the world look to the results of a recent six-month four-day working week trial. Ben talks through his own experiment with trying to establish one, and the benefits and challenges of doing so as a self-employed person, while Brooke puts her idealist hat on and talks through a couple of interesting case studies.

    They also dig into the topic of hobbies - What are they? Do we need to try and improve at them? What happens if we want to turn a hobby into an income? - and discover that it's harder than we think to separate productivity from leisure.

    Brooke also gives an update on her 1% experiment and Ben talks about his Japanese lessons as his current form of continual improvement.

    Head over to The Tortoise for the Episode 1 show notes, and if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter while you're there.

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • We're so excited to introduce you to The Tortoise - a podcast (plodcast!) that digs deep into the power of slow.

    Ben and Brooke are back with a new iteration of their slow living conversations, and the first full episode will be released very shortly. Until then, take a few minutes to get reacquainted, learn why The Slow Home Podcast is no more (RIP) and hear a little about what's in store for The Tortoise.

    If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to The Tortoise in your favourite podcast app and head over to the website to sign up for a free weekly newsletter.

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • After 8 years and 400 odd episodes Brooke and Ben discuss closing the door on the Slow Home Podcast and announce an exciting new iteration...The Tortoise

    Links

    Subscribe to The Tortoise for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Brooke and Ben check-in and provide a quick update on the year that was, as well as what Brooke is working on and plans for the podcast in 2023.

    Links

    Subscribe to The Tortoise for weekly slow-living blog posts and newsletters

    Love Slow? Support the show!

    Buy us a coffee and share the love

    Looking for more?

    Follow Brooke on Instagram @brookemcalaryOr leave a rating or review in iTunes

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Brooke and Ben are back for this season's hostful where they discuss teens and tech, Brooke's new hobbies and provide an update on her Dad's health and so much more. 

    Links

    Head to slowyourhome.com/season9 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show 

    Love Slow? Support the show! 

    Subscribe to The Tortoise for weekly slow-living blog posts and newslettersBuy us a coffee and share the love

    Looking for more?

    Follow Brooke on Instagram @brookemcalaryOr leave a rating or review in iTunes

     

     

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Today's guest is the wonderful Mary Beth Larue - a yoga teacher whose soulful, deep-diving brand of slow flow yoga is 100%, completely and utterly Brooke's jam. 

    Mary Beth shares her yoga origin story and why she now focuses so much of her teaching on slow flow yoga. She and Brooke then dive into a beautiful exploration of how to practice embodiment not only through yoga, but probably more importantly, how to practice in the mundane moments of life.

    They also discuss:

    Mary Beth's journey to motherhood through foster-care and adoptionhow a yoga practise helped her navigate the uncertainty of those years of not-knowingslow flow yoga - what is it and how to practise?how to apply the idea of slow flow off the matnavigating periods of profound uncertainty using our values and an attuned inner-knowinghow to ground yourself in the moment when you feel yourself becoming disconnected

    Links

    Head to slowyourhome.com/season9 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show 

    Love Slow? Support the show! 

    Become a patronOr buy us a coffee and share the love

    Looking for more?

    Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Or leave a rating or review in iTunes

     

     

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Tricia Walker has inspired a lot of people. From her decade-long work blogging about sustainable living, to her more recent role of nature connection facilitator, she is leading the way in what it looks like to live a truly nature-connected life.

    Recently returned from what she calls a ‘midlife gap year’, in today's episode, Tricia talks about the potency of stepping back from the status quo of life, and how to do that even when our circumstances won’t allow a full gap year. 

    Brooke and Tricia then dive into the topic of cyclical living, the power of using moon cycles to structure our lives, and why the gap year (or gap day, or gap moment) can help us to process the stresses of our busy modern lives, and, by extension, help us to avoid the worst emotional symptoms of PMS and even menopause.

    They also discuss:

    heading in to the bush with no food or shelter for days a time

    lessons learnt in solitude

    how to structure your life around the waxing and waning of the moon

    why every cycle of nature is an invitation to clear out the crap in our lives

    the role that busyness plays in PMS and menopause

    the realities of living in a one-room home with a family

    Links

    Head to slowyourhome.com/season9 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show 

    Love Slow? Support the show! 

    Become a patronOr buy us a coffee and share the love

    Looking for more?

    Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Or leave a rating or review in iTunes

     

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • If you’ve spent any time in the permaculture and climate activism spaces online over the past few years, you’ve no doubt come across the work of illustrator and permaculture educator, Brenna Quinlan. Brenna takes complex, overwhelming topics (think decolonising permaculture, doughnut economics, privilege and regenerative disobedience) and presents them in a simple, accessible and - most importantly - positive way.

    This conversation lands at such an opportune time, as so many of us are feeling overwhelmed (once again) by the challenges of our ever-changing world. Brenna has a way of reframing things so that we can focus on positive solutions rather than negative doom-scrolling, and if there's something we all need right now, it's positivity. 

    In this chat, Brenna shares where her interest in permaculture began, and what the three guiding principles of ‘earth care, people care, fair share’ mean to her. Brooke and Brenna talk about the distinction between creativity as work versus creativity as play and why she believes art and education are two of the most powerful forms of activism.

    They also discuss:

    The bike trip across the Americas that began Brenna's relationship with permaculture and activism

    Using art as a way of teaching kids about positive climate solutions

    What an ‘intentional community’ is and what it’s like to live in one

    Living in a converted firetruck and building a strawbale house

    The importance of gentle activism and what to do when it gets too heavy

    Enjoy!

    Links

    Head to slowyourhome.com/season9 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show 

    Love Slow? Support the show! 

    Become a patronOr buy us a coffee and share the love

    Looking for more?

    Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Or leave a rating or review in iTunes

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • There’s little doubt the world is undergoing significant changes right now. Pandemic, war, the climate crisis - it’s all impacting our visions of “normal” and, for many of us, prompting an uncomfortable amount of reflection. What is important? How can I have a positive impact? Is the way I’ve been living in alignment with those things?

    If you’re feeling overwhelmed or wondering just how the hell to start making changes when it feels like the system isn’t set up for you to change, then today’s episode lands right when you need it.

    Brooke talks with the wonderful Dr. Kate Litterer - a productivity coach who specialises in both sustainable and well-being oriented productivity - and while they do talk a lot about productivity (and its relationship to capitalism), they also talk about the obstacles so many people face (classism, ableism and privilege, to name a few) when it comes to making necessary changes to their lives.

    Kate also talks about her experience with workaholism and its relationship to sobriety, as well as the impact that living with a chronic illness has had on not only her work, but also her choices, priorities and boundaries.

    In this episode they also discuss:

    How to apply slow productivity to work when you’re not self-employed, and the limitations on your time are more rigid

    Creativity and slow living

    Kate’s work with undergraduate students and why it’s so important to develop sustainable habits early in our careers

    Detaching our identity and value from our output and efficiency

    How Kate structures her working week

    How to maintain a sense of flexibility to our rhythms in order to flow with the inevitable obstacles life serves up

    Enjoy!

    Links

    Head to slowyourhome.com/season9 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show 

    Love Slow? Support the show! 

    Become a patronOr buy us a coffee and share the love

    Looking for more?

    Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod Or leave a rating or review in iTunes

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

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.