The Slow Home Podcast With Brooke Mcalary

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 sh

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, a

Today’s guest, the effervescent Amanda Ewin, has arrived on the pod at precisely the right time, as so many of us settle in to the year's new normal and (if you're anything like Brooke) the struggles of maintaining those rhythms, goals and rituals.  In this episode Amanda shares her story of overwhelm, loss, grief, reflection and transformation, and through it all weaves the thread of mornings. First as the overwhelmed mother and business owner who found mornings chaotic, through to the woman who now bounces out of bed, nary a snooze button in sight. Amanda and Brooke talk about the process of establishing and revisiting morning rhythms as life changes, as well as the handy notion of “habit stacking” that has allowed Amanda to develop space in her mornings for meditation, movement, breath work and play. Amanda also shares her thoughts on ‘the tyranny of the shoulds’ and why redefining success and doing the work to uncover our personal values lies at the heart of any lasting transformation. They also discu

Today's episode is, at its heart, about change. And if there’s something we’ve all experienced over the past two years, it’s been change. Specifically for our listeners, many of us find ourselves having to reframe our definition of "simple living" as the world has changed and so too our vision of slow or simple.  Clare Reilly knows exactly this tension. After advocating a slower, simpler, more local life for many years, everything was turned on its head when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis - a progressive, neurological disease. In this conversation Clare and Brooke talk about the process of reframing their definitions of simple living, and what a simpler life looks like for Clare now. (Spoiler alert: there’s no one right answer to this question!)  As someone who lives with a chronic illness, Clare also discusses how her relationship with rest has changed, and the interlinked roots of productivity and capitalism. The conversation also digs into: values (as always, so much of slow living comes b

Welcome back to another year of the Slow Home Podcast!  Never before has slow living felt so relevant to so many people, as we grapple with the question of what we want life to look and feel like as we head in to the third year of the pandemic.  Today's guest is the perfect person to begin this exploration with, as she's spent many years experimenting and, quite literally, practising simplicity.  Jodi Wilson is an author, risk-averse adventurer, mother, photographer, yoga teacher and all-round thoughtful human, and has recently published her beautiful book, 'Practising Simplicity'.  In this conversation Brooke and Jodi talk about: letting go - what it means and how to move through the discomfort that comes with it the idea of risk, and how Jodi decided seemingly on a whim to sell up and move her family of six into a caravan for more than 2 years of cross-country travel living with awe at the centre of our lives the importance of small steps in making big change what constitutes bravery  how we can

We have reached the last episode of this year's Summer Series/Winter Warmies and Brooke takes us through her (one of) favourite episodes of the past 7 years featuring Katie Bowman on nutritious movement and couchless living.  Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 3rd instalment in this year's Summer Series/Winter Warmies includes an episode recorded in 2019 with Beth Kempton. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part 2 of this year's Summer Series/Winter Warmies sees Ben and Brooke look way back into the archives with a 2017 banger on food waste reduction featuring over 50 ways you can seriously reduce your waste footprint. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben and Brooke talk through the format for this year's Summer Series/Winter Warmies and bring you Part 1, featuring analogue creativity with Jess Davis.  Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, it's that time of the year again. The final pod is here, and as is tradition, Brooke and Ben round out the year with their own Top 10 list.  First though, Ben decides to turn the tables on Brooke and interview her for once. He digs in to some of the recurring themes of Season 8 - sobriety, health and creativity - and it's as human and messy as you might expect.  They then get into their personal Top 10, listing their individual favourite:  TV show small detail movie new destination book discovery album new podcast meal experience In a year like no other, there are some unexpected answers to be found in this episode. Enjoy!  Links Head to slowyourhome.com/season8 for the complete show notes and links to everything mentioned in today's show  Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod  Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for priv

Friend of the show, author, cook, founder of the Granny Skills movement and co-founder of native food company Warndu, Rebecca Sullivan, returns to the podcast for a wide-ranging, emotional, messy, human and very honest conversation (in other words - there's a content warning on this one!) Rebecca and Brooke talk birth stories, post-natal health, navigating trauma, alcohol-free holiday drinks and being an imperfect activist, all through the lens of the past two pandemic years and living with mental illness. It sounds like a drag, but it's an incredibly important, heartfelt, hard-won conversation with plenty of laughs (and only some of them inappropriate).  So settle in and be prepared to listen to some real talk about women's bodies, birth, transformation and healing. Enjoy! Links Head to slowyourhome.com/season8 for the complete show notes Check out warndu.com Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod  Or le

In this episode Brooke chats with Dr Clinton Schultz, a proud Gamilaroi man, psychologist, husband, dad and founder of Sobah - hands down the best non-alcoholic craft beer you will ever taste. (Seriously. It’s delicious.) They chat about the realities of giving up the booze in Australia and how our deeply ingrained drinking culture can make it difficult. They also dig into the thinking behind Sobah's recent (and very successful) round of equity crowd-funding and how it allows Clinton and his partner Lozen to build a business that is values-aligned rather than one that needs to be purely profit-driven.  The conversation ranges over family/work boundaries, the healing power of time on country, why Sobah uses native food ingredients in all their brews and collective vs individual thinking.  Enjoy!  Links Head to slowyourhome.com/season8 for the complete show notes Check out Sobah: sobah.com.au Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? Follow us

Friend of the show, book inspiration-giver and all-round fabulous person, Meg Berryman, returns to the pod today, which means you're in for a treat.  Meg and Brooke dig deep into the topic of regenerative living (no, it's not just about agriculture!) and why regeneration of the self is vital if we want to help regenerate our families, communities and the planet we all share. They look at the relationship between micro and macro regeneration, how to find time for the important acts of care and what role, if any, guilt plays in all of this.  It is another uplifting, practical episode, and we hope you enjoy it! Links Head to slowyourhome.com/season8 for the complete show notes Check out Meg's website: megberryman.com Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod  Or leave a rating or review in iTunes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes, in our efforts to do better by the planet, our communities, our families and ourselves, we can get tangled in knots - especially when it comes to food. Today’s guest, Alexx Stuart, is (thankfully) here to talk us down from this way of thinking. She and Brooke look at food choices through the lens of finding common ground, avoiding absolutes and applying critical thought, and it’s a delightful breath of fresh air. We hope you enjoy it!  Links Head to slowyourhome.com for the complete show notes Check out Alexx's website: Low Tox Life Order your copy of Low Tox Life Food Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod  Or leave a rating or review in iTunes   Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/slow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author, Gardening Australia Presenter and Activist Hannah Maloney joins the pogpast this week to talk about her values, privilege, reclaiming activism, health (including lifting weights!) and lessons learnt during the pandemic.  We hope you enjoy it!  Links Check out Hannah's YouTube Channel  Hannah's website  Gardening Australia is now in its 32nd season  Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? 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.

We are back at it with another season of the Slow Home Podcast. Kicking-off this season is another frank and fearless conversation between Ben and Brooke. As the dust settles on Ben's 40th birthday celebrations. Brooke and Ben talk about updates in Ben's life since 2018, including career change, identity, and how he aligns these days to his life motto of Health, Happiness, and Heart.  It's a raw, sometimes uncomfortable, always entertaining episode to begin the new season. We hope you enjoy it.  Links Order signed copies of Brooke's books Shred Kelly: Website and Spotify   Check out a new podcast project Ben is working on with Cerebral Palsy Alliance Ben's past episodes Live Immediately with Mike Campbell (and the origin for Health, Happiness, and Heart)  Slow Your Home episode 242 An interview with Ben  Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @slowhomepod  @ben_mcalary Sign up for the Slow Post, Brooke's weekly slow-l

Join Brooke and Ben for the last episode of the season in a 'hostful' episode where they talk about imposter syndrome and answer listener questions about daily rhythms, cooking and the best non-alcoholic IPA!  Links Head here for all links from today's episode Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? 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.

Brooke chats with Jade Miles, co-host the Futuresteading podcast and co-founder of Black Barn Farm, to learn about what future-steading is and how it applies to everyone - regardless of where we live.  They also talk about Jade's beautiful new book Futuresteading, a practical and inspirational guide to living in a way that values tomorrow: a slower, simpler, steadier existence that is healthier for you, your home and the environment. Links Head here for all links from today's episode Futuresteading website  Connect with Jade on Instagram Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? 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.

Brooke chats with returning guest and zero-waste advocate Anita van Dyke (ex-rocket scientist, turned medical doctor and awesome Mum) about the challenges of zero-waste living in a busy family and ways to work smarter not harder when it comes to zero-waste. Brooke also gushes about Anita's op-shop wardrobe! Links Head here for all links from today's episode Anita's website Connect with Anita on Instagram Love Slow? Support the show!  Become a patron Or buy us a coffee and share the love Looking for more? 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.