The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary

A Fond Farewell: Episode 17

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of the usual conversation between Brooke and Ben, today's episode is simply a reading of the final ever edition of The Tortoise newsletter.  ...

Balance: Episode 16

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A more accurate title for this episode might have been: The Myth of Work-Life Balance, because both Ben and Brooke think it’s fundamentally BS, but ...

Body Image: Episode 15

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this month's episode, Brooke and Ben dig into the topic of body image. How do we see ourselves in the world? How does that inform our choices and b...

Pleasure: Episode 14

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pleasure. Just the word brings a little shiver to the spine, doesn't it? Defined as “a feeling or experience that involves enjoyment or satisfaction...

Soft Life: Episode 13

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you spend any time on TikTok, you've probably seen the #softlife trend pop up over the past couple of years. Brooke and Ben aren't on TikTok, so ar...

Curveballs: Episode 12

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Joyful Living: Episode 11

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 Broo...

2023 Top Ten: Episode 10

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Addiction: Episode 9

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This month's episode digs into the topic of addiction (and more broadly, obsessive behaviour) for things like tech-use, busyness, food and consumption...

Hard Times: Episode 8

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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

Seasonal Living: Episode 7

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 seaso...

Self-care: Episode 6

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Tech and Kids: Episode 5

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 st...

Mental Load: Episode 4

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Sandwich Generation: Episode 3

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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

Social Media and Wellness: Episode 2

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 numb...

The Four-Day Work Week: Episode 1

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Introducing The Tortoise

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The End - A Hostful

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 Torto...

Outdoors and unedited - A Hostful

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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.  Lin...

What a year this week has been - A Hostful

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 an...

How to live an embodied life with Mary Beth Larue

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 Bro...

Cyclical living with Tricia Walker

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Art as activism with Brenna Quinlan

09 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 w...

Slow productivity with Dr Kate Litterer

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s little doubt the world is undergoing significant changes right now. Pandemic, war, the climate crisis - it’s all impacting our vis...

Bounce out of bed with Amanda Ewin

23 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 no...

When simple living has to change with Clare Reilly

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ch...

Practising Simplicity with Jodi Wilson

09 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 q...

Nutritious Movement with Katy Bowman - Summer Series

26 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The slow way of wabi-sabi with Beth Kempton - Summer Series

19 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The 3rd instalment in this year's Summer Series/Winter Warmies includes an episode recorded in 2019 with Beth Kempton.Join The Tortoise Community: htt...

50 ways to (seriously) reduce food waste - Summer Series

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 feat...

Analog creativity with Jess Davis - Summer Series

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 Davi...

Hostful: Top 10 of 2021

15 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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.&nbsp...

Transformation and healing with Rebecca Sullivan

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

People over profit with Dr Clinton Schultz

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Regenerative living with Meg Berryman

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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.&n...

Advocacy and care with Hannah Diviney

17 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hannah Diviney is a leading disability rights advocate, writer, student and Young Australian of the Year nominee, who joins Brooke to dig into the que...

Eating for a happier planet with Alexx Stuart

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 co...

Reclaiming activism with Hannah Maloney

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author, Gardening Australia Presenter and Activist Hannah Maloney joins the pogpast this week to talk about her values, privilege, reclaiming activism...

So this is 40 with Ben McAlary

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 Bro...

A deep dive into Imposter Syndrome: A Hostful

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ab...

Futuresteading with Jade Miles

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The reality of zero-waste family life with Anita Van Dyke

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brooke chats with returning guest and zero-waste advocate Anita van Dyke (ex-rocket scientist, turned medical doctor and awesome Mum) about the challe...

The evolution of hustle with Jacki Carr

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brooke catches up with friend of the show Jacki Carr (Goal Coach and Speaker) about setting goals in a changing world, and the utter liberation of emb...

Analog creativity with Jess Davis

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 thr...

The (impromptu) Hostful

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brooke and Ben drop into your feed with an unscheduled hostful to talk through the happenings over the past month. Links Check out the new website an...

Optimistic activism in a COVID impacted world with Em Ehlers

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is a conversation many months in the making, recorded a few months ago, Brooke chats with illustrator, writer and environmentalist Em Ehlers.&nbs...

The Hostful with the Mostful

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brooke and Ben sit down in their very 'echoey' living room next to their very loud dogs to talk through what has been happening over the last month or...

Were back!

12 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brooke and Ben are back in your earholes. They share updates on the last nine months, what they are doing now and their plans for the future. Joi...

Meditation, acceptance and relinquishing control with Kevin Janks - Life in the Time of Covid-19

21 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We've all heard about the transformative power of meditation, but how can we access it when uncertainty, stress and living through a pandemic make it ...

Looking towards a 'new normal' - Life in the Time of Covid-19

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As we begin to see some countries relax their pandemic restrictions and allow the general public back into society at varying levels, naturally our at...

Loneliness and learning to look forward with Sarah Wilson - Life in the Time of Covid-19

07 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lots of airtime has been given to the stress that parents and carers of young families are currently under, juggling working from home or job loss wit...

Understanding your stress response and how to balance it out with Ellen Carr - Life in the Time of Covid-19

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Undoubtedly we are living in times of heightened stress. Uncertainty, fear, anxiety, living in close quarters, loneliness - they're all stressful expe...

How to make remote learning work for your family with Sarah Durack - Life in the Time of Covid-19

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Remote learning is one of the biggest changes many of us are facing as lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders continue, and Brooke and Ben know they're...

Permaculture in a crisis with Robyn Rosenfeldt: Life in the time of Covid-19

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Brooke is joined by return guest and permaculture expert, Robyn Rosenfeldt, for a fantastic conversation centred on the vital role of commu...

Working from home tips with Louise Miller: Life in the Time of Covid-19

15 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Season 6 coming in hot! After some feedback and lots of questions about slow living in the time of Covid-19, Brooke and Ben decided to bring forw...

Managing screentime, finding balance and future plans - A Coronavirus Hostful

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 pandemi...

Life in the time of coronavirus

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Season 5 has thus far been a pandemic-free zone (mostly because all episodes previous to this one were recorded before the world turned topsy-turvy) b...

Self-care: A Slow Living Deep-Dive

25 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In another 'pre-pandemic’ yet very timely episode, Brooke and Ben dig deep in to ’self-care’ and all it represents, as well as how t...

Technology: A Slow Living Deep-Dive

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is slow living anti-tech? In today's episode Brooke and Ben dig deep in to their relationship with technology, which was one of the most requested top...

Community: A Slow Living Deep-Dive

11 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode Ben and Brooke get talking about community. The sense of place or home or belonging that strikes us when we truly feel seen.&nb...

Reducing Waste: A Slow Living Deep-Dive

04 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In what feels like a very natural progression from last week’s episode on Stuff, this week Ben and Brooke talk about their efforts to reduce was...

Stuff: A Slow-Living Deep Dive

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Since returning to Australia and moving in to a new home, Brooke and Ben have found that there's a lot of curiosity about their stuff. Have they bough...

Rhythms: A Slow Living Deep-Dive

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Season 5 Sneak Peek

12 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Katie Patrick on how to save the world - Summer Series

29 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the fifth and final episode of our Summer Series (Winter Warmies!) Throughout all of January, we’ll be sharing some of your favourite...

Kali Gray on body positivity, mindful eating and living counter-culturally - Summer Series

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the third episode of our Summer Series (Winter Warmies!) Throughout all of January, we’ll be sharing some of your favourite episodes ...

Meg Berryman on moving beyond wellness - Summer Series

15 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the third episode of our Summer Series (Winter Warmies!) Throughout all of January, we’ll be sharing some of your favourite episodes ...

How to go zero waste (slowly) with Erin Rhoads - Summer Series

08 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the second episode of our Summer Series, where throughout all of January, we’ll be sharing some of your favourite episodes from 2019,...

Jacki Carr on redefining balance (and making room for failure) - Summer Series

01 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the first episode of our Summer Series (Winter Warmies!) Throughout all of January, we’ll be sharing some of your favourite episodes ...

Top 10 of 2019

11 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

And just like that, we arrive at the final episode of 2019. It’s been quite the ride folks, and in the last hostful of the year, Brooke and Ben ...

Busy and slow – can they co-exist?

04 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Can you live slow if you’re someone who enjoys being busy? What if you’re a Type A, go-getter? Or someone who prides themselves on setting...

The imperfect reality of low-waste living

27 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever tried to reduce the amount of plastic or food waste going in to your bin, if you’ve ever tried to cut back on packaging or ...

When slow becomes fast and no is hard to say

20 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Can you live slow in your 20s, or is burnout inevitable?

13 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Slow living has positive applications for everyone – no matter their age, life circumstance or work situation. All too often however, it’s...

How to make a difference

06 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Can slow living make us lonely?

30 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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, combi...

BONUS EPISODE: Clare Bowditch on the stories we tell ourselves and why they matter

28 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Surprise! We're popping in to your earholes on a Monday with a very special bonus episode featuring the utterly delightful Clare Bowditch - songwriter...

Does slow living rob us of ambition?

23 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Season 4! As Brooke and Ben mentioned in the sneak peek episode a couple of weeks ago, this season sees a pretty significant shake-up to th...

Season 4 Sneak Peek

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Season 4 is nearly here, and this week Brooke and Ben thought they'd drop a sneaky little preview of what's to come.  They talk about the totally...

On settling, slowness and fitting out a new house: A Hostful Podcast

11 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Beth Kempton on the slow way of wabi sabi

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This season has been an exploration of slow living through a variety of different lenses, looking at what constitutes ‘slow’ from new pers...

Emily Stochl on the planet-saving power of shopping second-hand

28 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You may know by now that the fashion industry is one of the leading planet polluters,  and you also may know that fast fashion (cheap, poorly mad...

Katie Patrick on how to save the world

21 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Often on the podcast we dance around the topic of technology - usually viewing it as something that gets in the way of our efforts to slow down and li...

Kali Gray on body positivity, mindful eating and living counter-culturally

14 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a link between the rise in consumerism, the endless advertising messages that assault us thousands of times a day and the increase in body im...

Sheri Salata on embracing the beauty of No

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode features the powerhouse that is Sheri Salata - creator of The Pillar Life.com and The Sheri and Nancy Show and author of The Bea...

Blaire Palmer on rethinking our modern conventions of Work

31 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One question we get asked a lot at Slow Home HQ is how can we find our passion and make it our work. It’s something so many of us grapple with, ...

Katrina Rodabaugh on why mending matters

24 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello, and welcome to season 3! We‘re thrilled to be back, and even more thrilled to share today’s conversation with slow fashion expert a...

The Slow Return - A Hostful Update

03 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Oh hello there! In this sneaky episode Brooke and Ben pop in with a mini-hostful and an update on what’s been happening over the past few weeks....

Homecoming

27 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We’re going out with a bang this week, ending season 2 with a hostful full to the brim with your amazing questions. It’s been a while betw...

Meg Berryman on moving beyond wellness

20 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Platonic sparks fly in today’s episode, when Brooke sits down with Meg Berryman of Beyond Being Well. Meg is a women’s coach, mum, yoga te...

Christine Liu on how to create a green team in your workplace

13 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Rebecca Sullivan on eating local and the power of simple observation

06 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today Brooke shares her conversation with the delicious and delightful Rebecca Sullivan. The two first spoke on the podcast back in 2017, and since th...

April Hepokoski on creating a zero-waste, nature-based classroom

27 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Brooke is joined by early-childhood educator April Hepokoski for a fascinating discussion about all things child-led and nature-based learni...

Jojo Hogan on why the Slow Postpartum movement is so important

20 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s Brooke sits down for a heartfelt discussion with Jojo Hogan: founder of the Slow Postpartum movement, yoga teacher, aromatherapist, ...

Listener Chat with Xan Holyoak

13 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Jacki Carr on redefining balance (and making room for failure)

06 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to season 2 of the Slow Home Podcast! Today Brooke sits down with goals coach, co-founder of Rock Your Bliss and incredible public speaker/hum...

Jocelyn Glei on fast tech and slow work - Summer Series

30 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Tsh Oxenreider on ignoring what slow 'should' look like

23 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the fourth episode of the Summer Series (/Winter Warmies)! For all of January, we’ll be bringing back the best of 2018, re-sharing so...

An Interview with Ben - Summer Series

16 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...