The biggest lesson

Aleksandr Kozlovskii

Happy 200th pogpast day!

It’s somewhat unbelievable to me that we’ve created 200 episodes of the poggie. What started as a flash of an idea and a scrap of a plan has been more rewarding and more life-changing than I could have ever expected and I couldn't be happier or, if I’m being uncomfortably honest, prouder.

Because what's happening here is the creation of a community of like-minded people. A community of people who get it. You get the desire to slow down, opt out, say no and get clear on what’s actually important, and you’re doing it despite the fact that the world doesn’t operate that way.

The thing that surprises and delights me most is the ripple effect slowing down has, and will continue to have. What begins as an idea, or starts with a small act of decluttering or deep breathing, over time, impacts so much more. The food we eat or the way we love people, the stories we tell ourselves or the amount of waste we eliminate. There is no end to the impact slowing down can have, and it thrills me so much to see people embracing it.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. For being here. For being part of our tribe of weirdos. For saying yes. For saying no. For asking incredible questions and for giving amazing insights. I love what’s happening here and hope Ben and I can continue to do it justice.

In saying all that, today’s episode looks very, very different to our expectations. A few weeks ago we asked for contributions from the community - voicemails, questions, tips - with the intention of putting together a spectacular episode to celebrate 200 shows. But the past few weeks of book promo and book tour travel has taught us a couple of really valuable lessons. In fact it’s probably taught us the biggest lesson of slow living:

We need to let go of the self-imposed expectations and pressures. We need to simplify rather than complicate. And we need to understand that while there are things (many, many things) out of our control, there are also many other things we can control, to say no to, to let go of.

Today’s poggie is a deep dive in to that idea, and the multitude of ways it can impact our choices over time. How arbitrary expectations, shoulds, deadlines and timelines become stressors in their own right and how we can choose to simplify, strip back the self-created pressures and find ease amongst the things we can’t change.

So instead of featuring voicemails and call-ins and loads of interesting insights from our wonderful community, this episode features us, once again working things out and getting closer to a life with fewer of those arbitrary pressures.

We also talk about our recent road trip and the unexpected pace of what we assumed would be a slow travel experience, as well as the pros and cons of camper van life. Including the importance of choosing a good name for our road warrior!

I hope you enjoy today’s stripped back celebration, and I hope you stick around for the next 200!

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Head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and play the episode.

Or you can listen to the show directly, simply by hitting the Play button above. Enjoy!

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You may have heard that we recently hit 3 million (!!) downloads of The Slow Home Podcast! Not only does that fact blow my mind, it's also thanks to your lovely self and the community of people who listen to the show every week, send in your questions and offer your feedback. I'm so grateful you're here and part of this, and for anyone who has supported the show in any way over the past year - thank you so much.If you do love the show and would like to show your support by becoming a patron, head over here to make a small monthly donation (as little as $1 a month) and know that any amount makes a huge difference to us being able to cover costs.Most importantly, thanks for being here! 

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How to tame the eco-anxiety and tit-for-tat gift giving

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Rachael Kable talks kindness