Category Archives: People

How can you get your family on board with a slower life? How do we engage with our community and make a difference in the world? How can we better spend our time with family and friends? And why does it matter?

Finally! An hostful update from the road

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Welcome to this week’s fast’n’loose hostful poggie (yes, it has been a while between our Q&A episodes – thank you for noticing!)

In this week’s show we get through what must be a record number of your questions, on everything from slow living in fast cities to travelling on a budget. A big thank you to everyone who submitted their thoughtful questions – knowing what you’re struggling with, what you need more of (and what you need less of) is so important because it helps us to create a show that helps and that speaks to the real challenges you’re facing. It’s not necessarily easy to ask questions and I just wanted to let you know that we appreciate it. A lot.

Today’s episode kicks off with a question from a listener who lives in Mumbai, who asks how they can preserve their energy while living in such a fast-paced place. I talk about the power of mindful micro-moments throughout the day to help you step out of the chaos and into the tiny details, while Ben talks about the replenishing effects of spending time in green spaces in cities, harking back to the nature Slow Experiment earlier this year.

In a similar vein, the next question is about ways to get out of your head (not that I’d know anything about that of course *cough cough*) other than meditation. As someone who relates very well with this question I share two of my favourite strategies for this: brain dumping and the body scan. Later in the episode I also share what resources I use to meditate, for anyone searching for an app to use.

Then it’s on to a bunch of travel-related questions. We talk about what we’re cooking and eating on the road (spoiler alert: their meals are “not setting the world on fire”, according to Ben), the oven foods they miss the most (strong contender for question of the episode), how the kids are going with school and being on the move so much and how to travel when you’re on a budget.

We move on to a super dorky throwback to answer the question of how we met, and finish up by answering a couple more cracking questions about dealing with waste and what we’re currently learning about. We both answer these ones completely honestly, sharing some of the challenges we’re facing as we travel, as well as the juicy topics that are sparking our interest right now.

I guess the takeaway from this entire episode is that life is rich and varied and ever-changing. And that you guys ask the best questions. Thank you for making us think and learn and improve. We love you.

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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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Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:

Keep Listening:

Support the Show:

Recently we hit the mind-blowing number of 4.5 million downloads of The Slow Home Podcast! This is all 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!

Making Friends as an Adult – A Deep Dive in to Slow Relationships

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joyce huis

Active listening is the cornerstone to developing meaningful, longer-lasting relationships.

We’re onto the last of our slow relationships episodes, and this week is all about new friends: where to find them and how to get from barely know each other to BFF, slowly. It’s all about taking the time, being intentional and paying attention, as well as discovering the joy of spending time with people based on what’s important to you rather than the situation you find yourself in (bye awkward office/school drop off chats, hi fellow slow living friends).

First up, Ben asks if, given last week’s episode about maintaining existing friendships and the time it takes, as well as the effort involved in meeting new people, do we even need any more friends? I give an emphatic yes and share some of my own story and the challenges I’ve faced around friendships. (i.e. I struggle to make them and to put myself in the position of vulnerability required to deepen them).

In case you need convincing, I also highlight some of the benefits of friendships according to science, including everything from improved self-esteem to reduction in stress and depression, finding like-minded folk to while our days away with is absolutely worth the effort.

And now the question is: how do we find these new friends? I talk about the importance in shifting our attitude and being open in social situations (even if that feels difficult and scary). Think about the values you’re looking for in a new pal, and find ways to put yourself into a relevant community, whether IRL or online. I’ve got some helpful strategies for the introverted among us (I feel you) and some coping mechanisms for those inevitable awkward first conversations.

It’s also important to keep in mind that not all fledgling friendships will work out, and that’s OK. It’s a cheesy cliche, but I really do believe that we have friendships that will last for a short time, an important time and also a life-time, and just because a new mate doesn’t become a bestie isn’t a reflection of us or our failings. It’s just life.

Here’s to more listening, more mateship and in those lucky instances of true connection – more friend love. It’s important, just like you.

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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!

——

Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:

Keep Listening:

Support the Show:

Recently we hit the mind-blowing number of 4.5 million downloads of The Slow Home Podcast! This is all 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!

Slow Friendship – A Deep Dive in to Slow Relationships

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Javier Allegue Barros

“Turn up. Ask them real questions. Look them in the eye. And care about what they’ve got to say.”

This week we’re continuing the slow relationship theme, looking at existing friendships: not only how to maintain them, but how to deepen them.

There’s no question that as time goes on and big life milestones pass, friendships change and some fade. But one of the biggest things we stand to lose by living a busy, un-intentional life is the relationships that have the potential to be deep and life-long. How do we make sure we give these friendships our time and attention? And how do we talk about slow living with our pals?

Like any relationship, friendships are built on trust and time. So how can we ensure we commit to our people, even if we’re operating in different spheres, or don’t necessarily share the same values?

As well as diving deep in to those questions, we discuss different ways to talk to our friends about slow living, including how to explain any impacts the changes you’re making might have on them, and the importance of showing that you’re still there for them. If you value someone, bring them into what you’re doing without being forceful – invite them to where you are, and reciprocate the love and acceptance.

When it comes to those deep, true friendships, so many of us ask ourselves how we can take them to the next level, and have the deeper conversations beyond the everyday and superficial. I have some practical tips for you, while Ben shares his experience with creating space for meaningful conversations, as a man (where stereotypically, there is less inclination to go deep).

We finish the episode by sharing some different ways you can spend time and build bonds with your buds, highlighting that it doesn’t have to be all deep & meaningful, teary conversations. Joy, creativity, play and shared projects all play a role in strengthening friendships.

As does telling your friends that you love them, and that you’re thinking of them. Which is this week’s action – reach out to a friend and tell them you appreciate them, and that they sprung to mind after listening to this episode. Then reach out to us: we’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode.

How are you trying to bring more slow, depth and intention to your friendships? Comment on Facebook or Instagram and share the love.

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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!

——

Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:

Keep Listening:

Support the Show:

Recently we hit the mind-blowing number of 4.5 million downloads of The Slow Home Podcast! This is all 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!

Slow Families – A Deep Dive in to Slow Relationships

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Richard Jacobs

“Tell someone you love them, every day.”

It’s week two of our month of slow relationships, and this episode we’re looking at family: kids, parents, siblings, and all those broader relationships (including friends who feel more like favourite cousins) that make up the family tree. Families are not always neat and tidy, and there are countless ways to create one, but hopefully there will be something in this episode that resonates with you, whatever your family situation.

How to slow down family life when you’re a parent to young kids is one of the most common questions we’re asked, so that’s where we begin today’s episode. (Non-parents take heart though! We soon move into other family relationships.) We’ve covered slow parenting in many an episode before and you can find links to a lot of those in the show notes below, but we also share a few important reminders and tools here as well:

  • kids are not slow and living slowly with kids can sometimes feel super difficult (to near-impossible)
  • embrace boundaries around your family’s time and technology to regain headspace and energy
  • drop the expectations of what a slow family life “should” look like
  • don’t be afraid to say no
  • let boredom happen

Relationships with siblings and parents can be one fraught with past hurts, differences of opinion and vast distances, but many of us still crave closer, deeper connections. This usually requires vulnerability and honesty, and in so many cases we’re scared to be the first to take that step. We talk about some ways to start those difficult chats, but come to realise that above all, time is the key. Making and allowing time and creating a safe space for deeper conversations and connections helps to create stronger bonds, and it’s in those moments of turning up for people that we build trust, intimacy and the kind of relationships we crave.

Of course not every family situation allows space for honest, deep conversations, and we also talk about what to do when there isn’t as much connection within a family. Ben talks a lot about resilience, and the importance of being tolerant, open and then resilient enough to always try to end interactions on a positive note, no matter what the difference of opinions might be. This is easier said than done in some situations, but putting love above differences in opinion isn’t always easy, but it’s a choice we can all make.

We finish the episode by getting a little smushy, as we talk about ways to maintain connection when there’s a great physical distance between family, and then share the value of affection within all familial relationships (YES hugs are always on the cards).

So what’s this week’s action? Tell someone you love them, every day. And let us know how that feels – get in touch on Facebook or Instagram and share the love.

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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!

——

Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:

Slow living with kids episodes:

Keep Listening:

Support the Show:

Recently we hit the mind-blowing number of 4.5 million downloads of The Slow Home Podcast! This is all 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!

Slow Romance – A Deep Dive in to Slow Relationships

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Renee Fisher

“Single task your relationship.”

Annnnd we’re back. It’s the first week of July, and while we’re due for a Slow Experiment, thanks to book tour commitments and a tight travel schedule, we’ve decided to keep walking that tilting-into-slow-living walk and take the pressure off. Instead, July will be a deep dive into relationships. Specifically, how we can bring slow to our relationships. Romantic, family and friendships old and new, each week we’ll be exploring ways you can create deeper connections with the people around you.

After Episode 242 was released a few weeks ago, where Ben shared his story and we spoke some uncomfortable but important truths about the past seven years, we received so much feedback and a whole heap of relationship-oriented questions, we could see that this was another area of slow living (and just plain old regular-paced living too) that isn’t spoken about enough. So let’s do it, friends.

This week starts with some smooching and some loving and me using the term “hook-up culture” about 28 times (sorry) as we look at how to bring slow to our romantic relationships. Ben and I talk about our own relationship, and acknowledge up front that our experience of the dating scene is quite old-fashioned. In fact, I thank all the love gods that there was no swiping right back in the early 2000s when we first met.

However, we do talk about the fact that a lot of dating technology doesn’t necessarily support people looking for a deeper, more meaningful connection and offer some suggestions for those of us who are looking to spark connection in other, non-Tindery ways.

We also talk about the importance of entering into relationships and getting to know people with a focus on intention over the endgame, and how presence and time helps to cement trust. The same principles apply to people already in a long-term relationships, and intention, turning up and building trust are where it’s at. Perhaps not surprisingly, we also advocate to drop the distractions and be present with your partner, and truly believe that turning up is vital in building a solid, steady foundation.

In the spirit of Episode 242 we also bring up some of the challenges we’ve faced in our own relationship, talking through some of the biggest obstacles and lessons we’ve faced over the past 18 years (what? 18 years? Aren’t I, like 25?) and finish up with a reminder that romance is constantly evolving.

We also invite you to be aware of your expectations in your relationships this week, and to explore finding joy and depth in the ordinary, everyday moments because in our experience, those ordinary, everyday moments are the bread and butter of a relationship. Finding joy in them means finding joy in every day.

Also: here’s to more loving.

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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!

——

Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:

Keep Listening:

Support the Show:

Recently we hit the mind-blowing number of 4.5 million downloads of The Slow Home Podcast! This is all 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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