Let It Be

Jackrabbit.FM

A weekly show with Kelly Exeter and Brooke McAlary, where we chat about what it means to do less and be more.

  1. 068: Things

    07/10/2017

    068: Things

    In this episode Brooke and Kelly talk all things minimalism – what it is, why they’re a bit sick of it and what some of their most cherished items are.  Brooke and Kel are both minimally-minded. Both have less stuff than they used to, both like empty space, both like to keep clutter to a minimum and both have spent a long time considering their belongings. But both of them are completely fed up with the most recent iteration of minimalism, and in this episode they discuss why.   Minimalism tends to have two sides – the aesthetic, design-driven minimalism, and the lifestyle minimalism – and recently those two ideas have merged in to one. Upon hearing the word ‘minimalism’ many people now immediately think of Scandinavian style rooms with very little personality, or living out of a suitcase, or owning 15 items of clothing. And those things can absolutely be a part of a minimalist life, but they don’t have to.    Brooke highlights her biggest frustration with minimalism – it’s not about stuff at all, yet that’s what many people focus on when deciding the “rules” of minimalism – and why moralizing based on our level of ownership is a surefire way to alienate people.   Kelly also talks about the snobbery of the “experiences over stuff” movement and why, as someone who loves being in her home and sees it as an experience-giving place in itself, she often feels weird about loving stuff so much.   It’s a really interesting look at the changing face of minimalism, from two people who are advocates for simpler living but aren’t interested in the “must haves” and “how tos” of the currently popular idea of minimalism (much to the surprise of some!)   Head over to http://www.letitbe.fm to learn more about Kelly and Brooke and subscribe to the show!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    34 min
  2. 066: Maintaining Positive Changes

    06/26/2017

    066: Maintaining Positive Changes

    Kelly and Brooke answer a listener question about how best to maintain positive changes in life, when things start getting complicated.  In this episode Brooke and Kel answer a question they received in their Let It Be Facebook group recently:   “I just took a 3 month sabbatical and the difference it has made to my self-awareness, daily mindfulness and overall happiness is indescribable. I think it was the mental space created by such a massive change in routine that made everything I've been working on feel like it's finally coming together. Any advice for maintaining these positive changes - in particular the changes to my mental habits - on my return to daily life and the stresses of work?"  This is a big topic for both Kelly and Brooke, as they discuss in this show. Those well-worn tracks of habit and behaviour patterns are well-worn for a reason, and it’s often when life gets busy or difficult that we find ourselves treading the old familiar path again before we even realise what’s happening.   Brooke talks about the importance of awareness, priorities and patience, as well as remembering to be compassionate as we learn how to negotiate these new paths, while Kelly shares her experiences in self-sabotage and how she now manages her behaviour to limit those regressions.   The other really important thing to remember, that both Kelly and Brooke agree completely on, is to give ourselves credit for the improvements we make, rather than lambasting ourselves for perceived ‘failings’. It’s somewhere in this delicate balance between willpower and gentleness that maintenance lies. (Which makes it sound easier than it is!)   Head over to http://www.letitbe.fm to learn more about Kelly and Brooke and subscribe to the show!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
  3. 065: Privilege

    06/19/2017

    065: Privilege

    Kel and Brooke have skirted around this topic for many months, but they think it’s time. Time to talk about privilege. What is privilege exactly? And why is it such an important concept to understand? Brooke and Kel both talk through their own understanding of privilege – from their initial defensiveness towards the idea, through to acknowledgement. It’s a topic that’s often met with resistance or outright anger, and they both talk in-depth about why that is. Kelly talks about the fact that we feel uncomfortable ever acknowledging our own privilege as it challenges the notion that “the harder I work, the luckier I get.” Brooke talks about a Toby Morris comic that gave her a lot of clarity on what privilege actually looks like (and it’s not necessarily about being born in to wealth – it’s far deeper than that) and how it gave her language to articulate privilege without needing to feel guilty or defensive. For Brooke, privilege is essentially about opportunity, while Kel posits it as headspace. Either way, this is a fascinating chat that will hopefully lead to a deeper conversation about the privileges that we are blind to, and those that are glaringly obvious to others. Links: Why Poverty is Like a Disease (https://longreads.com/picks/why-poverty-is-like-a-disease/) – Christian CooperToby Morris’ comic strip, ‘On a Plate’: http://www.upworthy.com/a-short-comic-gives-the-simplest-most-perfect-explanation-of-privilege-ive-ever-seen Head over to http://www.letitbe.fm to learn more about Kelly and Brooke and subscribe to the show!    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min
  4. 064: Energy Levels

    06/12/2017

    064: Energy Levels

    This week Kel and Brooke talk about energy levels – specifically, how they manage theirs and why it matters to maintain a decent amount of energy when living a simpler, slower life. Over the past few years Kelly and Brooke have both worked hard to create space in their lives and to give themselves room for less doing and more being, but there’s a really important part of the conversation that’s often missing - that it takes energy to both create, and maintain this space in life. In today’s episode they discuss their thoughts on this, and why it’s been vitally important for both of them to figure out their own energy needs, what works, what depletes them, and how to fit enough of the good things in to life in order to provide enough energy to keep creating the life they want. Both Kelly and Brooke talk about the importance of good sleep and nutritious food, and Brooke talks specifically of her need for a good breakfast! Kel also looks at the impact of her introversion on energy levels, and why high-intensity exercise is her non-negotiable when it comes to boosting energy. They also both talk through their experiences in having energy vampires in their lives and how they’ve managed to either let those relationships go or renegotiated the way they spend time with particular people as a result. Head over to http://www.letitbe.fm to learn more about Kelly and Brooke and subscribe to the show!    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    40 min
  5. 063: Anxiety and Depression

    06/05/2017

    063: Anxiety and Depression

    Kel and Brooke chat about their own personal experiences with depression and anxiety in this episode that’s slightly heavier than normal. Recently Kelly and Brooke hosted A Simpler Way in Sydney, alongside their mate Alexx Stuart. As part of Kel’s presentation at the workshop, she shared her story of anxiety and depression – something that has had an enormous impact on her life for many years. Considering that Brooke has also openly shared her experience of post natal depression and that both ladies believe it’s important to speak freely about these issues, they decided to chat about it today. They begin by sharing their personal experiences of anxiety and depression, as well as the process they each went through in recognising that there was an issue greater than ‘exhaustion’ at play. Brooke shares her experience with medication and treatment in the early days, as a mum of two little kids, as well as the management strategies she uses on a daily basis now. Kel shares what the early days were like for her, how she reached out for help and why she always advises people who are suffering to talk to someone. Kel also talks about her current strategies and what happened when she found herself feeling the grip of anxiety again earlier in the year. Interestingly, Kelly and Brooke both look at the initial dark period as a catalyst for some incredibly positive changes in their lives and as a result are far more aware of the impact stress, poor health, sleep deprivation and overwhelm has on their mental health today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    36 min
4.8
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

A weekly show with Kelly Exeter and Brooke McAlary, where we chat about what it means to do less and be more.

More From Jackrabbit.FM