I’m so glad that you’re feeling much better, Brooke! I’m excited about ‘rebellious living’ being your theme for this term. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. After working for the government for 15 years, I quit and went travelling for 8 months in 2019. Since then, I have worked part-time and was very influenced by the idea of slow living and The Art of Frugal Hedonism book where it talked about minimising your expenses so you could have more free time to do other things. However, I often didn’t know what to do with the extra time I had. Recently I’ve gone back to working full time which I swore I’d never do again. It felt surprisingly hard to go against the mainstream way of living and so tempting to jump back into it again. So I did, and now I’m wondering what I truly value and how I want to live my life. So very keen to explore this with you!
Ooh, this sounds so juicy, Jess. I think its going to be really interesting to explore this topic, and just looking at the comments shows me there are so many ways we can rebel. Like you, I've had periods of life living well outside the norm, and the past few years have been a reintroduction to status quo. Only now am I starting to see that we can rebel from within the mainstream too, and am trying to work out how that might look in my current season of life.
I'm so glad you're feeling better, Brooke. I'm not sure about the term rebellion. On the one hand I really like the idea that the lifestyle I've adopted for many years now, some of it very intentionally, some inspired by necessity, can be seen as an act of rebellion; on the other hand, I'm not sure that I have the energy to rebel any more, though in reality, I do and have done a lot of it. Perhaps it's best thought of as a quiet rebellion - every time I make my own bread or yoghurt, darn a sock instead of chucking it out, buy a garment from an opshop instead of a fast-fashion outlet, or volunteer at a repair cafe, I know that I'm swimming against the stream. Dignifying it with the term rebellion feels empowering. But there is also a cost, especially if you're doing it by yourself. It takes time and energy. This week I've spent many hours standing on a not-quite-healed sprained ankle to process the apples, pears, quinces, medlars and grapes that come out of my garden, and I'm not sure that I'd be doing it if it weren't an economic necessity. I'm reminded that passive resistance can sometimes mean lying down in the path of the bulldozer. :)
Oof. That last sentence, Sarah! It really hit home for me. What a shame your ankle is injured, I hope it continues to heal well.
I wonder whether you have more thoughts about the difference between living slowly entirely by choice, and doing so because it’s a necessity? I’ve thought a lot recently about how opting into slow living can be seen as almost virtuous if you’re doing it from a position of privilege, and yet if you’re doing it from a position of just needing to get by it perhaps doesn’t have the same “aren’t you good?” vibe. Is there something in that, do you think?
I find myself thinking about this a lot Nicole. Back when I was big into minimalism, people would often say to me that much of the world's population doesn't get a choice between minimalism and something else - it's just called poverty. I think slow living can be held in similar cynicism, particularly in the current cost of living crisis. But I also think that privilege (which we have in bucketloads) is, by definition, opportunity. And if those of us who have opportunity - to make change, to slow down, to grow connections, to strengthen community, to support farmers, to make oour own, whatever it looks like to us - then we're creating the world we want to see, bit by bit. It feels small and insignificant, but I tell myself its better than living in my own bubble, helping only myself. I've obviously got lots of thoughts about this 😆😆 and am excited to dig in this term! 💚
That's a good question. I should say that my ankle is mostly healed and I only notice that it's still got a way to go after a couple of hours on my feet - I missed the plum crop this summer, so I'm grateful that it's mended enough for me to deal with the autumn fruit. I normally enjoy all the produce processing - it may at the moment be a necessity but it's also the result of me having chosen to live this way, so there is a sense of privilege as well as the necessity, and in the necessity, there's still a lot of pride and gratitude in having the skills to do the work and the privilege of owning (along with the bank) the land that can feed me and others. But it's still a lot of work, and I get tired.
It’s good to hear that your ankle is nearly healed. And I appreciate your explanation that preserving (etc) can be both a choice and a necessity at the same time. I’m going to try to see that element of ‘both things are true’ a bit more!
What an interesting question. My father in law grew up in a rural mountain town where they grew all their food. He laughed when we had a garden, processed food and had chickens. He couldn't understand why someone would choose to do that. He moved away, got a job in a steel mill for 40 years to earn money so he never had to plant again.
Oh I hear you on all of this Sarah. I've got similar hesitation about rebellion for much the same reasons. I think my goal is to explore it through the slowest, gentlest lens and see if we really can shake things by doing life on our own terms, or if we're required to do it loudly and publicly in order to 'make a difference'. (I don't think that's true though.) Thank you so much for sharing this, and please know I'm standing next to you in all of these questions. Glad to have the company!! 💚💚
Thank you for sharing, and I hope your ankle is healing. I have danced in and out of rebellion. If you were to ask my parents they would say I rebel against all they taught me. I see it as finally doing what matters to me and deciding how I want to live MY life. I spent too many years doing the "right" thing and being unsettled and unhappy. I think that rebellion doesn't have to be as dramatic as chaining ourselves to a tree to be saved. It can be buying local food from the farmer down the street, cooking homemade food or simply reading a book instead of scrolling on social media. I only feel pressured to do and be more when I compare myself to others. Are you canning your fruit? It is only early springtime here in the US.
Thank you, Blythe (that's a lovely name!). I agree with you about needing to be true to yourself and doing the small things. I'm canning, freezing and drying my fruit - I'll be glad of it all later but at the moment the glut means it's a lot of work!
I remember when we had to go outside in the dark with headlamps on to gather all the tomatoes before a heavy frost came in. Ha! it was hilarious to have the kiddos running through the night carrying handfuls of green tomatoes. That was the case where we grew WAY too. much food. Hang in there!
Thanks so much for making the point about different types of rebellion, Blythe - I couldn't agree more. Our efforts so often feel less than only when we start comparing them to others'. And social media has really done us a disservice because of that I think. There's a cynicism about making positive change that pervades all those spaces, like "Why bother?" but at the same time there seems to be a self-improvement Olympics happening at the same time. Hopefully this term we can work out some ways of finding or creating our own gentle rebellions and finding enoughness in them. 💚💚
It is SO good to have you back Brooke and wonderful that you are feeling better.
Slow living as an act of rebellion is going to be such a great topic to dig into. Like others have said, I initially reacted with exhaustion hearing the word 😃 I use to be involved in politics and so many social/environmental issues and it is so tiring to be in the fight on an ongoing basis. I can’t do much of that stuff any more.
In many ways slow living has offered an alternative form of rebellion for me. A way to push against the tide of what is viewed as normal. But it’s still hard. Hard to live as simply as I want to. Inevitably I am pushing back against that tide all the time because I’m still living in the world with family and friends who have different values.
Thanks so much Carolyn. Taking that extra time was the best decision I could have made. And I hear you about the tension between our values and those of people we love. I hope to explore some of that this term and look at how our actions, even when we feel like they make no difference, can impact others in ways we'd never expect.
Welcome back! I hope your health is much better now. I’m decluttering a lot these days, and with every bag or box going out of the house I feel so good. Currently re-reading your book «Slow» for the second time, to keep me inspired.
Thanks so much Elisabeth! I did a bit of decluttering myself over the kids' school break and remembered just how nice it feels to let go. I hope you're enjoying the space you're freeing up (and the re-read of Slow!) 💚💚
Happy decluttering. I love that feeling of clearing out a space and taking a deep breath. I am looking forward to sprinkling that in this weekend...along with watching Star Wars (May 4).
I’m so happy to hear your voice, Brooke! Like, ridiculously happy. Glad you’re back.
The most rebellious thing I can think of doing is to choose to rest (not be forced into it as you have recently been ). And yet, it’s what I most want to do. I want conversations with friends and cooking quietly while listening to birdsong. And I want to know that I can do it at whatever pace feels good in that moment.
It's so nice to be back Nicole (like ridiculously good!) And I hear you on rebelling into rest and gentle actions. I actually think that given the pace and hustle of the world at large, those things are truly rebellious, and should be celebrated. If running ourselves ragged and tearing the world apart for a moment's more convenience was going to work to make things better, it already would have. It's time to find a new way forward (slowly). 💚💚
Glad to have you back and healthy Brooke. As soon as I read ‘rebellious’ I felt tired and a bit drained! Rebellion is a LOT of work. My lifestyle is values based for me. I actually don’t give a toss what others think, they’re not why I live my life the way I do. I live my life this way because it is best for me and my family. We walk to the beat of our own drum, treading as lightly as possible.
I hear you Diane! I found myself feeling afraid as much as anything when I started to consider rebellion. But what I want to dig into is why? Why do we feel like it needs to be more and bigger and louder in order to be rebellious? I think living a values-aligned life *is* rebellious, because so many people aren't. So many people haven't even considered it because it's not the norm to stop and ask those questions. I see you and your efforts and you and your family walking to your own beat, and I love it. 💚💚
I love this. I too am done apologizing and explaining my life and choices. They may not be what my family thought it "should" be...but it is my life. Couldn't agree more with you.
Welcome:) I'm in.. almost 5 years and even more since I found out this way of life but afraid to cut off all I truly stand against for the sake of what i stand by. radical change still frightening 🫣
I think from the comments here that's definitely a normal response Shirley. (It definitely is for me anyway). I'm really looking forward to exploring more about why we feel afraid, how we can find comfort in our choices and how to let go of the expectations of what it looks like to rebel. (I'm finding that there are comparisons to be made even in living counter-culturally). So happy to have you along for the ride. 💚
This is such a great topic. My family and I have been embracing slow living for over 10 years now. Sometimes we get a little off track and have to re-evaluate or we need to recognize what is actually sustainable. I consider low-waste living to be a big part of slow living. It's definitely rebellious to live this way. I think what my family and I deal with now is that it feels like the Pandemic only made things worse instead of better. There is more trash, not less, more rushed or busyness instead of crafting a life that includes rest. No one wants to feel uncomfortable, not even the slightest bit. We thought the pandemic would teach us all that we could live with less and relationships and community were more important. I think in starting this journey 10 years ago, we looked at like an investment account, the more we put into the Slow Living investment account, the more our investment would grow, and it would grow larger because the sum was larger. It doesn't feel like that is true. And I think we were under the impression that if we set the example and talked about it, others would follow in their own way. But when I look around, I don't see many people making changes to embrace slow, and if they are, they are financially struggling. I should know better as a parent that setting the example doesn't always work because I ate Kale during the entire course of my son's life and he still won't eat it, lol! Maybe, our problem (my family's) is that we still have a capitalist mindset about slow living, and instead, the way of living it can't be done through the lens of any system that currently exists. We need a new way. That is why I am curious about the rebellious living topic and how to sustain living like that because, as we experienced, change won't happen immediately, but the impacts of not changing can be felt suddenly (ex. pandemic and climate change).
I had high hopes that the pandemic was going to be a turning point too Lindsey, but if it was, it didn't head in the direction I'd hoped, that's for sure. I really like the way you've described your investment into slow living too - it's slow by nature and by name, but that doesn't mean the pay-off is any less important. In fact, the opposite is true. The key for me is how to find rebellion in the slowness! So grateful to have you here 💚💚
Glad you are feeling much better! I'm in and excited to see what you uncover this term. I feel a whole gamut of things when I consider the term rebellious living - excitement, fear, exhaustion - it sounds like hard work! I also feel disappointed that we have systems that require us to be so deliberate in our rebelliousness. I find the hardest spaces to rebel in are at the intersection of my kids and the world - fear that my choices negatively impact their opportunities. xo
Oh Gillian, I hear you. It's so different for us now (our kids are in high school) compared to what it was when they were younger, and I grapple with this a lot. So glad to have thoughtful, like-minded people like you standing next to me as we dig into this. Also, I am loving your newsletter - thank you for putting it out into the world. 💚💚💚
Brooke, I'm so glad you enjoy the newsletter! Thank you! My kids are mostly grown, 16-21, but weirdly, my decisions now seem more impactful on their choices than when they were kids - when they were small, the decisions and control were mine. Now, due to the cost of living they are all at home and have to navigate jobs and study timetables in town which means a long commute. Hope you have a good day!
I felt that my actions were harder to explain when it came to kids. Now that mine are adults, they see the many choices and options of raising kids. I felt bad that their options were limited because they were homeschool and raised in a tiny, rural mountain town. Honestly, I am glad that I don't have to defend myself as much these days. It is draining.
That's great to know your kids feel like they see so many options. I have tried to find a middle road that I am mostly happy with but it has kept me much more plugged into mainstream than I would choose if I was only thinking about myself. xo
I am glad your health is much better, Brooke! This is a very beautiful essay, I like how you worked out the softness that can also be connected to the term rebellion.
I am very excited for the upcoming weeks. In my imagination, "rebellious living" is connected to people who resist social media and extensive smartphone use, produce very little waste, spend time in nature, travel slowly by bike (or for very long distances by train), who find time to spontaneously meet friends or help their neighbours and who engage in community projects. In my old home town at least some of this was possible for me. After moving for a new job last year, I live far more "mainstream" because settling in took all my energy in the first months. Now, I am ready to ask myself which values matter to me at this stage in my life and how I can follow them in the new environment.
I loved reading this article over coffee this morning. We have also been trying to find balance in a culture that seems anything but. I’ve come to think of it from a ‘living in alignment’ perspective. A lot of the time it definitely feels rebellious in our society. If I frame it in my mind as an alignment with myself and my family, every decision can come down to that one question, is this aligned with our values and who we want to be? And it is absolutely exhausting sometimes but brings so much peace and calm into my life when I know I’m deeply aligned with myself. I really believe that’s how we change the world. I’ve followed you for years and have appreciated all your thoughts and your evolution. It helps that there is starting to be more content normalizing slowing down!
Thank you for sharing! I love the conversation about aligning to your values. I completely agree and used Brook's workshop to sort through mine. Now I hold tight to what matters and the rest doesn't even bother me anymore. I can let it go and slide off my list much easier.
Time is such a healer, welcome back to doing what you love to do Brooke!
Rebellious living I can relate too! There is something in me that fights for goodness and speaks up for myself and for others if disrespect and harm is shown.
But rebellion can come at a cost in alienation from the people that you love and care about if they don’t like what you stand for. That can be a huge price to pay.
At the end of the day I feel I can be rebellious, stand up for my beliefs and honour my values with integrity, respect and kindness to others.
Rebellious living feels powerful but also scary. It often feels easier to live the slow life quietly without explaining my choices or actively rebuffing the idea of faster living. I feel like to be more rebellious is to take more of a stand
Welcome back Brooke. It's so nice to read your thoughts again ☺️
I've been a rebel at heart all my life so I love this line of investigation. The most radical way we rebel is by unschooling our kids. To us, school feels like an on ramp to the status quo and we like living life in the slow, self-directed lane ✌️
I unschooled my boys and I think empowered after raising them to think for themselves. They are older now, and they are opinionated and care about issues in the world. I am grateful that I had the time and courage to do that. It was quite the ride.
Welcome back! Reading your words today brought me back to the past 25 years of motherhood. That was when the rebellion really set in for me. Through the years of parenting, I found my voice and began to open up to alternative ways of living and growing. I am forever grateful for this time and I learned so much from you and your work. The bread crumbs that your writing and podcast set out for me led me down all kinds of different trails. I am stronger and more confident because of them. I can't wait to touch on this topic and engage in the discussion. I hope that you are healing and taking rest.
I homeschooled my boys which allowed me to read all day to them, cooked with them and spent time…lots of time outside. My kids didn’t do well going to regular group activities so we kind of created our own. ❤️
I’m so glad that you’re feeling much better, Brooke! I’m excited about ‘rebellious living’ being your theme for this term. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. After working for the government for 15 years, I quit and went travelling for 8 months in 2019. Since then, I have worked part-time and was very influenced by the idea of slow living and The Art of Frugal Hedonism book where it talked about minimising your expenses so you could have more free time to do other things. However, I often didn’t know what to do with the extra time I had. Recently I’ve gone back to working full time which I swore I’d never do again. It felt surprisingly hard to go against the mainstream way of living and so tempting to jump back into it again. So I did, and now I’m wondering what I truly value and how I want to live my life. So very keen to explore this with you!
Ooh, this sounds so juicy, Jess. I think its going to be really interesting to explore this topic, and just looking at the comments shows me there are so many ways we can rebel. Like you, I've had periods of life living well outside the norm, and the past few years have been a reintroduction to status quo. Only now am I starting to see that we can rebel from within the mainstream too, and am trying to work out how that might look in my current season of life.
This is so heartening to hear, Brooke! I’m very keen to explore this more.
I'm so glad you're feeling better, Brooke. I'm not sure about the term rebellion. On the one hand I really like the idea that the lifestyle I've adopted for many years now, some of it very intentionally, some inspired by necessity, can be seen as an act of rebellion; on the other hand, I'm not sure that I have the energy to rebel any more, though in reality, I do and have done a lot of it. Perhaps it's best thought of as a quiet rebellion - every time I make my own bread or yoghurt, darn a sock instead of chucking it out, buy a garment from an opshop instead of a fast-fashion outlet, or volunteer at a repair cafe, I know that I'm swimming against the stream. Dignifying it with the term rebellion feels empowering. But there is also a cost, especially if you're doing it by yourself. It takes time and energy. This week I've spent many hours standing on a not-quite-healed sprained ankle to process the apples, pears, quinces, medlars and grapes that come out of my garden, and I'm not sure that I'd be doing it if it weren't an economic necessity. I'm reminded that passive resistance can sometimes mean lying down in the path of the bulldozer. :)
Oof. That last sentence, Sarah! It really hit home for me. What a shame your ankle is injured, I hope it continues to heal well.
I wonder whether you have more thoughts about the difference between living slowly entirely by choice, and doing so because it’s a necessity? I’ve thought a lot recently about how opting into slow living can be seen as almost virtuous if you’re doing it from a position of privilege, and yet if you’re doing it from a position of just needing to get by it perhaps doesn’t have the same “aren’t you good?” vibe. Is there something in that, do you think?
I find myself thinking about this a lot Nicole. Back when I was big into minimalism, people would often say to me that much of the world's population doesn't get a choice between minimalism and something else - it's just called poverty. I think slow living can be held in similar cynicism, particularly in the current cost of living crisis. But I also think that privilege (which we have in bucketloads) is, by definition, opportunity. And if those of us who have opportunity - to make change, to slow down, to grow connections, to strengthen community, to support farmers, to make oour own, whatever it looks like to us - then we're creating the world we want to see, bit by bit. It feels small and insignificant, but I tell myself its better than living in my own bubble, helping only myself. I've obviously got lots of thoughts about this 😆😆 and am excited to dig in this term! 💚
That's a good question. I should say that my ankle is mostly healed and I only notice that it's still got a way to go after a couple of hours on my feet - I missed the plum crop this summer, so I'm grateful that it's mended enough for me to deal with the autumn fruit. I normally enjoy all the produce processing - it may at the moment be a necessity but it's also the result of me having chosen to live this way, so there is a sense of privilege as well as the necessity, and in the necessity, there's still a lot of pride and gratitude in having the skills to do the work and the privilege of owning (along with the bank) the land that can feed me and others. But it's still a lot of work, and I get tired.
It’s good to hear that your ankle is nearly healed. And I appreciate your explanation that preserving (etc) can be both a choice and a necessity at the same time. I’m going to try to see that element of ‘both things are true’ a bit more!
What an interesting question. My father in law grew up in a rural mountain town where they grew all their food. He laughed when we had a garden, processed food and had chickens. He couldn't understand why someone would choose to do that. He moved away, got a job in a steel mill for 40 years to earn money so he never had to plant again.
Oh I hear you on all of this Sarah. I've got similar hesitation about rebellion for much the same reasons. I think my goal is to explore it through the slowest, gentlest lens and see if we really can shake things by doing life on our own terms, or if we're required to do it loudly and publicly in order to 'make a difference'. (I don't think that's true though.) Thank you so much for sharing this, and please know I'm standing next to you in all of these questions. Glad to have the company!! 💚💚
Thank you for sharing, and I hope your ankle is healing. I have danced in and out of rebellion. If you were to ask my parents they would say I rebel against all they taught me. I see it as finally doing what matters to me and deciding how I want to live MY life. I spent too many years doing the "right" thing and being unsettled and unhappy. I think that rebellion doesn't have to be as dramatic as chaining ourselves to a tree to be saved. It can be buying local food from the farmer down the street, cooking homemade food or simply reading a book instead of scrolling on social media. I only feel pressured to do and be more when I compare myself to others. Are you canning your fruit? It is only early springtime here in the US.
Thank you, Blythe (that's a lovely name!). I agree with you about needing to be true to yourself and doing the small things. I'm canning, freezing and drying my fruit - I'll be glad of it all later but at the moment the glut means it's a lot of work!
I remember when we had to go outside in the dark with headlamps on to gather all the tomatoes before a heavy frost came in. Ha! it was hilarious to have the kiddos running through the night carrying handfuls of green tomatoes. That was the case where we grew WAY too. much food. Hang in there!
Thanks so much for making the point about different types of rebellion, Blythe - I couldn't agree more. Our efforts so often feel less than only when we start comparing them to others'. And social media has really done us a disservice because of that I think. There's a cynicism about making positive change that pervades all those spaces, like "Why bother?" but at the same time there seems to be a self-improvement Olympics happening at the same time. Hopefully this term we can work out some ways of finding or creating our own gentle rebellions and finding enoughness in them. 💚💚
It is SO good to have you back Brooke and wonderful that you are feeling better.
Slow living as an act of rebellion is going to be such a great topic to dig into. Like others have said, I initially reacted with exhaustion hearing the word 😃 I use to be involved in politics and so many social/environmental issues and it is so tiring to be in the fight on an ongoing basis. I can’t do much of that stuff any more.
In many ways slow living has offered an alternative form of rebellion for me. A way to push against the tide of what is viewed as normal. But it’s still hard. Hard to live as simply as I want to. Inevitably I am pushing back against that tide all the time because I’m still living in the world with family and friends who have different values.
Thanks so much Carolyn. Taking that extra time was the best decision I could have made. And I hear you about the tension between our values and those of people we love. I hope to explore some of that this term and look at how our actions, even when we feel like they make no difference, can impact others in ways we'd never expect.
Welcome back! I hope your health is much better now. I’m decluttering a lot these days, and with every bag or box going out of the house I feel so good. Currently re-reading your book «Slow» for the second time, to keep me inspired.
Thanks so much Elisabeth! I did a bit of decluttering myself over the kids' school break and remembered just how nice it feels to let go. I hope you're enjoying the space you're freeing up (and the re-read of Slow!) 💚💚
Happy decluttering. I love that feeling of clearing out a space and taking a deep breath. I am looking forward to sprinkling that in this weekend...along with watching Star Wars (May 4).
Sounds great, and yes, I love that feeling too. Not a big Star Wars fan, but taking time off watching movies or tv-series is a great way to relax.
I’m so happy to hear your voice, Brooke! Like, ridiculously happy. Glad you’re back.
The most rebellious thing I can think of doing is to choose to rest (not be forced into it as you have recently been ). And yet, it’s what I most want to do. I want conversations with friends and cooking quietly while listening to birdsong. And I want to know that I can do it at whatever pace feels good in that moment.
It's so nice to be back Nicole (like ridiculously good!) And I hear you on rebelling into rest and gentle actions. I actually think that given the pace and hustle of the world at large, those things are truly rebellious, and should be celebrated. If running ourselves ragged and tearing the world apart for a moment's more convenience was going to work to make things better, it already would have. It's time to find a new way forward (slowly). 💚💚
Lovely...do that!
Glad to have you back and healthy Brooke. As soon as I read ‘rebellious’ I felt tired and a bit drained! Rebellion is a LOT of work. My lifestyle is values based for me. I actually don’t give a toss what others think, they’re not why I live my life the way I do. I live my life this way because it is best for me and my family. We walk to the beat of our own drum, treading as lightly as possible.
I hear you Diane! I found myself feeling afraid as much as anything when I started to consider rebellion. But what I want to dig into is why? Why do we feel like it needs to be more and bigger and louder in order to be rebellious? I think living a values-aligned life *is* rebellious, because so many people aren't. So many people haven't even considered it because it's not the norm to stop and ask those questions. I see you and your efforts and you and your family walking to your own beat, and I love it. 💚💚
I love this. I too am done apologizing and explaining my life and choices. They may not be what my family thought it "should" be...but it is my life. Couldn't agree more with you.
Welcome:) I'm in.. almost 5 years and even more since I found out this way of life but afraid to cut off all I truly stand against for the sake of what i stand by. radical change still frightening 🫣
I think from the comments here that's definitely a normal response Shirley. (It definitely is for me anyway). I'm really looking forward to exploring more about why we feel afraid, how we can find comfort in our choices and how to let go of the expectations of what it looks like to rebel. (I'm finding that there are comparisons to be made even in living counter-culturally). So happy to have you along for the ride. 💚
This is such a great topic. My family and I have been embracing slow living for over 10 years now. Sometimes we get a little off track and have to re-evaluate or we need to recognize what is actually sustainable. I consider low-waste living to be a big part of slow living. It's definitely rebellious to live this way. I think what my family and I deal with now is that it feels like the Pandemic only made things worse instead of better. There is more trash, not less, more rushed or busyness instead of crafting a life that includes rest. No one wants to feel uncomfortable, not even the slightest bit. We thought the pandemic would teach us all that we could live with less and relationships and community were more important. I think in starting this journey 10 years ago, we looked at like an investment account, the more we put into the Slow Living investment account, the more our investment would grow, and it would grow larger because the sum was larger. It doesn't feel like that is true. And I think we were under the impression that if we set the example and talked about it, others would follow in their own way. But when I look around, I don't see many people making changes to embrace slow, and if they are, they are financially struggling. I should know better as a parent that setting the example doesn't always work because I ate Kale during the entire course of my son's life and he still won't eat it, lol! Maybe, our problem (my family's) is that we still have a capitalist mindset about slow living, and instead, the way of living it can't be done through the lens of any system that currently exists. We need a new way. That is why I am curious about the rebellious living topic and how to sustain living like that because, as we experienced, change won't happen immediately, but the impacts of not changing can be felt suddenly (ex. pandemic and climate change).
I had high hopes that the pandemic was going to be a turning point too Lindsey, but if it was, it didn't head in the direction I'd hoped, that's for sure. I really like the way you've described your investment into slow living too - it's slow by nature and by name, but that doesn't mean the pay-off is any less important. In fact, the opposite is true. The key for me is how to find rebellion in the slowness! So grateful to have you here 💚💚
Glad you are feeling much better! I'm in and excited to see what you uncover this term. I feel a whole gamut of things when I consider the term rebellious living - excitement, fear, exhaustion - it sounds like hard work! I also feel disappointed that we have systems that require us to be so deliberate in our rebelliousness. I find the hardest spaces to rebel in are at the intersection of my kids and the world - fear that my choices negatively impact their opportunities. xo
Oh Gillian, I hear you. It's so different for us now (our kids are in high school) compared to what it was when they were younger, and I grapple with this a lot. So glad to have thoughtful, like-minded people like you standing next to me as we dig into this. Also, I am loving your newsletter - thank you for putting it out into the world. 💚💚💚
Brooke, I'm so glad you enjoy the newsletter! Thank you! My kids are mostly grown, 16-21, but weirdly, my decisions now seem more impactful on their choices than when they were kids - when they were small, the decisions and control were mine. Now, due to the cost of living they are all at home and have to navigate jobs and study timetables in town which means a long commute. Hope you have a good day!
I felt that my actions were harder to explain when it came to kids. Now that mine are adults, they see the many choices and options of raising kids. I felt bad that their options were limited because they were homeschool and raised in a tiny, rural mountain town. Honestly, I am glad that I don't have to defend myself as much these days. It is draining.
That's great to know your kids feel like they see so many options. I have tried to find a middle road that I am mostly happy with but it has kept me much more plugged into mainstream than I would choose if I was only thinking about myself. xo
I am glad your health is much better, Brooke! This is a very beautiful essay, I like how you worked out the softness that can also be connected to the term rebellion.
I am very excited for the upcoming weeks. In my imagination, "rebellious living" is connected to people who resist social media and extensive smartphone use, produce very little waste, spend time in nature, travel slowly by bike (or for very long distances by train), who find time to spontaneously meet friends or help their neighbours and who engage in community projects. In my old home town at least some of this was possible for me. After moving for a new job last year, I live far more "mainstream" because settling in took all my energy in the first months. Now, I am ready to ask myself which values matter to me at this stage in my life and how I can follow them in the new environment.
I loved reading this article over coffee this morning. We have also been trying to find balance in a culture that seems anything but. I’ve come to think of it from a ‘living in alignment’ perspective. A lot of the time it definitely feels rebellious in our society. If I frame it in my mind as an alignment with myself and my family, every decision can come down to that one question, is this aligned with our values and who we want to be? And it is absolutely exhausting sometimes but brings so much peace and calm into my life when I know I’m deeply aligned with myself. I really believe that’s how we change the world. I’ve followed you for years and have appreciated all your thoughts and your evolution. It helps that there is starting to be more content normalizing slowing down!
Thank you for sharing! I love the conversation about aligning to your values. I completely agree and used Brook's workshop to sort through mine. Now I hold tight to what matters and the rest doesn't even bother me anymore. I can let it go and slide off my list much easier.
Time is such a healer, welcome back to doing what you love to do Brooke!
Rebellious living I can relate too! There is something in me that fights for goodness and speaks up for myself and for others if disrespect and harm is shown.
But rebellion can come at a cost in alienation from the people that you love and care about if they don’t like what you stand for. That can be a huge price to pay.
At the end of the day I feel I can be rebellious, stand up for my beliefs and honour my values with integrity, respect and kindness to others.
Being who you are is most important.
Welcome back!
Rebellious living feels powerful but also scary. It often feels easier to live the slow life quietly without explaining my choices or actively rebuffing the idea of faster living. I feel like to be more rebellious is to take more of a stand
YAAAAY!
Lovely to have you in my ears 💓.
Be gentle in you Brooke….
FocusOnSimple 🌿 xx
Welcome back Brooke. It's so nice to read your thoughts again ☺️
I've been a rebel at heart all my life so I love this line of investigation. The most radical way we rebel is by unschooling our kids. To us, school feels like an on ramp to the status quo and we like living life in the slow, self-directed lane ✌️
I unschooled my boys and I think empowered after raising them to think for themselves. They are older now, and they are opinionated and care about issues in the world. I am grateful that I had the time and courage to do that. It was quite the ride.
Welcome back! Reading your words today brought me back to the past 25 years of motherhood. That was when the rebellion really set in for me. Through the years of parenting, I found my voice and began to open up to alternative ways of living and growing. I am forever grateful for this time and I learned so much from you and your work. The bread crumbs that your writing and podcast set out for me led me down all kinds of different trails. I am stronger and more confident because of them. I can't wait to touch on this topic and engage in the discussion. I hope that you are healing and taking rest.
Hi Blythe, what were your main ways of parenting slowly? Mum of 3 here, looking for ways to go against the stream :) Thank you
I homeschooled my boys which allowed me to read all day to them, cooked with them and spent time…lots of time outside. My kids didn’t do well going to regular group activities so we kind of created our own. ❤️