Destination Simple: Everyday Rituals for a Slower Life

By Brooke McAlary

How to harness the power of daily rituals to create a calmer, happier life.

We live life in the fast lane. We are over-worked, over-connected and over-stressed, and we compete over how busy and important and sleep-deprived we are. But we don't have to.

Brooke McAlary knows first-hand the power of simplifying and living with less. After being diagnosed with postnatal depression, she embraced a more intentional life. Then, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, she had to review her everyday routines – and expectations. She looked for ways to adapt them to fit a life in lockdown, all the while protecting and prioritising her health, energy and passion.

In this fully revised edition of Destination Simple, with an entirely new introduction and updates throughout in light of the pandemic, Brooke shows us how to harness the power of daily rituals to change the flow of our busy lives and create lasting, postive change.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Dec 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781786694409

Brooke McAlary

Brooke McAlary produces and hosts The Slow Home, an iTunes #1 Health podcast. In 2016 it celebrated one million downloads internationally. Brooke blogs about decluttering and slow living at slowyourhome.com

Book preview

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DESTINATION SIMPLE

Brooke McAlary

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About this Book

About the Author

Table of Contents

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About Destination simple

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We live life in the fast lane. We race to keep up with the Joneses. We are over-worked, over-connected and over-stressed, and we compete over how busy and important and sleep-deprived we are. But we don’t have to.

There’s an ever-growing group of people opting out of a life lived at 110%. They are choosing to slow down, simplify, say no and focus on the things that are truly important. Brooke McAlary is one of them.

In Destination Simple, Brooke McAlary shows readers that no matter how busy you are, you too can feel in control of your days; minimise stress; find pockets of peace on even the busiest day; empty your mind and sleep better.

Destination Simple shows us how a few changes to the flow of daily life can create long-term, lasting change.

To my family: You’ve been the making of me. I love you all to the moon and back.

To everyone who has read or listened to Slow Your Home over the past few years: thank you.

Hi, I’m Brooke! I’m a thirty-something recovering burnout living in the Blue Mountains, just outside Sydney, Australia, with my wonderful family, dog, chickens and ever-evolving garden. I’m a writer, an inappropriate laugher and an advocate for the best things in life – siestas, time spent outside, travel and the lost art of doing nothing. I’m also someone who, after a period of darkness, ill-health and upheaval, decided to simplify my life and the life of my family.

Step by step. Piece by piece. Day by day.

And largely, I’ve been successful.

I’ve decluttered our family home of thousands of unwanted items and organised it to a point that works for us. I feel physically lighter and am more content, and am prone to unexpected bursts of happiness. I also dance while sweeping, sing while driving and actually enjoy playing with my kids. I’m a changed person and my family is a changed family, all because we adopted the idea of living more simply.

I hope you’ll join me …

Contents

Cover

Welcome Page

About Destination simple

Dedication

Epigraph

Introduction

PART ONE: RITUALS

1    Single-tasking

2    Unplugging

3    Emptying your mind

4    Three things

5    Gratitude

SUMMARY

PART TWO: RHYTHMS

6    Morning rhythm

7    Evening rhythm

PART THREE: CHECKING IN

8    The un-ritual of tilting

9    Noticing

10   Go, enjoy life!

About Brooke McAlary

An Invitation from the Publisher

Copyright

We’re so caught up in trying to do everything, experience all the essential things, not miss out on anything important …

We can’t read all the good books, watch all the good films, go to all the best cities in the world, try all the best restaurants, meet all the great people … Life is better when we don’t try to do everything.

Learn to enjoy the slice of life you experience, and life turns out to be wonderful.

LEO BABAUTA

Introduction

Reviews for Destination Simple

[Stress-Less s.r.o · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

an extremely simple and superficial collage of repackaged ideas. Fighting with own misunderstandings (like not understanding that any "balance" - is a dynamic act) - altogether an easy 30 min read.