Ed Stott & The Big Life Questions - podcast cover

Ed Stott & The Big Life Questions

Edwina Stottwww.edstott.com
One big question at a time. Explored, untangled, and (possibly) solved. Self-improvement is everywhere but most of it’s overly simplistic, shouty, and backed by vibes, not evidence. I’m Ed Stott, former BBC & ABC journalist turned independent audio doco maker, obsessed with figuring out how to live better. (That obsession once led to 50 stand-up gigs in 6 months… but more on that later.) Each month, I tackle one big, messy life question like “What’s my purpose?” or “Should I quit my job?” and get real answers from the world’s sharpest minds. No fluff. Just big ideas, explored creatively, to help you make sense of your life.
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Episodes

I'm Not Ghosting You, I Swear

Darlings, an EXCITING update on what's coming next - eek! x As always, if you have anything you want to say, ideas to pitch or collaborations you'd like to make happen, send me an email - thatshelpful @ edstott.com

Jun 19, 20253 min

The Simple Science to Your Baby's Best Sleep (WITHOUT Sleep Training!!) with Dr Pam Douglas

What if everything you've been told about baby sleep is wrong and the real solution is already built into your baby’s biology? Dr. Pam Douglas is the founder of the Possums Sleep Program, a science-backed, sanity-saving alternative to traditional sleep training. In this myth-busting episode, she shares where so many of the things we think we know about sleep come from, why they often create sleep problems instead of solving them & how understanding your baby’s biology can change everything. ...

May 29, 202556 minSeason 3Ep. 22

Forgiveness: How to Let Go, Without Letting Them Off the Hook with Rachael Coopes

What if forgiveness didn’t mean forgetting, reconciling, or letting people off the hook — but reclaiming your future? Learning how to forgive — even when it feels like the hardest thing in the world to do — is transformative. It’s a complex process, and there’s a real art to balancing boundaries and letting go. It’s an art Rachael Coopes is obsessed with. She’s the author of The Art of Forgiveness . 💡 You’ll hear: – The origin of the word forgiveness — and why it changes everything – The scienc...

May 21, 202523 minSeason 3Ep. 21

What 90s Pop Culture REALLY Taught Us & How to Unlearn It with Sophie Gilbert

What if the pop culture you loved growing up was quietly teaching you to shrink, perform and turn on other women? In this episode, Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist Sophie Gilbert joins me to revisit the legacy of the 90s and 2000s — a time that likely shaped how you see yourself & other women. We talk about the toxic version of ‘empowerment’ that dominated the era, why so many of us still feel stuck in competition mode and how we can start untangling the stories we were sold. 💡 You'll he...

May 15, 202538 minSeason 3Ep. 20

Reclaim Your Focus: 5 Tiny Shifts to Detox Your Digital Brain

Know your phone is stealing your focus, but don't quite know how to take your back your brain? Here are 5 small, science-backed tweaks that will actually help. In this episode, I’m sharing how I broke the cycle—not with timers or guilt, but with insights from neuroscientists, psychologists, and attention experts who helped me understand the real cost of distraction, and what to do instead. 💡 You'll hear: How tech companies exploit your brain’s dopamine system The hidden cost of distraction most...

May 09, 202516 minSeason 3Ep. 19

Why Good Mums Fail More with Victoria Vanstone

Feel like you're failing at motherhood? Maybe you're actually on the right track. In this episode, I chat with author and podcaster Victoria Vanstone about her year of “mumming” — a 12-month mission to try anything and everything to become a better mum. From parenting courses and rage walks to hiding in Aldi and whispering affirmations in the pantry, Victoria shares the real story of what worked, what didn’t, and why trying (and failing) might be the most important part. If mum guilt, mum rage, ...

May 02, 20251 hr 4 minSeason 3Ep. 18

Quit the Job. Start the Thing. Live the Life with Ash Ambirge

Ready to stop asking for permission and start doing the thing you actually want to do? Ash Ambirge is here to hand you the match. 🔥 She’s the author of The Middle Finger Project — a book, a movement, and a manifesto for anyone who's tired of playing it small. She’s on a mission to help people ditch the jobs they hate and build their dream lives. In this conversation, Ash and I talk about what it really takes to walk away from "safe" and create something better. If you’re dreaming of more but sc...

Apr 27, 202542 minSeason 3Ep. 17

Pick Yourself: From Rejection to Book Deal with Amie McNee

Tired of waiting for someone to give you a chance? This is how you stop waiting — and start doing. Whether you want to write, launch a project, change careers, or share your work with the world, this episode with author Amie McNee is your go-to guide. She shares how she stopped chasing permission, started backing herself, and built a creative career on her own terms — before anyone said yes. If you’ve been holding back on making something or becoming something because you're waiting to be picked...

Apr 17, 202555 minSeason 3Ep. 16

Tired of Carrying It All? How to Share the Mental Load with Gemma Hartley

Back in 2015, journalist Gemma Hartley wrote an article for Harper’s Bazaar that went viral. The article was about emotional labor & it really hit home for so many people - in fact 2 BILLION people read it. It led to Gemma writing a book on the topic & coming up with some real solutions to this incredibly familiar experience. Gemma is the author of Fed Up; Navigating & Redefining Emotional Labour For Good. CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram. Find Gemma on Insta...

Apr 13, 202543 minSeason 2Ep. 34

The Secret Power of Motherhood That No One Talks About with Ready or Not

I feel like I've levelled up in every single way since becoming a mum. But when I was pregnant, I only saw the negatives of motherhood & it wasn't until I had my baby that I realised the true power of becoming a mum. I invited Lauren & Lucinda from Ready or Not Podcast (where they chat all things work & parenthood) on to have a chat about this revelation & explore all the ways they feel improved by becoming a mum. Send this inspo to all your pregnant & new mum friends - I pro...

Apr 11, 202545 minSeason 3Ep. 16

My First Year as A Mum & The 6 Things I Wish I'd Known

If you're pregnant or have a new baby - I have some GAME-CHANGERS for you!! I'm coming up on my first year of being a mum and I've learnt so much. In this episode, I've whittled down a year's worth of blood, sweat and tears in to my 6 essentials - there's a couple of reccomendations & a few pieces of wisdom in there that I know you'll find truly helpful. Yours helpfully, Ed x PODCASTS Hypnobirthing 101: Simple Tools to Make Your Birth Better Make Your Intuition Your Super Power with Prof Joe...

Apr 04, 202532 minSeason 3Ep. 14

Why You're a People Pleaser & How to Stop with The Therapy Floor

You might think you're doing it because you're too kind...but you're not (super awks). Today we’re going to learn WHY you're a people pleaser & the 3 simple steps that will give you the confidence to make the changes you so badly need to, revolutionise your relationships & give you your energy back in the process. Dr Vicki & Dr Ritz are counselling psychologists from The Therapy Floor podcast. CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram. Find Dr Vicki & Dr Ritz via ...

Mar 28, 202531 minSeason 3Ep. 13

How to REALLY Listen & Transform Your Relationships with Ross Judd

If you, like me, spend most conversations wondering when it's your time to talk - you’re probably not a very good listener. And here’s the kicker - it’s likely affecting your relationships. In this episode we’re going to learn the simple tips to level up our listening & turn it into our ultimate super power for deeper connections in every area of our lives. Ross Judd, is the author of Listening: A Guide to Building Deeper Connections. CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram...

Mar 20, 202523 minSeason 3Ep. 14

Simple Tools to Ease Overwhelm FOR GOOD with Michelle Gauthier

If you've ever said 'I'll just get through this...& then it will all be fine', this episode is MANDATORY listening. Overwhelmed? Me too! Today we're going to learn the simple systems to ease it once & for all. Michelle Gauthier worked in corporate America for 20 years helping business to simplify their work & make effective change - now she’s turned her attention to helping people just like you. So let's get your shoulders dropped, that jaw unclenched and your breath a little deeper!...

Mar 12, 202536 minSeason 3Ep. 11

No More Food Guilt with Dr Emma Beckett

PSA: Complexity DOESN'T mean complicated!! Today we’re going to learn how to take a perfectly imperfect approach to eating - one that will maximise your nutrition, ditch the guilt and ease your food anxiety. Food feels like an area that should be simple but it's often anything but. We are complex beings dealing with a whole heap of confusion from diet culture, to social media, family input, food culture...the list goes on. So instead of taking an over simplified approach to what you eat, Food Nu...

Mar 06, 202536 minSeason 3Ep. 10

Reparent Yourself to Be a Woman Who Likes Themselves with Kasey Edwards

Kasey Edwards has spent the last 10+ years researching & writing about raising kids who like themselves & she’s used everything she's learnt to re-parent herself. Now she's on a mission to teach you to do the same. She’s rewritten the most common, toxic rules you were likely taught in childhood to show you that you deserve more than what you’ve been taught to accept. CONTENT WARNING: This episode briefly discusses child sexual abuse & domestic violence. CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠...

Feb 28, 202551 minSeason 3Ep. 9

Reclaim Your Attention as Your Most Powerful Resource with Annie Margaret

Where your attention goes, your focus grows - but are you really conscious of where you’re spending your most valuable asset? This episode is going to change the way you use social media & spend time online FOREVER. If you, like me, are grappling with your relationship with the internet, the next hour is just for you. I want to help you take back control of where you focus your attention, take back your creativity & learn how to use your most powerful resource to its full potential. Anni...

Feb 20, 202555 min

Raising Kids with a Healthy Relationship with Food (Even if You Don't Have One) with Leslie Schilling

How can we avoid passing on our own fraught relationship with what we eat? We all need to eat - it's a simple fact of life, yet for so many of us it's a very complicated thing. Even if we are one of the few people who do have an uncomplicated relationship with food, we live in a society saturated in diet culture. So how do we raise kids with a healthy relationship with food? Leslie Schilling is a non-diet dietician, nutrition therapist & the author of Born to Eat & Feed Yourself. In this...

Feb 14, 202558 minSeason 3Ep. 7

5 SUPER Simple Steps to Start Investing with Bryce Leske & Alec Renehan

Spolier alert: you don't need much money, time or a fancy spreadsheet - it's genuinely SUUUUUPER simple. In less than 30 minutes, you'll learn the essentials to start making your money, make money. Women often receive REALLY bad advice when it comes to money - we’re often told to scrimp & save whereas men are encouraged to ask for the raise, start a business, invest...it's easy to feel like this isn’t for you. Today we’re going to de-bunk all that, show you it’s not a dark art & leave yo...

Feb 07, 202536 minSeason 3Ep. 6

Why Being a Good Girl is Limiting Your Life with Dr Michelle McQuaid

This episode is going to shatter the phrase ‘good girl’ for you FOREVER. You'll see why striving to be a 'good girl' is robbing you of your energy, well-being & even your identity plus learn the research backed strategy on how to set yourself free to live the life YOU want to live. Dr Michelle McQuaid is an honorary fellow at Melbourne University's Center for Wellbeing Science & author of The Perfectly Imperfect Little Girl & The Perfectly Imperfect Women's Journal. Want to become a ...

Jan 30, 202549 minSeason 3Ep. 5

The Secret to Motivation & Exercise with Leah Barron

This time it’s all about figuring out how to exercise CONSISTENTLY in a way that brings you JOY. No more ‘punishing’ yourself for 60 brutal minutes - we’re going to get you moving in a way you’ve never moved before - it’s going to be so fun, you’ll find yourself giddy to do it again, rather than dreading the next horrible session that you have to spend all day psyching yourself up for. Leah Barron is going to get us there. She’s a registered dietitian & certified personal trainer who takes a...

Jan 24, 202534 minSeason 3Ep. 4

The Science of Habits that ACTUALLY Stick with Dr Bree Hurn

We’re talking habits - how to start them, stick to them & make sure they’re aligned with who you want to be. Anytime I do an episode on habits, you lot absolutely love it - and there’s a reason for that - they’re the cheatcode for creating the life you want to live. No one knows that better than my guest today, in fact she calls herself ‘the habit nerd’ - Dr Bree Hurn is a productivity expert, with a Doctorate in Education who’s obsessed with the science behind building better habits for wor...

Jan 16, 202552 minSeason 3Ep. 2

How to Build a Community & Find Your People with Tilli Conias

Today - we’re getting you the blueprint to find YOUR PEOPLE. It’s brutal out there - a lot of people talk about how hard dating is now, but finding new friends who are on your wavelength & a community of your own can be just as hard. Fear not though - you know I’ve got your back. Tilli Conias is a professional community builder & the founder Mum Run - a 100+ strong weekly run club here in Brisbane. If you want to know how to build your own community & find your people, this episode i...

Jan 10, 202538 minSeason 3Ep. 2

Ditch the Diet & Become the Healthiest You EVER with Leslie Schilling

Ready to get off the toxic dieting cycle & start actually eating healthy? You’re in the right place because my guest today is THE expert in this. If you're sick of starting the New Year feeling like THIS is the year you stick to the diet only to feel gutted when you inevitably "fall off the wagon" a few days later this is for you. This is the year you heal your relationship with food, nourish your body with ease, become healthier than you've ever been & make room in your brain for JOY. I...

Jan 03, 202552 minSeason 3Ep. 1

The Ultimate Life Hack: Why You Should Stop Trying So Hard

Could life actually be better if you weren't holding it with a death grip!? Often we see so many traits & behaviors as directly tied to our morality - including those around how we look, feel, think and act. But journalist & author Rebecca Seal says many of the things we’ve been told are bad are actually just as useful as the good. Her latest book is called Be Bad, Better: How Not Trying So Hard Will Set You Free. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a...

Dec 26, 202457 minSeason 2Ep. 54

Make Your Intuition Your Super Power with Prof Joel Pearson

The nueroscience of intuition & how to hone it as your super power. Professor Joel Pearson is a neuroscientist who’s been studying how the brain processes unconscious information for 25 years. He’s on a mission to distill the science of intuition into simple, practical rules that are easy to follow and can improve decision-making. His book is called The Intuition Toolkit. He shares his simple rules for us, how to hone in on our intuition, make it easier to listen to & when NOT to listen ...

Dec 13, 202447 minSeason 2Ep. 53

The Neuroscience of Habits with Dr Gina Cleo

How do you form the habits you actually want to commit to & break those ones that are holding you back? Today - I’m going to get you the answer to those questions. My guest is Dr Gina Cleo - she has a whole damn phd in the topic of behavior change and is an adjunct professor at Bond University in Australia. She’s the author of The Habit Revolution. CONNECT WITH US Connect with That's Helpful & Ed Stott on Instagram. Find Gina on Instagram & via her website. BOOK The Habit Revolution ...

Dec 06, 202449 minSeason 2Ep. 52

Ideas to Cultivate Curiosity & Level Up Your Life with Meena Alexander

When was the last time you got curious about your life? I mean, really curious: stopping to examine your beliefs, the way you work & even why you can never seem to switch off? If you’re anything like me the answer is probably never, but curiosity can be a phenomenal catalyst for growth. That’s what award winning journalist Meena Alexander’s book is all about - it’s called How To Be Curious & it’s full of ideas to make you think differently about your life. CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠T...

Nov 28, 202440 minSeason 2Ep. 51

How to Live Authentically & Be Your Truest Self with Kat John

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not quite being true to yourself & you’re living the life that’s juuuust not quite the one for you, you're going to want to listen to this. My guest today has been there and she’s made it her career to help others out of that very tricky spot. Kat John is the host of the Real Raw Relatable podcast and the author of Authentic, Coming Home To Your True Self. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode briefly mentions child sexual abuse. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got ...

Nov 24, 202444 minSeason 2Ep. 50

Make ChatGPT Your New Assistant (Even if You're Not Techy) with Leanne Shelton

Programs like ChatGPT can seem overwhelming if you're not tech savvy, but using AI as your shiny new assistant is more simple than you think. If you're yet to put ChatGPT or one of the many other AI to work, you're missing out on the ultimate productivity boosting, time saving tool - all you need is the know how! Leanne Shelton is a Global AI Coach, she's going to share exactly what you need to know without the techy jargon and help you tain, coach and teach your new AI assistant to help you wor...

Nov 14, 202432 minSeason 2Ep. 49
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