Ed Stott & The Big Life Questions

If I were to ask you how healthy you are right now, what would you say? Would you tell me about your social life? How many friends have you connected with in the last week? Or how connected you feel with your local community? Probably not, but Kasley Killam says that social health is vital to our physical health & by ignoring it, we're missing out on some huge benefits. She's the Author of The Art...

If you've ever shared that you're feeling it, the most common reaction is 'oh my gosh me too'. I'm talking about Imposter Syndrome - it's brutal, unhelpful and feels horrible. So why do we experience it and how can we tackle it? That's exactly what we're going to take down today - by the way this episode was requested by Jess on Instagram - if there's something you're struggling with follow me @th...

So many of us expect to become less happy as we age, BUT science says you couldn't be more wrong - you'll likely become happier as you get into old age, you'll be more content and more able to live in the present moment. This phenomenon is called the happiness curve and it's a concept that award winning journalist Jonathon Rauch is incredibly passionate about. Jonathan is a senior fellow at the Br...

Gratitude is one of those words that's everywhere - particularly if you're interested in self-improvement & your health. BUT what does the science actually say about introducing a little more gratitude into our lives & the best ways to do it? Well, Professor Fuschia Sirois is a psychologist from the University of Durham who's been studying gratitude for much of her career. Today we're going to get...

We know how fabulous getting out in the water can be for our mental health & overall well-being but there's a growing body of research showing that cold water can be absolutely transformative, whether it's from your shower, pool or  the ocean. So what is it ACTUALLY doing to our bodies & how can we start to reap the benefits in our own lives? Dr Mark Harper is a consultant anesthetist at Sussex Un...

How many times have you referred to yourself as 'too old' or 'too young' for something? Have you blamed your forgetfulness on a 'senior moment' or your sore neck on 'being over 30'? I'll be honest, before I found out about Ashton Applewhite's work, they were comments I made ALL the time. But, remarks like these as well as a whole host of other behaviors are acts of ageism - something Ashton calls...

If you've been listening to the podcast for a little while now, you'll know I am pregnant at the moment - in fact, very pregnant! So in this episode, I've invited my friend and fellow podcaster Kylie Lately to talk about all things pregnancy: navigating the transition into motherhood & learning about the term matrescence the tools I've learnt to mentally prepare for birth (spoiler alert: they're r...

This week Earth Day asks us to focus on climate change & the things we can do to make a difference, but it can often feel like an overwhelming problem with minimal solutions & maximum anxiety. So how can we take these paralysing emotions that leave us wanting to bury our head in the sand & turn them into something positive that's actually helpful?   Associate Professor Leslie Davenport is a Climat...

You probably know Taryn Brumfitt from her fabulous, viral before & after photo on Facebook in 2013. The two images of Taryn side by side - one in a bikini pos-ed on stage & the other relaxed & nude launched a global movement.   Since then Taryn has release two international films, published 3 best selling books, was named Australian of the Year 2023 & has even been invited to the White House. She'...

So often our focus here is on things that we can do as individuals to improve our lives and those of people around us, but there are some things that cannot be fixed by the individual. Regardless, society tells us that we are responsible for massive global crises like climate change, marginalised people are responsible for their own oppression and people living in poverty just need to work harder....

Before I fell pregnant, I honestly couldn't have taken less interest in pregnancy, birth or babies & for the first two thirds of my pregnancy my attitude remained the same. Until I read a book & that book sparked an obsession and sent me deep down the rabbit hole and I am now utterly obsessed with the science & magic of birth. The book I read was about hypnobirthing. If you like me, before I read...

The gap between our expectation of where we think we should be at 30 & where we actually are can lead us to a pretty dark place. Today - we're going to tear down those expectations and get you back on your path, not the one you think you should be on, regardless of which milestone birthday is filling you with dread. My guest today is Kate Berski - she's on a crusade to tackle 30-phobia after feeli...

So many of us are keen to reduce the amount we drink or even cut it out altogether. But, kicking the evening glass of wine or the knock off beers can be INCREDIBLY hard. So what if you could tweak your nutrition to make reducing your drinking easier & boost your health in the process? Dr Brooke Scheller is a clinical nutritionist, the founder of Functional Sobriety and the author of How to Eat to...

How often do you get creative? For me, it's actually not very often & I'm sure that's true for most of us. But Caitlin Marshall & Lizzie Rose say it absolutely should be a priority in all of our lives as an essential tool for supporting good mental health - they even argue its science backed powers make it something that should be prescribed just like medication. They're the founders of Makeshift...

What's the difference between those people who can connect with almost anyone & those of us who become sweaty, anxious & unsure when it comes to having a conversation with anyone who's not in our inner circle? Pulitzer prize-winning reporter Charles Duhigg says these expert connectors are what's called super communicators. He's researched their skills & how we can all become one for his latest boo...

How much of your day is spent sitting? If you're anything like me - it's a lot. You might go for a walk in the morning or spend an hour at the gym in the afternoon, but it's so easy to get caught up in work and spend hours hunched over your screen. The great news is - it doesn't have to be this way Lizzie Williamson is a personal trainer on a mission to make exercise easier & her new book The Acti...

Our work can form so much of our identity that we actually lose sight of who we are without it. So how can we step back and separate our identity, life & self-worth from our work & should we ditch the idea of the dream job and in fact seek out a good enough job? Simone Stolzoff is a writer and work expert who argues exactly that. In this episode, we talk through what a good enough job is, why it's...

We often don't make friendships a priority, but a growing body of science shows that quality, close friendships not only boost our mental health but physically change our bodies!! Lydia Denworth is a science writer who's been examining the monumental health benefits of friendship for years now. As someone who has often been guilty of neglecting friendships, this conversation blew my mind. Lydia ex...

Today - the science behind intuition & how it can help us to hone this 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...

Today we're delving into the science behind your weirdest thoughts & habits. You'll learn the answer to questions like - why do I suffer so terribly from imposter syndrome? Why does time seem to pass so quickly? And we do we so often put things off when we know we shouldn't? My guest today is Dr Jen Martin. She's a science educator, podcaster & expert in the inner workings of the human brain. Her...

Want to ease anxiety, boost your mental health AND feel happier? Dr Jennifer Heisz is a scientist who's studied the impact of exercise on the brain. She's unveiled the secrets of the ideal exercise regime for optimum brain health. And here's the kicker - it's SUPER achievable & will give you the motivation to stick with your workouts. Today Dr Heisz is going to share the science & how you can use...

Tell me this - do you think about your privacy? With so many areas of our lives being tracked, keeping your information private can feel absolutely impossible. Naomi Brockwell says it's absolutely not PLUS it's super important not just for your rights & freedom but for the rights of people who are in much more vulnerable situations. Naomi is the creator of NBTV, a privacy focussed tech channel - s...

Habits can be powerful things - make the right ones & they're the shortcut to reaching your goals, fall into bad ones & they can derail you at every turn. So 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 c...

On average we make 1500 decisions per day. So how can we make them more effectively and get it right more often, regardless of the circumstances? That's what we're going to learn today from a man whose job revolves around making big decisions under big pressure - a fighter pilot. Hasard Lee is the Author of The Art of Clear Thinking & a US Air Force Pilot. He's taken everything he's learnt from ma...

They say money can't buy you happiness, but Kate Campbell says they're wrong! She's the Author of Buying Happiness & host of the Australian Finance Podcast. She argues that getting better at investing your time & your money can absolutely contribute to how content you are. So how do you do it? Well that's what we're going to get into today. PSA: The podcast is now also available on Youtube if you'...