The Real Question

Not Sorry Productions
  • 4.9 (49)
  • RELATIONSHIPS
  • WEEKLY SERIES
The Real Question

In this intimate podcast we explore how attention can be a tool for living a more intentional life. This season, Atheist chaplain and co-creator of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text Vanessa Zoltan guides guests through questions of quitting with empathy and humor. Vanessa has always been a big advocate of quitting – she believes quitting doesn't mean 'giving up,' it means you've tried something and realized that it doesn't work. The Real Question is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  1. Quitting: A Thesis

    EPISODE 1

    Quitting: A Thesis

    Is there something in your life that's making you miserable, but you feel like you need to just put your head down and get through it? Have you considered... just not doing it instead? This week, Vanessa starts our new season of The Real Question with a thesis on why we should all be quitting more. Next week, you'll hear from our first guest who is considering quitting. And if you'd like to be on the show, you can submit a question here. -- We are so grateful to our supporters on Patreon who make this show possible. If you can, please considering chipping in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 min
  2. Should I Quit: My Name?

    EPISODE 2

    Should I Quit: My Name?

    When Eleanor got married, she took her husband’s last name. Now, nineteen years and three kids later, she’s working on a PhD. The PhD feels separate from her family life, something she’s doing just for herself. And so she’s started to wonder: Do I want to get this PhD under my married name? Or would it feel more ‘me’ to get it under my maiden name?  This week on Should I Quit? Vanessa and Eleanor explore the power of names and what it means to feel like ‘you’ and be a mother at the same time.  -- We are so grateful to our supporters on Patreon who make this show possible. If you can, please considering chipping in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min
  3. Should I Quit: Texas?

    EPISODE 3

    Should I Quit: Texas?

    Mae lives in Texas. She grew up there, her whole family is there, there are a lot of things she loves about her life there. But now that she's raising two small kids, she's beginning to think: Is this really the environment I want my kids to grow up in?  This week on Should I Quit? Vanessa and Mae explore the questions: What does it means to make a home in a hostile place? And at what point do you leave?  -- We are so grateful to our supporters on Patreon who make this show possible. If you can, please considering chipping in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  4. Should I Quit: My Dad?

    EPISODE 4

    Should I Quit: My Dad?

    Our guest this week has a hard relationship with her dad. After years of hoping it would get better, she’s starting to feel like it might be time to quit.  This week on Should I Quit? Vanessa and our guest explore the question: How do you love someone when they continue to hurt you?  CW: This episode addresses addiction and includes reference to abuse.  -- We are so grateful to our supporters on Patreon who make this show possible. If you can, please considering chipping in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  5. Should I Quit: Watching Youtube?

    EPISODE 5

    Should I Quit: Watching Youtube?

    Casper spends a lot of time scrolling through YouTube videos. He feels like he should have a better evening routine, but the algorithm always pulls him in! Is it time to just go cold turkey?  This week on Should I Quit? Vanessa and Casper ter Kuile explore what rest and self care look like in our day to day lives.  -- We are so grateful to our supporters on Patreon who make this show possible. If you can, please considering chipping in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  6. Should I Quit: My Small Business?

    EPISODE 6

    Should I Quit: My Small Business?

    Since the start of the pandemic, Shannon’s confectionary business has really been struggling. Now she’s getting kicked out of her shop space and she's wondering: is it worth it to move somewhere more expensive? Or should she just cut her loses and end the business?  This Week on Should I Quit? Vanessa and Shannon explore when to accept failure and when to go all in. -- Please help us support Sweet Lydia’s by contributing to our fundraising campaign! You can send us money through our Venmo, and we’ll get all money to Shannon and keep you updated on the total. We’re hoping to reach $5400 by Christmas!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  7. Should I Quit: Calling My Parents?

    EPISODE 7

    Should I Quit: Calling My Parents?

    Hannah calls her parents…a lot. Like four times a day. She loves talking to them, but all her friends think it’s weird. So she’s started to wonder: am I being too clingy?  This week on Should I Quit? Vanessa and Hannah discuss what makes for a healthy parent/child relationship and how to adapt to aging parents. -- We are so grateful to our supporters on Patreon who make this show possible. If you can, please considering chipping in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  8. Should I Quit: Interior Design?

    EPISODE 8

    Should I Quit: Interior Design?

    Emily has always been passionate about decorating her home. It’s a big creative outlet for her! But the online culture around interior design has started to bother her – it's all focused around buying more stuff in order to feel good. And that actually doesn't feel good at all. This week on Should I Quit? Vanessa and Emily discuss how social media and the forces of capitalism intersect in the world of home improvement. -- We are so grateful to our supporters on Patreon who make this show possible. If you can, please considering chipping in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
See All Season 3 (82)

Trailers

Shows with Subscription Benefits

  • It’s the English class you didn't know you missed and the meaningful conversations you didn't know you craved. Join Vanessa Zoltan and Matt Potts as they bring thought, reflection and laughter to Harry Potter; not just as novels, but as instructive and inspirational texts that will teach us about our own lives. Relive the magic of Harry Potter chapter by chapter as Matt and Vanessa explore themes such as commitment, revenge and forgiveness. This podcast creates time in your week to think about life’s big questions. Because reading fiction doesn’t just help us escape the world, it helps us live in it. Harry Potter and the Sacred Text is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    • RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
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4.9
out of 5
49 Ratings

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In this intimate podcast we explore how attention can be a tool for living a more intentional life. This season, Atheist chaplain and co-creator of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text Vanessa Zoltan guides guests through questions of quitting with empathy and humor. Vanessa has always been a big advocate of quitting – she believes quitting doesn't mean 'giving up,' it means you've tried something and realized that it doesn't work. The Real Question is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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