Ed Stott & The Big Life Questions

Edwina Stott
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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.

  1. Should I Quit My Job?

    1 DE SET.

    Should I Quit My Job?

    Thinking about quitting, but not sure if you’ll regret it? This episode will help you work out whether it’s time to leave, or if there’s still something worth holding onto. We’ve all been there: lying awake at night, weighing the costs of staying against the risks of walking away. Do you push through and hope it gets better, or cut your losses before you waste more time? In this episode, I’ve brought together Ash Ambirge, Julia Keller, Simone Stolzoff and Monique Ross to help you figure it out. We’ll explore the hidden traps that keep us stuck, the real benefits of quitting, and the surprising strategies that can make staying a lot better than it feels right now. Plus at the end, I’ll give you five questions that can bring your answer into focus, fast. 💡 You’ll learn: When grit and perseverance become harmful Why the sunk cost fallacy makes quitting so hard How to spot your own version of a “good enough job” Simple shifts to make your current role work better Why sometimes the smartest move isn’t quitting or sticking — but something in between 📖 Chapters 00:00 – Should I quit my job? 03:40 – Ash Ambirge: quitting as growth 11:20 – Julia Keller: rebranding quitting 20:00 – The sunk cost fallacy 26:30 – Simone Stolzoff: the “good enough job” 34:10 – Monique Ross on job crafting 40:00 – The secret third option: quasi-quitting 42:00 – Five questions to guide your decision 🔗 Helpful Links Confused Math Lady Meme Ash Ambirge’s The Middle Finger Project Julia Keller’s Quitting: A Life Strategy Simone Stolzoff’s The Good Enough Job Monique Ross’ This Working Life 📬 Get in touch Email me at: biglifequestions @ edstott.com

    44min
  2. Why Can I Never Just Have One? 🍪

    22 DE AGO.

    Why Can I Never Just Have One? 🍪

    What if that “can’t stop eating” feeling isn’t about willpower, but design? Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Michael Moss has spent years inside the boardrooms, factories and labs where our food is being engineered, and what he’s discovered will change the way you think about food. In this full conversation, we dig into how processed food is crafted to override your appetite, what food giants don’t want you to know about nutrition “research,” and why breaking free from these cravings is harder than you think. 💡 What you’ll learn in this episode: How the food industry deliberately designs products to be irresistible The tricks companies use to shift blame for overeating onto you Why “health halos” and marketing slogans keep us confused The science behind food addiction and whether we can break it What Moss believes has to change for us to eat more freely 🎧 Featuring: 📚 Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter and New York Times bestselling author of Salt, Sugar, Fat and Hooked → mossbooks.us If you’ve ever felt like you can’t stop eating certain foods, or you’ve wondered why your willpower never seems enough, this episode will change the way you think about what’s on your plate. Loved the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend, and know that every listen is a tiny act of resistance against unqualified men with microphones. 📬 Get in touch Email: edwina @ edstott.com Instagram: @biglifequestionspodcast

    53min
  3. Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food? - Your 20 Minute Listen

    12 DE AGO. · BÔNUS

    Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food? - Your 20 Minute Listen

    From grandma’s kitchen to Ozempic - how eating got so complicated. This condensed version of the full-length documentary unpacks the surprising history behind food confusion, the tricks used by the diet and processed food industries, and what GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic really mean for the way we eat. 💡 In this quick listen, you’ll learn: The surprising moment eating stopped being simple How “healthy” food marketing rewired your appetite The one thing food companies can’t sell you (and why it’s the answer) 📖 Chapter Timestamps: 00:00 Why food feels confusing now 02:00 The moment diet culture took over family meals 06:00 How processed food became addictive by design 11:00 The wellness halo and misleading “healthy” marketing 14:30 The Ozempic question 17:00 Why listening to your body is the radical act food companies can’t monetise 🎧 Featuring: 🔬 Prof Marion Nestle on how food companies shape what we believe about health → foodpolitics.com 📚 Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Salt Sugar Fat & Hooked 🧠 Christy Harrison, dietitian and journalist behind Anti-Diet & The Wellness Trap 💉 Dr Nick Fuller from Interval Weight Loss on how GLP-1s like Ozempic actually work 📖 Dr Lauren Samuelsson, food historian, on how The Women’s Weekly shaped modern diet culture → UOW profile If you’ve ever felt confused about food, struggled to trust your appetite, or wondered why eating feels so fraught, this one’s for you. 💌 Related episodes: Ditch Food Guilt with Dr Emma Beckett Raising Kids with a Healthy Relationship with Food (even if you don't have one) with Leslie Schilling The Secret to Motivation & Exercise with Leah Barron Ditch the Diet & Become the Healthiest You EVER How to Empower Your Kids with Body Neutrality with Taryn Brumfitt Loved the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend, and know that every listen is a tiny act of resistance against unqualified men with microphones. 📬 Get in touch Email: edwina @ edstott.com Instagram: @biglifequestionspodcast

    17min
  4. Why is Food So Complicated? Is Ozempic the Answer? 💉

    30 DE JUL.

    Why is Food So Complicated? Is Ozempic the Answer? 💉

    What if your struggle with food isn’t a personal failing, but the result of a system designed to confuse you? In this episode, we explore why eating has become so complicated, and how diet culture, food marketing, and processed food science have reshaped our relationship with hunger. From the rise of “health halos” and moral food messaging to the explosion of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, we ask: can we ever trust our bodies again? You’ll hear from leading voices in nutrition, food history, and medicine — including Marion Nestle, Michael Moss, Christy Harrison, Dr Nick Fuller, and Dr Lauren Samuelsson as we trace how corporate influence, gendered food messaging, and engineered cravings have distorted how we eat. 💡 What you’ll learn in this episode: Why food became tied to morality and how that began over 2,000 years ago How 1970s diet culture and convenience food rewired our appetites What the food industry doesn’t want you to know about nutrition “research” Why some foods feel literally impossible to stop eating Whether GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are really a miracle or just the latest quick fix 🎧 Featuring: 🔬 Prof Marion Nestle on how food companies shape what we believe about health → foodpolitics.com 📚 Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Salt Sugar Fat & Hooked 🧠 Christy Harrison, dietitian and journalist behind Anti-Diet & The Wellness Trap 💉 Dr Nick Fuller from Interval Weight Loss on how GLP-1s like Ozempic actually work 📖 Dr Lauren Samuelsson, food historian, on how The Women’s Weekly shaped modern diet culture → UOW profile If you’ve ever felt confused about food, struggled to trust your appetite, or wondered why eating feels so fraught, this one’s for you. Loved the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend, and know that every listen is a tiny act of resistance against unqualified men with microphones. 📬 Get in touch Email: edwina @ edstott.com Instagram: @biglifequestionspodcast

    50min

  5. 19 DE JUN.

    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

    3min
  6. The Simple Science to Your Baby's Best Sleep (WITHOUT Sleep Training!!) with Dr Pam Douglas

    29 DE MAI.

    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. 💡 You’ll learn: Why “normal” baby sleep is wildly different than what you’ve been told The two regulators that actually control sleep — and how to work with them How common sleep advice is probably setting your family up to fail Why “wake windows,” dark rooms and early bedtimes can backfire The surprising truth about overstimulation, routines, and melatonin 📖 Chapter Timestamps: 00:00 – Peeking out of the trenches of year one 01:50 – Why sleep is one of the most distorted parenting topics 04:30 – How outdated health advice causes unnecessary distress 08:00 – What the research really says about night waking 11:25 – The myth of sleep training as “evidence-based” 14:30 – The massive range of biologically normal sleep 17:00 – Why wake windows don’t make sense 22:00 – The two real sleep regulators and how to use them 29:00 – Do you really need a consistent nap routine? 35:00 – Why stimulation at bedtime is a good thing 41:00 – Forget bedtime — it’s wake time that matters 46:00 – How to reduce early rising 51:00 – Transitioning away from co-sleeping (gently) 54:00 – What Dr. Pam most wants you to know 🔗 Helpful Links: Dr. Pam’s Book, The Discontented Little Baby Book Possums Sleep Program Find a Possums-accredited practitioner 💌 Related episodes: 5 Helpful Things I Learned in My First Year of Motherhood 📺 Watch & Subscribe: Watch this episode on YouTube Subscribe on Substack 📬 Get in touch: Say hi or suggest a guest: thatshelpful @ edstott.com Follow That’s Helpful on Instagram

    56min
  7. Forgiveness: How to Let Go, Without Letting Them Off the Hook with Rachael Coopes

    21 DE MAI.

    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 science behind rumination, stress, and long-term health – What forgiveness has to do with resilience and agency – How to begin (even if you’re not ready yet) – Why boundaries are essential — not the opposite of forgiveness – Why reconciliation and forgiveness are not the same – How your future can be your act of forgiveness 📖 Chapters 00:00 The Quote That Changed Everything 02:18 How Forgiveness Became Rachael’s Obsession 05:10 What 25 Interviews Taught Her 06:30 Forgiveness vs Letting People Off the Hook 10:45 Forgiveness ≠ Reconciliation 13:05 The Neuroscience of Resentment 17:55 Where to Start When Forgiveness Feels Impossible 22:00 Boundaries, Distance & Letting Go 24:45 When Forgiveness Just Isn’t Possible 26:10 Resilience, Accountability & Rachael’s Son’s Story 29:40 Your Future as the Ultimate Act of Forgiveness 31:15 “Forgive Like a Grain of Sand” 🔗 Helpful Links: – The Art of Forgiveness by Rachael Coopes – Rachael’s official website – Follow Rachael on Instagram 📺 Watch & Subscribe: – Watch this episode on YouTube 📬 Get in touch: thatshelpful @ edstott.com Follow That’s Helpful on Instagram

    23min
  8. What 90s Pop Culture REALLY Taught Us & How to Unlearn It with Sophie Gilbert

    15 DE MAI.

    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 hear: – How porn and pop culture collided to redefine girlhood – Why so many women still struggle with internalised competition – What’s changed in how women are portrayed — and what hasn’t – How to start spotting (and unlearning) the cultural scripts you didn’t choose – And what reclaiming your story can actually look like  📖 Chapters 00:00 Nostalgia and Reflection on the 90s 03:08 The Power of Pop Culture 05:57 Reality TV and Intersectionality 08:57 Sexualization and Female Power 11:57 The Influence of Porn on Culture 14:55 Empowerment and Its Implications 17:46 Crisis of Female Identity in the 2000s 22:10 The Shift in Celebrity Culture 28:43 Cruelty and Compassion in Pop Culture 29:05 Progress in Women's Representation 31:33 The Impact of Technology on Self-Perception 34:56 Revisiting the Past for a Better Future 🔗 Mentioned: Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert Sophie’s writing at The Atlantic Ed's Doco Series on what led to Britney's conservatorship 💌 More from That's Helpful: Subscribe to my Substack Watch the podcast on YouTube Follow That’s Helpful on Instagram 📬 Got thoughts or guest suggestions? Email me at: thatshelpful @ edstott.com

    38min
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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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