Ed Stott & The Big Life Questions

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 really helpful) the podcasts and books I've loved my own honest experience of pregnancy It's a very relaxed conversation but I'm hoping you'll find it helpful and perhaps make you feel a little less alone if you're also expecting. If you're not, please share it with the pregnant people in your life. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com. CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram. Find Kylie on Instagram⁠ & via ⁠her website. PODCASTS I Am with Kylie LatelyChild BOOKSHypnobirthing: Positive Ways To Make Your Birth Better The Positive Birth Book The Birth MapIna May's Guide To Childbirth

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 Climate Psychology Consultant. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram. Find Leslie on Facebook & via ⁠her website. BOOKS All The Feelings Under The Sun: How to Deal With Climate ChangeEmotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Change TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:52 - Why is this Leslie's focus? 00:02:00 - Why is it important that we talk about climate change? 00:04:24 - Why is uncertainty so hard for us to deal with as humans? 00:07:33 - Anxiety Vs. climate anxiety 00:10:50 - The window of tolerance 00:13:17 - Breath practices 00:15:55 - Noticing mental habits & internal stories 00:16:46 - Figuring out how you can help 00:21:15 - Noticing if you're outside of your window of tolerance 00:23:15 - Helping children work through their anxiety 00:27:05 - How to take the negative emotions & make them useful 00:27:51 - Will taking action ease our guilt?

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's now turning her attention to children with the release of her kids book - Chico The Schnauzer. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram. Find Taryn on Instagram⁠ & via ⁠her website. BOOKS Chico The Schnauzer Embrace Your Body DOCUMENTARIES Embrace The Documentary Embrace Kids OTHER MENTIONSIntuitive Eating 101

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. Whilst many of us rationally know these things are not true, we struggle to let go of systemic shame. Social psychologist Dr Devon Price is on a mission to help us with this very unhelpful feeling & he's the author of Unlearning Shame: How We Can Reject Self-Blame Culture and Reclaim Our Power. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com CONNECT WITH US Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram. Find Devon on Instagram⁠ & via his Substack. BOOKS Unlearning Shame: How We Can Reject Self-Blame Culture and Reclaim Our Power TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:00 - Devon's own experience with shame 00:03:32 - Personal shame Vs. Systemic shame 00:06:00 - How systemic shame manifests 00:08:15 - Signs that we might be dealing with systemic shame 00:10:21 - The behaviours we display when we're dealing with this shame 00:13:11 - How did we get here? 00:16:15 - How guilt fuels this sense of shame 00:18:00 - Shame as a distraction 00:19:15 - Systemic shame is not an effective tool for change 00:23:48 - The alternative to systemic shame 00:26:58 - How to ease shame on a personal level 00:30:46 - Letting go of perfectionism

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 book, think that means I'll have to invite a man with a pendulum and a shiny black cape to my birth. You couldn't be more wrong. Learning about hypnobirthing and reimagining the possibilities for birth has left me feeling empowered and dare I say it - excited for this huge life event. So if you have a pregnant person in your life - please send them this conversation, they are going to be eternally grateful to you. The woman responsible for my new obsession is Siobhan Miller, she's the Founder of the Positive Birth Company. In this episode, we're going to give you an introduction to hypnobirthing & teach you some practical tools that will absolutely make your birth better.- Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com CONNECT WITH US Connect with⁠⁠⁠ ⁠That's Helpful⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. Find Siobhan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ & The Positive Birth Company. MORE INFORMATION The Positive Birth CompanyPositive Birth Company Online CoursesThe Freya App BOOKS Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways To Make Your Birth Better PODCASTS The Expectation Effect: Transform Your Mindset TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:19 - How Siobhan came across hypnobirthing 00:04:04 - Changing the way we think about birth 00:06:45 - What is hypnobirthing? 00:11:00 - The science & evidence behind hypnobirthing 00:17:15 - Why language around birth is so important 00:22:35 - Reframing your mindset around birth 00:23:15 - The hormones at play during birth 00:31:00 - Game-changing breathing techniques 00:40:38 - How to help your body to push 00:43:30 - The BRAIN decision making framework 00:50:20 - Kate's 2 top tips

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 feeling the same wobble in her late twenties but going on to find that her best years were ahead of her - fulfilling relationships, growing a successful business that she went onto sell for $150 million and finding true life satisfaction. This episode is brought to you by Youfoodz, for $200 of your first 5 boxes use the code HELPFUL or order via⁠⁠⁠ ⁠this link⁠⁠⁠⁠. CONNECT WITH US Connect with⁠⁠⁠ ⁠That's Helpful⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. Find Kate on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ & TikTok. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com PODCASTSThe Science Behind Your Weirdest Thoughts TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:08 - 30 is not the deadline, it's the start line 00:07:30 - Why is 30 often perceived to be the deadline? 00:11:00 - The truth about 30 00:13:00 - The changing nature of careers 00:14:28 - How to break free of 30-phobia 00:21:27 - How to back yourself in choosing what you truly want to do 00:23:50 - The expectation gap 00:27:51 - Being mindful of self talk 00:29:57 - The 'should' test 00:35:00 - The 'yes and', 'yes but' strategy 00:37:50 - Avoiding burnout 00:40:04 - Getting great at taking rejection 00:44:11 - The arrival fallacy 00:48:00 - The one thing to remember

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 Change The Way You Drink. This episode is brought to you by Youfoodz, for $200 of your first 5 boxes use the code HELPFUL or order via⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠this link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CONNECT WITH US Connect with⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠That's Helpful⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. Find Dr Brooke on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & via her website.⁠ BOOK How to Eat to Change The Way You Drink PODCASTS Breaking Nutritional Myths: Unveiling Food Industry Secrets with Dr Marion Nestle Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com TIMESTAMPS00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:30 - Dr Brooke's journey with alcohol 00:07:52 - The effect of alcohol on our health 00:11:40 - The gut microbiome & alcohol 00:15:05 - How alcohol affects hormones 00:18:32 - Why a lot of our beliefs around alcohol consumption are false 00:21:57 - The 3 types of drinker 00:29:00 - Why protein is VITAL when it comes to easing drinking 00:33:22 - How to add more protein to your diet 00:37:30 - How not to replace alcohol with sugar 00:39:40 - Functional foods to add into your diet 00:42:44 - How long it should take before you feel the benefits 00:46:06 - Helpful supplements to add in 00:47:23 - Follow your intuition

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 - an organisation that helps to deliver creative first aid to people who need it most. They've worked with disaster affected communities, juvenile justice centres, injured workers and employers across the country. In this episode you'll learn the science behind why our brains love being creative & some of the creative prescriptions you can start to introduce into your life whether you have a minute, 10 or 30 to play with! This episode is brought to you by Youfoodz, for $200 of your first 5 boxes use the code HELPFUL or order via⁠⁠⁠ ⁠this link⁠⁠⁠⁠. CONNECT WITH US Connect with⁠⁠⁠ ⁠That's Helpful⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram.Find Makeshift on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ & via their website. BOOK Creative First Aid Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:51 - What is creative first aid? 00:05:17 - The neuroscience of creativity 00:07:41 - Anything sensory is meditative 00:09:00 - How creativity interacts with our nervous system 00:12:30 - What is the window of tolerance? 00:15:30 - Joy's two way relationship 00:16:45 - Glimmer Hunting 00:20:40 - The different kinds of creative prescriptions 00:22:15 - Quick relief prescriptions 00:24:00 - 15-30 minute prescriptions 00:25:30 - Longer prescriptions

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 book Super Communicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Today, he'll teach you those skills. This episode is brought to you by YouFoodz, for $200 of your first 5 boxes use the code HELPFUL or order via⁠⁠ ⁠this link⁠⁠⁠. CONNECT WITH US Connect with⁠⁠ ⁠That's Helpful⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. Find Charles on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ & via⁠⁠ ⁠his website.⁠⁠⁠ BOOK Super Communicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:15 What is a super communicator? 00:05:19 The importance of deep questions 00:06:47 Reciprocal vulnerability 00:06:47 The risks of deriving self worth from work 00:10:13 Learning conversations 00:11:42 How comparison culture adds to the problem 00:12:42 The importance of curiosity 00:15:10 Non-linguistic cues 00:17:55 The importance of authenticity 00:20:06 Not everything has to be a conversation 00:21:20 How to show people you're listening 00:26:10 Communicating with kids 00:28:18 Teaching your kids to be better communicators 00:32:30 Skills for online communication 00:35:34 Why communication is our super power 00:37:50 The main thing to remember…

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 Active Workday is full of simple tips and tricks to fit more movement into your day - many of them you don't even need to get up from your desk for! If you're looking for a way to get moving & make a huge difference to your health without spending hours in the gym, this episode is for you. This episode is brought to you by YouFoodz, for $200 of your first 5 boxes use the code HELPFUL or order via⁠⁠ ⁠this link⁠⁠⁠. CONNECT WITH US Connect with⁠⁠ ⁠That's Helpful⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. Find Lizzie on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ & via her website.⁠⁠⁠ BOOK The Active Workday Advantage Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:45 Lizzie's motivation 00:05:00 The mindset shift that helped Lizzie to get out of a rut 00:07:30 Thinking of yourself as 'not an exercise person' 00:09:05 The importance of breaking up prolonged sitting 00:12:05 How much time do you really need to increase movement throughout the day? 00:14:48 Think energise, not exercise 00:18:28 The relationship between walking & creativity 00:21:40 The active workday is contagious! 00:23:30 Simple micro moves you can incorporate into your day 00:26:50 How to make movement a habit that sticks 00:28:30 Maintaining motivation 00:30:46 The one thing to remember