Home Podcasts Life Matters - Separate stories podcast
Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

ABC Australia 250 episodes Latest Jun 1, 2026

Helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. Let's talk! With trusted experts and your stories, Life Matters is all about what matters to you.

Episodes

Ask Aunty: Can a lapsed Catholic exaggerate their faith for the greater good? Jun 11, 2026 0:09:07 Is it OK to fib about your faith to get your child into a good school? This week the Aunties share advice with a listener who's weighing up whether or not they should tell a little white lie to help their kid's chances at the local Catholic school. 
Navigating AI anxiety when it's a tool you rely on Jun 11, 2026 0:43:00 In just a few short years, AI has gone from being a novelty to becoming embedded in our lives.According to a 2026 report from Stanford University, Australians are among the heaviest intentional users of AI in the world — and yet, many of us don't trust AI.It's a complicated relationship. So how are you feeling about the way AI is showing up in your relationships, your work, your
How Libby Trickett is dealing with health anxiety after a SCAD heart attack Jun 10, 2026 0:25:16 After hanging up the Olympic swimming goggles, growing and birthing five beautiful children, Libby Trickett was ready to make her 40s the decade of health and fitness. But last June she had what she thought was a bad panic attack. Eight months later, she found out it was actually a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) heart attack.SCAD mostly affects otherwise healthy wo
Building neighbourhoods your kids want to play in Jun 10, 2026 0:17:10 According to a Play Australia survey from 2025, more than 70 per cent of children play in their homes — or at their friends' houses  — and a quarter of kids said they needed better opportunities to play outside. Today is the UNICEF International Day of Play, recognising the United Nations-backed right of every child to play.Which is all well and good — but are we actually buildin
Social Studies: What defines happiness? Jun 10, 2026 0:09:19 When you look at the things in your life, what really makes you happy? Recent ABS data reveals that people are less happy now than they were in 2020.When did we start to consider our happiness and how has life satisfaction changed over time?
The secret formula for making the 'perfect' decision Jun 9, 2026 0:22:23 When you've got a difficult choice to make, what's your go-to system to reach an answer?Do you pull out the magic eight ball, or do you reach for a mathematical formula?The late physicist and Nobel laureate Richard Feynman encountered this dilemma in the 1970s, struggling to decide if he and his friend should try something new off the menu at their favourite Thai restaurant. Feyn
What is the future for bookstores? Jun 9, 2026 0:08:27 For many book lovers, the local store is their happy place.Even if you're not an avid reader, bookstores can carry cultural significance, giving people the opportunity to gather and be a part of their community.Research reveals that in a decade, nearly half of Australia's bookstores have shut down. So what is the future of bookstores and what does it mean for the book industry?
Should we be considering trees as part of our critical infrastructure? Jun 9, 2026 0:17:36 When you think about the critical infrastructure that makes up a city, what comes to mind? Roads, bridges, power lines, public hospitals — what about trees?The gentle giants that shelter our footpaths, filter our air and cool our cities provide a lot for the communities where they grow. And in many places, people have a deep attachment to those trees.So when one gets cut down, so
What happens to the soft plastic you recycle? Jun 8, 2026 0:17:12 Australia uses 1.3 million tonnes of plastic packaging every year.And while most of us do our best to recycle, the majority of that packaging still ends up in landfill.Exemptions that allow some companies to export certain types of plastic waste are being wound back, but trust in our recycling system has taken a real hit in recent years. So is Australia equipped to deal with our
The hidden challenges of dyslexia at work Jun 8, 2026 0:15:38 As many as one in five Australians have dyslexia.The condition makes the basics of literacy, reading and writing, a huge hurdle, and if not managed properly can have major snowball effects on confidence and self esteem — especially if it goes undetected.But plenty of high profile people with successful careers have learned to live with dyslexia, like British actor Tom Holland, wh
Buyer Beware: How loyalty programs use your data Jun 8, 2026 0:10:42 How many loyalty programs are you a part of?There are many different programs out there each with their own set of incentives which get you to take part.But are you getting any real benefits from them in exchange for your purchasing data?
Dr Billy Garvey on raising boys Jun 7, 2026 0:24:24 Every parent wants their child to grow into a kind, capable adult. But many who are raising young boys right now are worried about their future. Childhood development expert Billy Garvey has worked with thousands of families over the last two decades, helping anxious, angry, withdrawn boys and supporting the parents who don't know where to begin. He joins Life Matters to talk abo

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