Thrive Solo The One Where I Talk To Author & Journalist, Poorna Bell
My guest this week is Poorna Bell, an award-winning author, journalist, public speaker and former executive editor at the Huff Post. Her sixth book, (and fourth non-fiction book) She Wanted More, came out just last month, and shines a much-needed spotlight on the lives of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond, challenging the stagnation narratives that society tries to force upon us. The book explores various themes including the distinction between motherhood and otherhood, diving into the reality that women can be childfree and still live lives of purpose and meaning.
Our conversation includes: the tragic loss of Poorna's husband Rob; how society still sees marriage as the superior path; her thoughts on the viral Vogue article, 'Is Having A Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?'; Poorna's current outlook on dating; decentering men, i.e. removing them as the focal point in our lives; the impossible standards placed on women when it comes to ageing; and Poorna's new book, She Wanted more.
05:28 Poorna’s Story: Losing Her Husband & Rethinking the 'Life Script'
09:25 10 Years On: Grief, Healing, and Finding Joy & Peace Again
16:06 From Wife to Widow to Single: Status, Stigma, and Solo Travel
22:23 Dating Pressure
25:25 Viral Vogue article ‘Is Having A Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?’ + Why Women’s Lives Get Harder with Men
34:20 Why She Wrote ‘She Wanted More’: Aging, Reinvention, and Rejecting the Decline Narrative
38:13 Older Women Athletes & Rewriting the ‘Frailty’ Narrative
40:07 Aging as Liberation: Social Media Role Models in Their 60s
43:17 Letting Go of the Male Gaze
47:53 Desire, Menopause & the Many Realities of Midlife Sex
49:49 Heidi Clements, HRT, Money & Why Friendship Matters More Than Romance
52:54 Decentering Men: Putting Yourself Back at the Center
55:50 Are We Escaping the Patriarchy? Measuring Progress (and What’s Missing)
59:50 Dating Burnout, Quitting Drinking & Dipping a Toe Back Into Dating
01:05:12 Online Dating Reality Check: Hybrid Dating, Expectations & Efficiency
01:08:46 Final Words of Advice
Buy Poorna's book, She Wanted More: https://www.amazon.co.uk/She-Wanted-More-space-dream/dp/1785122835
Follow Poorna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poornabell/?hl=en
Follow Poorna on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poornabell
- Buy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/book
- Join my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesolo
- Download my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the Most
Annoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' - Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacks
- Check out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson
- Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=share
- Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/
- Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com
And thank you so much for listening!