Thrive Solo

Send us Fan MailMy guest on this week’s episode is the awesome Jill Stark.Jill, who is both single and childfree, is a best-selling author, content specialist and award-winning journalist, who uses the power of storytelling as a tool for connection and change. Her best-selling books include Happy Never After and High Sobriety. She is from Scotland but lives in Melbourne, Australia. Topics that we cover are:the parallels between sobriety and choosing the single life;why she describes herself as a social agitator;how Jill grew up in a culture of drinking, and how she took that into her adult life;the irony of how she became a health reporter writing about binge drinking;how she came to quit drinking, initially for three months, and how much she loved it;the book deal that saw her quit drinking for a further year;people’s reactions to Jill’s sobriety;being single, and how Jill never questioned whether she actually wanted to get married and have kids;the correlation between quitting drinking and her clarity around her relationship status;Jill’s podcast, Well Enough Alone;her ‘Solo Sunday’ events in Melbourne;why we shouldn’t be looking to other people to fix feelings of loneliness;the lie we’ve been told that one person can fix all of our problems or complete us;Jill’s mental health crisis in 2014;how fundamentally important it is to develop a strong sense of self;how we’re so conditioned to see marriage and babies as ‘success’;the growing ‘movement’ of single women;how Jill resonates with Bella DePaulo’s notion of being ‘single at heart’.Follow Jill on Instagram:@jillstark__Check out Jill’s website:https://jillstark.com.au/ Check out Jill's podcast, Well Enough Alone:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/well-enough-alone-a-guide-to-thriving-solo/id1751129641 Get £100 any trip with Explore at:https://www.explore.co.uk/offers/current-offers/hood To try out the amazing deal with Republic of Cats, go to:https://www.republicofcats.com/catlady/  Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailOn today's minisode, I'm talking about a few of the lessons I've learned about relationships that I wish I could pass onto my teenage self. Time machine, anyone...?! To try out the amazing deal with Republic of Cats, go to:https://www.republicofcats.com/catlady/And for £100 voucher off any trip with Explore Worldwide, go to:https://www.explore.co.uk/offers/current-offers/hood  Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailOn today's Thursday Thoughts, Polly & I are talking about victimhood.When we're living in victimhood, we feel as though we are powerless over our lives. We feel as though life is happening to us rather than for us, and we tend to blame people, circumstances, and things on why we are where we are, or we feel the way we feel.This means that we are giving our power away, assuming that there's nothing we can do to change things.When we, instead, adopt a more empowered mindset, we take back control over our lives. Rather than believing we're powerless to improve our situation, we start looking for solutions rather than fixating on the problems.An empowered mindset allows us to take a more proactive approach to the issues in our lives. And when we live with the knowledge that life is working for us, suddenly things start to get a whole lot better.We hope you'll find something useful in here.Love,Polly & Lucy x Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailMy guest on this week’s episode is the fabulous Rachael Stone, the Product Director at Explore Worldwide.Rachael is passionate about travel and has travelled all over the world, including many solo travel adventures. She is single, childfree, and lives in London. Topics that we cover are:why Rachael started working in the travel industry;her very first group adventure trip in southern Africa, and how it changed her life;how solo travel can push you to your limits, but how it also makes you a better person;how Rachael’s role at Explore Worldwide consists of designing and creating the tours;her recent trip to Ghana and how much she loved it;the wonderful local tour leaders who Rachael works closely with;how Explore’s most popular tour right now is a 2 week trip to Japan;some of the other popular destinations, including Italy and Madeira;the fabulous nature and wildlife tours that Explore do;Costa Rica, and why it’s such a fabulous destination;how Rachael saw gorillas in Uganda, and what an exceptional experience it was;Iceland, and how the people have a great sense of humour;how walking and cycling tours are popular with solo female travellers;the benefits of group travel, and how you can still take time for yourself;the misconception that when you go on a group tour, you’re not an independent traveller;how group tours lend themselves to connection and making new friends;Rachael’s thoughts on the single supplement, and room sharing on group trips;her worst experience as a solo traveller;how one of Explore’s main values is to leave a positive impact on the local communities;how Rachael loved the food in Sri Lanka more than anywhere else. Check out Explore at:https://www.explore.co.uk/ Get £100 any trip with Explore at:https://www.explore.co.uk/offers/current-offers/hood  Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailOn today's minisode, I'm talking about duality in the lives of single, childfree women.Prompted by an encounter with a very cute baby in a coffee shop, I've been thinking about how it is possible to feel broody at the sight of a baby, but still feel happy and grateful to be childfree.And the same goes for being single. There is a duality in yearning for intimacy and a relationship, but also loving single life.Press 'Play' and let me know what you think! Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailOn this week's Thursday Thoughts, Polly and I dive into the world of goals.We discuss why setting goals is important, how to set them, and how best to achieve them.Whether you're aiming for personal growth, professional, or sporting success, or a balance of all these things, we hope this conversation will help inspire you to turn your goals into achievable realities. Love,Polly & Lucy x Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailMy guest on this week’s episode is the wonderful Jennifer Kirk, a 63 year old digital creator who is living her best single, childfree life! Jennifer’s mission is to break the stigma around single women, and show the world that you can live a fabulous solo life at any age.Topics that we cover are:why Jennifer calls herself ‘The Happy Maverick’;her take on ageing, and why we need to redefine it;the health benefits of being single, and how Jennifer loves to take care of herself;women who put everything into bringing up kids and subsequently suffer when they leave home;how she chronicles her life on Instagram in order to portray a single woman living a happy and fulfilling life;victimhood, and why we need to take control of our lives;Jennifer’s story around her relationship status, and why she chose to be single;how she is an extroverted introvert who needs lots of alone time to regroup;why it’s so important to spend time alone;why being single allows you to find out what YOU like;how the only thing Jennifer doesn’t like about being single is having to take responsibility for everything;how much she loves being able to do exactly what she wants without having to ask permission;why it would take alot for Jennifer to enter into a new relationship;Jennifer’s thoughts on doing things by herself;solo travel, and why she loves it so much;how Jennifer always assumed she would have kids, but how she knows that she would have found parenting very hard;JD Vance and his comments about ‘miserable cat ladies’;why it’s is important to love yourself, especially if you want a partner;how the longer you go without sex, the less you need it.Follow Jennifer on Instagram:@jenniferthehappymaverick Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailOn today's minisode, I'm talking about what we can learn from those folks who have Down Syndrome.The other day, I sat opposite a young woman with Down Syndrome on the tube in London, and we struck up a conversation.These are my thoughts on what those of us born with an extra chromosome can teach the rest of us.  Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailIn this week's episode of Thursday Thoughts, Polly and I are talking about envy and jealousy.We talk about the difference between the two, how they’ve shown up in our own lives, and how we can actually use both envy and jealousy to our advantage.We also talk about how, particularly when it comes to jealousy, it’s often more to do with our own lack of self-esteem and self-worth, than the situation at hand.Finally, we touch on some ways that we can start to quieten down those green eyed monsters.We hope you’ll find something useful in here!Love,Polly & Lucy x Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailMy guest on this week’s episode is the brilliant Eli Davies, a writer and researcher who is both single and childfree. Topics that we cover are:how the break up of Eli’s long term relationship led to her becoming fascinated with the significance of home;the aftermath of the breakup and what that looked like for Eli at the age of 37;her move from London to Belfast for her PhD;her fabulous 40th birthday celebrations;her intense and lonely experience of being alone in lockdown in Belfast;how the achievements of singles can be overshadowed by others getting married or having babies;the importance of elevating other kinds of relationships;how Eli feels about being single these days;how she craves a community of friends who live close by;how being single means you can sometimes be excluded from things;why she doesn’t like the word ‘single’;how Eli would rather meet someone in the real world than on an app;why she never wants to live with a partner again;how Eli has always been a bit unconventional;engagements, weddings, and social media;why solo travel is one of the greatest gifts Eli has ever given herself;the ‘moment’ in Vietnam when she realised she loved travelling alone; Eli’s upcoming book;why being single isn’t an absence.Check out Eli’s Substack:https://elidavies.substack.com/ Follow Eli on Instagram:@elidaviesssFollow Eli on X:@eldavldn Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: lucy@lucymeggeson.com And thank you so much for listening!