Thrive Solo

Send us a textIn this week's episode, I talk to sociologist, demographer and author, Dr. Kris Marsh. Dr. Kris Marsh received her PhD from the University of Southern California in 2005. She was a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina before joining the faculty of the University of Maryland where she has been tenured since 2014. She is the author of ‘The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class.’ In this conversation, Kris and I talk about why she chose the title of her book, The Love Jones Cohort; the reasons behind the rise of singles in the black middle class and beyond; how gendered racism constrains personal choices; and how racial discrimination in the housing market can be the reason why some people remain single. We also discuss colourism, and the argument that the lighter skinned you are, the more choice you potentially have when it comes to finding a partner; how gendered racism feeds into why some people are single; and how black women may have an even harder time being single due to racism coupled with the stigma of being single.Our conversation also includes how people always ask why people are single, but never why they’re married; how some people are willing to get into / remain in toxic or abusive relationships in order to avoid the label of ‘single’; and how it seems to be acceptable to ask single people about their sex lives in a way we wouldn’t ask married people.  Kris also tells me how the research for her book found that single women tend to thrive as singles, whereas men tend to bide their time until finding a relationship; how the subjects in Kris’ book tended to suffer from situational loneliness rather than chronic loneliness; and how people tend to think of marriage and partnership as a panacea.     Finally, we talk about how important it is to be confident and content in our singlehood before we consider a relationship; and the racial aspect of the recent and tragic death of Tyre Nichols.    Buy Kris’ book, (UK link) The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Jones-Cohort-Cambridge-Stratification-ebook/dp/B0BSR25D47 Buy Kris’ book, (US link): https://www.amazon.com/Love-Jones-Cohort-Cambridge-Stratification/dp/1316612910 Follow Kris on Instagram: @drkrismarshOn Twitter: @drkrismarshFind out more at Kriss website:https://drkrismarsh.com/ Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textIn this week's minisode, I'm talking about how, as single women, we should be thriving, not just surviving.So many of us are weighed down by the societal narrative that appears to only celebrate couples; in addition, many of our negative thought patterns around being single and childless stem from beliefs that were chosen for us in childhood and beyond, rather than beliefs we chose for ourselves. The simple fact is that our happiness is not determined by our relationship status, and therefore we can experience the same amount of joy and contentment as any of our coupled counterparts.With these things in mind, plus the fact that our inbuilt freedom is something to take advantage of and relish, let's strive to thrive, not just survive. (I'm a poet and I don't know it. ) 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/book Join my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesolo Download my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textSupport the showIn this week's episode, I talk to manifestation coach, Matt Cooke. In February 2019, Matt connected with his mother for the first time, following her passing in July 2017. This experience triggered an extraordinary spiritual awakening and realisation for Matt that there is so much more to life than we know. He subsequently made it his mission to understand what had happened, and how, and this kicked off months of research into all things energy and power of the mind, not least the laws that govern our universe, specifically The Law of Vibration and The Law of Attraction. Matt’s journey led him to become the highly successful manifestation coach that he is today, helping clients from all over the world manifest the lives that they truly desire. In this conversation, Matt and I talk about the first time he connected with his darling Mum; how absolutely everything is energy; how time is an illusion and a man-made concept; and how we can all learn how to tune into the frequency of the things we desire.We also discuss how Matt discovered The Law of Attraction; how we are all pure consciousness; how manifestation means deciding to be a conscious creator in order to create the life you want; and how our subconscious minds control 95% of who we are and what we do.Our conversation also includes how we are all creators who are either consciously, or unconsciously, manifesting our lives; how our state of being becomes our personality; how we need to become aware of what we’re thinking and how we’re feeling; and how the key is to become aware that we are not our thoughts.Matt and I chat about how we are all magnets who draw into our realities what we’re vibrating out; how the key to manifestation is becoming the personality of your future by changing your core vibration; how, if we want a loving relationship, we need to start acting as though we already have love; and how we can reprogram our subconscious limiting beliefs using meditation.Finally, we talk about how gratitude is one of the most powerful manifestation tools that we should all be incorporating into our days; and how alignment is largely about ‘being present’ throughout your day.   Follow Matt on Instagram: @mattcookecoachOn Twitter: @mattcookecoachOn TikTok: mattcooke_Find out more at Matt’s website:https://www.mattcooke.me/  Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textOn this week's minisode, I'm talking about how so many people seem to 'hate this time of year', and why I think we need to change our perspective around the post-New Year blues.I hear so, so many people say that they hate January and February. It's too cold, too dark, too depressing, too boring, too [insert complaint here].It seems as though the minute New Year's Day is over, we all slip into a default state of misery. But why? And is it really necessary?I say let's look at it through a different lens; let's not waste a quarter of the year wishing it away. Instead, let's think about the possibility of everything that potentially awaits us as a new year begins. Because before we know it...they'll be putting up the Christmas lights again and we'll be welcoming in 2024. ;)  Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textIn this week's episode, I talk to Executive Director and Communications Manager at Population Balance, Nandita Bajaj and Kirsten Stade. The organisation’s mission is to offer education and solutions to address the impacts of human overpopulation and overconsumption on the planet, people, and animals. It is the first and only organisation globally that draws the connections between pronatalism, anthropocentrism, and overpopulation, and their combined devastating impacts on social, reproductive, ecological, and intergenerational justice. In this episode, we talk about how the planet is in ‘ecological overshoot’; the many manifestations of the climate and biodiversity crises; and how our growing population is essentially crowding out all of the other species on the planet.We also talk about pronatalism as the driver of overpopulation, and why it is having such a huge and devastating impact; how Nandita herself did not think she had a choice to not have children because of her upbringing in India; and coercive pronatalism - the default pressure that is placed on women to have children.We discuss how Kirsten never felt pressure from her family to have children, but how she noticed the pressure surrounding her; how getting pregnant isn’t always a positive development in a woman’s life; how the media has depicted families with children as somehow more ‘whole’ or ‘complete’, and how this makes it hard for people to know what they truly want; and how peeling away the layers of pronatalism is essential to afford women the clarity to choose whether or not they truly want children, and / or a potentially smaller family.     The conversation also covers how pronatalism undermines reproductive responsibility; overpopulation denialism in academic circles due to sensitivity surrounding population control; how women in certain are still regarded as reproductive vessels who have absolutely no reproductive autonomy; and how the desire for procreation is not universal but rather falls on a spectrum.Finally, we talk about awareness and how to translate that into action; and pushing the boundaries on what the term ‘family’ means.  Follow Population Balance on Instagram: @populationbalanceOn Twitter: @populationbalanceFind out more at the website:https://www.populationbalance.org/ Listen to the podcast, The Overpopulation Podcast, on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/6cp86TNMOVEMzzWUODyCL2And on Apple Podcasts: Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textIn this week's minisode, I'm talking about who and what is inspiring me, as well as some of the things I do on the daily to maintain a positive mindset and ensure I'm feeling good as much of the time as possible.I mention some books that I'm loving, a couple of podcasts that inspire and motivate me, some people I'm enjoying following on Instagram, as well as a few of the practices that have become a part of my daily routine. Hope you enjoy it and find something of value to take away with you. :)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/book Join my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesolo Download my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textSupport the showIn this week's episode of Spinsterhood Reimagined, I talk to journalist, author, editor, thought leader and podcaster, Ruby Warrington. Ruby latest book 'Women Without Kids' will be published in the spring but is available to pre-order now. She is the creator of the term ‘Sober Curious’, and the author of the 2018 book and million download podcast of the same name. Her work on the subject has spearheaded a global movement to reevaluate our relationship to alcohol. Her other books include ‘Material Girl, Mystical World’ and ‘The Sober Curious Reset’. With more than 20 years’ experience as a lifestyle journalist and editor, Ruby is known as an astute culture commentator and thought leader. She's also the founder of self-publishing imprint, Numinous Books. In this episode, Ruby and I talk about the three motivators that drove her to write Women Without Kids; the nuances of not having children and her theory of the 'motherhood spectrum’; and how the desire to be a parent is something that can be ever-changing over the course of someone’s life.    We also talk about the importance of being supported when making the often complex decision of whether or not to have a baby; how women without kids are diminished in society; and how childfree women can often be seen as ‘selfish’, especially when they prioritise and spend time on their personal growth.    Ruby and I also talk about Orna Donath’s studies on women who regret having kids, as well as our own feelings around being told we’ll regret not becoming mothers; the healing that Ruby has done with her own mother as a result of writing her book; and how she feels now that the book is about to be birthed into the world!Finally, we talk about Ruby’s love of astrology; how the term ‘woowoo’ is being reclaimed; Ruby’s meditation and yoga practices; and her platform, The Numinous.  Follow Ruby on Instagram: @rubywarringtonFind out more at Ruby’s website:https://www.rubywarrington.com/Pre-Order ‘Women Without Kids’ (UK Link):https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Without-Kids-Revolutionary-Sisterhood-ebook/dp/B0B19DQ3K3 Pre-Order ‘Women Without Kids’ (US Link):https://www.amazon.com/Women-Without-Kids-Revolutionary-Sisterhood/dp/1683649273 Listen to Ruby’s podcast, Sober Curious, on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3GukloeJytj Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textOn today's minisode, I'm talking about comparison.Most of us have a tendency to compare ourselves to, or feel envious of, other people. Whether we're comparing our house, our career, or a particular quality that someone else has, comparison truly is the thief of joy.But when you think about it, comparison is actually a total waste of time; because each and every one of the 8 billion people on planet earth is completely and utterly unique. No one can do things or say things the way that we do, and no one else can show up in the world exactly the same way as we do. And therein lies our superpower.In this digital world of social media, it's hard to not feel envious whilst we're scrolling through our Instagram feed. But maybe we can learn to reframe it, and use it as a source of inspiration - a signpost in the direction of what's possible - instead of allowing it to negatively impact our sense of self worth.   Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textIn this week's episode of Spinsterhood Reimagined, I talk to childfree life coach and podcaster, Anna Olson. Anna is a certified life coach who works specifically with women who are struggling with the decision to be childfree. In previous stages of her life, she has been many things from a flower farmer to a jewellery maker. She came across life coaching whilst going through a rough period herself, and was looking for inspiration and direction. Her world was transformed so much for the better by the life coach she subsequently found, that she decided to become a coach herself. Anna also has a podcast, We’re Not Kidding, and a community of the same name.In this episode, Anna and I talk about how she is the youngest of five siblings, only one of whom currently has children; how she arrived at her decision to be childfree despite having initially assumed she would have kids; and how the rhetoric and societal expectations around women having children motivated her to be as vocal as possible about her decision not to.     We also talk about how Anna decided she wanted to help other women with their decision to be childfree; how she used to think that there was something wrong with her because she didn’t want children; and how she came to be a life coach as a result of her own life struggles.Anna also tells me that many of her coaching clients have made the choice to be childfree, but then enter a period of questioning their decision; regret, and how a high number of her clients are afraid of the possibility that they will regret not having children; and how Anna herself has never worried about regretting her decision.Finally, we talk about Anna’s podcast, We’re Not Kidding, and how she started it so that other women wound’t feel so alone; and how what she loves most about not having children is being able to truly invest in the things that bring meaning to her to life. Follow Anna on Instagram: @coachannaolsonFind out more at Anna’s website:https://annaolson.com/  Listen to Anna’s podcast, We’re Not Kidding, on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4ioZWeJqUQIp4MQiYVG4YSAnd on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/were-not-kidding/id1580005187 Check out the We’re Not Kidding Community at:https://wnk-club.com/  Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!

Send us a textOn today's minisode, I'm talking about purpose.It's so important to feel as though we have purpose in our lives, particularly as single, childfree gals. Purpose gives our life meaning and can be the difference between us feeling good and us not feeling good. If we're spending at least some of our time on a pursuit that motivates us, and we have goals to mark on our calendar, we will feel a sense of direction; and in this crazy world, we all need to feel as though we have some control over our lives and how we're living them.So if right now, your only sense of purpose is coming from the latest Netflix series, (if that's the case, I feel ya!) perhaps it's time to investigate what truly lights you up. Because when we follow what feels really, really good, that's where the magic happens.   Support the showBuy 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 MostAnnoying 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!