Solo – The Single Person’s Guide to a Remarkable Life

What if the hero’s journey isn’t the best story structure to describe the process of becoming unapologetically unattached? This episode examines an alternative to the hero’s journey with the unfortunate name of The Virgin’s Promise. I speak to Kimberly Kessler, who presents this alternative model as a way to escape human domestication and thrive as a single person. She also relates The Virgin’s Promise to well-known stories, such as Cinderella, Frozen, Billy Elliot, and even Rocky. If you stick around for the bonus material, Kim, who is married with children, talks about how non-solos can support their solo friends and family.   Note: This episode was taped prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet it seems especially fitting as the pandemic is causing people to re-evaluate their lives. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the I’m Not Joking community today:

Peter sits down with two solo comedians—Neal Brennan and Alonzo Bodden—for a far-reaching conversation. The guests speak frankly and unapologetically about comedy, relationships, dating, and their single lives. If you stick around to the end, they give some advice about how to have a conversation with dates about your solo lifestyle.   Note: This episode was taped prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet it seems especially fitting as the pandemic is causing people to re-evaluate their lives. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the I’m Not Joking community today:

As you may know, I like to ask, “Are you the hero in the movie of your life?” To make a better sense of what that means, Peter McGraw speaks to a writer, editor, and expert on story structure about the hero’s journey and what it means for you and the change you want to make — due to the pandemic or otherwise. Note: It helps to have seen the movie The Matrix, but it isn’t a deal-breaker if you haven’t. If you stick around the end, Peter’s guest applies the hero’s journey framework to some well-known stories.   Note: This episode was taped prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet it seems especially fitting as the pandemic is causing people to re-evaluate their lives. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the I’m Not Joking community today:

How are you using your quarantine? This episode was scheduled in haste after Peter McGraw received an uplifting email from a friend and SOLO listener who is using the quarantine to “sharpen his sword.” Peter’s guest talks about his nearly 60 30-day challenges and how they make him fulfilled but difficult to date.   Note: This episode was taped prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet it seems especially fitting as the pandemic is causing people to re-evaluate their lives. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the I’m Not Joking community today:

There’s emerging evidence, anecdotal and statistical, that the quarantine is – not surprisingly – putting strains on partnerships. In this episode, Peter McGraw talks to a former divorce litigator and now divorce mediator. His guest dishes out some important advice for divorced people, married people contemplating a divorce, and single people who are contemplating marriage. In the bonus material, Peter explains what the divorce rate really means.   Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the I’m Not Joking community today:

One obvious way to grow is to travel, but what if you can’t leave the house? With psychedelics, you don’t need to leave the house to take a trip. In this episode, Peter McGraw sits down with a psychedelic educator and community leader, Ashley Booth, to talk about the history of psychedelics, their potential to help with a variety of mood disorders, and their promise to be a way to help people make profound positive changes in their lives. They are joined by Shane Mauss, a comedian who has tried lots of psychedelics and has a comedy show about his experiences.   Note: This episode was taped prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet it seems especially fitting as the pandemic is causing people to re-evaluate their lives. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the I’m Not Joking community today:

Peter, a passionate writer and friend, discusses the transformative power of writing. He emphasizes that writing is a collaborative journey, essential for personal growth and connection. The conversation touches on the importance of prioritizing creation over consumption, exploring what it means to truly engage in the writing process. Peter shares insights on the challenges writers face amidst societal pressures and highlights case studies that showcase the lengths writers go to master their craft. Tune in for an inspiring take on the art of writing!

Is pandemic pandemonium making you consider professional changes in order to live a more remarkable life? This week’s episode can help–and coincides with the launch of Peter’s new book, Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach you About Breaking Rules, Being Fearless and Building a Serious Career. You can find it as a book, eBook, or an Audible on Amazon. Keeping with that theme, Peter speaks to two friends and entrepreneurs about tips for those of you who want to start a business or just want to get more out of your career. The three present three tips for the entrepreneurial-minded listener, and we discuss special considerations for the solo entrepreneur. If you stick around till the end, for the bonus material, Peter covers a bonus lesson from Shtick to Business where he talks about taking a bigger stage. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the Solo community today:

With the turmoil in the world, are you imagining starting over and pursuing a new remarkable life? Peter and his co-host, Isabella Imani, speak to his old friend Lisa Slavid, who is starting a new chapter—or, as they conclude, beginning to climb her second mountain. Lisa is a great guest because of her remarkable Solo life, but she is also an expert in strategic planning—and gives you some tips about how to become a better planner, including how to plan to climb your second mountain. They cover a ton of great topics, including asking whether you have money problems or time problems (or both). They discuss the book The Four Agreements and the dangers of human domestication and disclose how much Peter likes it when people bet on themselves. Note: Some episodes launching around now were taped prior to the crisis. Others were taped after. This one was taped after. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the Solo community today:

How can you meet single people for friendships or more? In this episode, Peter speaks to Daliya Karnofsky and Avra Friedman, the co-hosts and co-creators of All My Single Friends, a live show that is part-comedy show and part-dating show. They discuss a variety of topics, including tips for meeting people in real life, why a bad date is not a waste of time, and why divorced folks might need a makeover. For this week’s bonus material, Peter’s guests critique his online dating profile.   Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join the Solo community today: