Hi Love Bugs, and welcome to this week's episode of The Heartbeat with Acamea Deadwiler, who is the writer of the important and informative book Single That: Dispelling The Top 10 Myths Of The Single Woman.

Firstly hear about Kevin's transition - travel, work, friends - all shifting and changing. Old way of doing things falling and dying away + new coming in constantly and consistently. The love of uncertainty and feeling comfortable in it, and why that's important right now especially. Feeling through this transition and change - that shift happening on a collective and personal level across the board.

Here Acamea and Kevin discuss the many aspects and constructs of being single, and what that entails in our society at this time. Women often times being judged on their relationship status, and judging each other in turn. Plus some hope around what we can do to change the cultural and personal narrative bit by bit (being more joyful helps!)

"It's a combination of things - it's what other people determine about women based on their being single, especially of a certain age, and I believe those outside opinions and outside ideas can be adopted by us. And so we start to believe those things about ourselves, we portray those philosophies onto other women. I don't even believe it's just the men, or just society, I think those ideas are something that have been kind of ingrained into us, and so we judge ourselves and other women by their relationship status."

"We are so much more than relationship status, we are so much more than who we're dating, or, you know, being parents. You're a whole person in and of yourself."

"We throw around 'learn how to love yourself' and things like that, but it is kind of an abstract concept, like, 'well what does that mean?' And I think that's the start, you know? Think about what you enjoy, think about what makes you happy, what brings you joy, what you like to do, and just start doing those things! Like you said, go in that store, take that trip, just start doing those things that bring you joy - independent of another person."

Be sure to pick up Acamea's book, and find her on all the social media - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @acameald

And as always, rate and review this podcast if you're lovin' it, connect with Kevin on Instagram, heartguy.com, and be sure to join the book club! This month we're reading The Language of Emotions by Karla McLaren!