We’ve been taught that being single means something is missing — but does it?

In this chapter of This Is It, I’m Just Me, I explore singlehood, relationships, loneliness, and the changing ways people around the world seek connection.

From changing attitudes toward marriage and living alone to Japan’s companion robots and the growing role of AI, we look at what happens when people want connection but can’t always find it through another human being.

Because your relationship status does not determine your worth.

Sometimes the greatest flex is knowing you can stand on your own — while still leaving room for someone who deserves a place beside you.

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Sources & Further Reading

This chapter draws on research about loneliness, living arrangements, relationships, mental-health access, social robots, and AI companionship.

• World Health Organization — Social Connection, Social Isolation and Loneliness

• Statistics Canada — One-person households and Canadian household trends

• Statistics Finland — People living alone and household statistics

• Pew Research Center — Loneliness and social connections in the United States

• OECD Family Database — Marriage, divorce, cohabitation and changing family structures

Additional research was also consulted on Japan’s aging population, social robots, AI companionship, and artificial forms of intimacy.

The research in these areas is continually evolving. Some AI-companionship research is still emerging and should be viewed as early evidence rather than settled conclusions.

For anyone interested in exploring the statistics further, the organizations above are a great place to start — and, of course, you can always Google the topics and explore the research for yourself.

Sometimes the people we grew up with become the people we no longer recognize. In this chapter, I explore sibling fallouts, resentment, aging parents, family expectations, caregiving, addiction and recovery, emotional exhaustion, and the difficult decision to step away from a sibling relationship. Because sharing blood doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your peace—and sometimes loving someone means accepting that you can’t save them, change their choices, or continue being part of the cycle.

In this deeply personal episode, I talk about where I’ve been, why the podcast has been quieter, and the unexpected shift happening in my life. After years of being visible, performing, creating, and sharing so much of myself publicly, I’m learning what it means to live a slower, softer, more peaceful life.

This isn’t a goodbye. It’s a reflection. It’s about burnout, depression, grief, healing, letting go of expectations, the realities of pet ownership, and discovering that a meaningful life doesn’t always have to be a loud one.

Thank you for being here with me.

In this chapter, I talk about what happens when you step away from the noise—like leaving Instagram and barely using Facebook—and start hearing yourself again. When the constant input of social media quiets down, it changes how you see everything: identity, attraction, and even yourself.

Being in my own company lately has brought a sense of clarity and peace I didn’t expect. Without all that outside influence, I’m noticing who I am a little more clearly, without pressure to explain it or define it.

And I’m learning that maybe I don’t need to define everything about myself to feel grounded. Maybe I don’t need a label at all—maybe I can just be me.

In this chapter, I talk about something that often gets misunderstood—living alone.

Not as loneliness… but as peace.

As intention.

As a life that’s been carefully shaped to feel calm, soft, and truly your own.

I share what it’s like to create a home that reflects your inner world, where quiet isn’t empty—it’s grounding. Where your space begins to hold you, instead of drain you.

And I also open up about a new kind of companionship entering my life…

A gentle, intuitive cat arriving on May 16th—bringing a kind of love that doesn’t disrupt peace, but settles right into it.

This chapter is about redefining what it means to feel complete.

Not waiting for love to arrive… but building a life that already feels whole—and allowing the right kind of connection to enter it, softly.

If you’re living alone, learning to enjoy your own space, or craving a softer way of being… this one’s for you.

Continuing through the 1953 archives of Chatelaine, this chapter dives into two very different stories—The Story of Two Fat Men and From Merrie England to Massy by Judith Robinson. What starts as a simple reading quickly turns into something deeper, touching on health, identity, culture, and the way people thought and wrote back then. It’s fascinating to see how some things—like conversations around weight and lifestyle—haven’t changed much at all, while others feel completely of another time. Along the way, there’s also a look at the language, the personality in the writing, and even a vintage ad that adds a little humour to it all. It’s reflective, a little raw, and very much a continuation of the journey into the past—seen through a modern lens.

In this first episode of Chatelaine: The 1953 Archives, I open the March 1953 issue of Chatelaine and begin at the very beginning — including a section where readers take over and share their opinions, reactions, and perspectives. These letters give a fascinating glimpse into what people were thinking, discussing, and debating at the time. Some thoughts feel surprisingly familiar, while others clearly reflect a different era, making this a unique window into everyday life and conversation in 1953.

I didn’t post a farewell story. I didn’t announce a break. I just deleted Instagram. In this episode, I share why I made the clean cut, what it’s like stepping away from a platform that drains more than it gives, and how simplifying my digital life has helped me reclaim energy, focus, and real connection.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by scrolling, fake connections, or the constant highlight reels, this one’s for you. A quiet exit might just be the freedom you didn’t know you needed.

Lana dives into the Fire Horse energy—a bold, transformative force that shakes up life, clears old connections, and opens space for new beginnings. She shares her journey of letting go: ending draining relationships, shedding past selves, and even redesigning her space with a new dining table that reflects her evolving style. Blending Life Path 4 grounding with natural 8-year clearing cycles, this chapter is a guide to turning pages, releasing what no longer serves you, and stepping fully into the next chapter of your life.

I love writing poems and creating stories with words and sound. In this chapter, I talk about how I bring my poetry to life, why I started sharing it in new ways, and how I use tools like AI to shape the sound, effects, and atmosphere that make my work feel alive. I also introduce my alter ego, Velvet L, and the YouTube space where my poems meet sound.

https://youtube.com/@velvetlmusic