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In this week’s minisode, I’m talking about why, at 50, I don’t regret not having children — and why I’ve actually become increasingly grateful that I didn’t. I’m reflecting on whether I was ever really as “childless by circumstance” as I once believed, the difference between wanting a baby and wanting to be a parent, and some of the worries, responsibilities and sacrifices that those of us without children have been spared. I also talk about the freedom and headspace being childfree has given me to pursue my passions and purpose, why not having children doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of regret, and why there are countless ways to live a full, meaningful and deeply fulfilling life without becoming a mother.

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying Questions Single Women Get Asked'
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And thank you so much for listening!

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On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Polly and I are talking about fitness.

We each share what our own fitness routines look like, covering strength training, Sprint Interval Training (SIT), running, rebounding, and good old walking.

Given that fitness is so important, especially as we age, we hope you'll find something useful or inspiring in here.

Love,

Polly & Lucy x

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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

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• Email me: [email protected] 

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My wonderful guest on the podcast this week is Alison Leiby, a comedian, writer, and author of the brilliant book, 'I’m Alot: Surviving Myself & All The People I’ve Been', which came out in July. 

The book is essentially a memoir-in-essays, which unpacks some of the different identities that make up who Alison is, including being single, being an only child, being a sufferer of chronic pain, being childfree, being political, not having a best friend, and various other incarnations of who she is - and having read this book cover to cover myself and loved it, I can highly recommend it. 

Alison is a two-time WGA Award–nominated writer. She has written for Life & Beth, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and The President Show, and was a writer and executive producer for Ilana Glazer’s Comedy on Earth for Comedy Central. Her critically acclaimed solo show Oh God, A Show About Abortion, which ran at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York, was named the Best Political Comedy of the year by The New York Times. 

This week is just the first half of our conversation and we’re talking in this part about life as a standup comedian in New York, and the differences between writing for late-night comedy shows and shows like The Marvellous Mrs Maisel; Alison tells me about the life threatening complication that came after her back surgery at the age of 19, and subsequently living with chronic pain; and we also talk about her take on love and her single life.

Follow Alison on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonleiby/?hl=en

Buy her book, I'm Alot: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Im-Lot-Alison-Leiby/dp/059373162X

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!

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In Part 2 of Reasons I’ll Probably Be Single Forever, I’m looking at the other side of the equation: everything single life gives me. From autonomy, peace and solitude, to loving my own company, not envying couples, not needing male validation and no longer seeing romantic partnership as a goal, I’m talking about why my life already feels full exactly as it is. Because maybe staying single forever isn’t a worst-case scenario at all. Maybe, for some of us, it’s simply the life that suits us best.

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!

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This week on Thursday’s Thoughts, Polly and I are talking about optimisation, and whether our constant quest to look and feel better might actually be making us feel worse.

We’re bombarded on social media with advice on how to optimise almost every area of our health and wellbeing. Add in wearables and apps tracking everything from sleep and steps to heart rate and recovery, and it can feel like there’s always something else we should be doing.

But do we really need to optimise everything?

We talk about why getting the basics right consistently – eating well, moving regularly, prioritising sleep and managing stress – is far more important than chasing the latest wellness trend or perfect score.

We also explore the importance of tuning into how you actually feel. Data can be useful, but relying too heavily on numbers can mean we lose connection with our own bodies.

We hope you find something useful in here.

Love,
Polly & Lucy x

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!

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JOIN ME FOR A THRIVE SOLO TRIP TO ITALY IN APRIL 2027! https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

My fabulous guest on this week's episode is aesthetic practitioner and content creator, Nadiya Bekar. Nadiya is 54, single, childfree, lives in North London with her sausage dog, Chilli, and is loving her single life. 

Those of you who follow me on Instagram might have seen a reel I did a few weeks ago where I say "I cannot be arsed with romantic relationships", "I cannot be arsed to go on dates" etc etc - and it went viral - which was 100% thanks to Nadiya who did a similar reel which gave me the inspiration for mine. So, that’s how we connected. I then asked her to come on the podcast, and I am so, so glad that I did because I absolutely loved her. 

While Nadiya is successful in work and in life, she herself admits that she doesn’t have the greatest track record when it comes to romantic relationships, and she’s been single this time around for 2 years. In our conversation, we talk all about her relationship history and why she says that many of her previous boyfriends didn’t even like her; she tells me about getting sober following years of heavy drinking that was really impacting her life, not to mention her relationships; we talk about how she knew she didn’t want kids at the age of 9, but how having a dog has brought out her maternal side; we also talk about that dreaded question "Aren’t you worried about who’s going to look after you when you’re older?” as well as Nadiya’s career as an aesthetic practitioner, including details of some of the injectable treatments that she does on her clients. 

Check out Nadiya's website: https://www.nadiyabekar.com/

Follow Nadiya on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadiyabekarlondon

Contact Nadiya via email: [email protected] 

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!

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In this week’s minisode, I’m sharing some of the reasons I genuinely think I may be single forever — and why that prospect doesn’t bother me in the slightest. From my almost non-existent tolerance for bullshit and my love of independence, to the compromises, emotional responsibility and risk of losing yourself that can come with relationships, I’m exploring why partnership simply doesn’t hold the same appeal for me that it once did. Because if you don’t experience being single as a problem, then a relationship isn’t the solution — it’s just one possible life choice. And any man who came into my life now wouldn’t be competing with other men. He’d be competing with my single life…and the competition is fierce.

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!

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On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Polly and I are talking about our tendency to keep striving for the next thing, rather than appreciating what we already have.

We talk about the ‘hedonic treadmill’ - the idea that even when we achieve something we really wanted, the happiness it brings often doesn’t last, and before long we’re looking towards the next goal.

Polly shares how she sometimes forgets that she's living in the house she once dreamed of, while I talk about the freedom I have in my work and how, for example, having a post go viral doesn't fundamentally change how I feel.

We also talk about gratitude, appreciating the small, everyday things, and remembering that fulfilment isn’t necessarily waiting for us at the next milestone.

We hope you’ll find something interesting or helpful in here.

Love,

Polly & Lucy x

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!

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JOIN ME FOR A THRIVE SOLO TRIP TO ITALY IN APRIL 2027! https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

My gorgeous guest on this week's episode of Thrive Solo is advertising executive, Sammy Hibbard-Daniels. Thirty-seven, single, and childfree, Sammy lives with her sausage dog, Frank. She was in a ten year relationship until a few years ago when her and her partner parted ways - still sharing joint custody of Frank - and she is now leaning into all things solo life, including her solo travel adventures. 

In this conversation, Sammy and I cover topics including the terminology around single women without kids, her first solo trip to Bali when she left her job and flew across the world by herself, romanticising your life as a single woman, making new friends as an adult woman, being intentional with your time, the shi*show that is online dating, and so much more.

Follow Sammy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samsiekate/

Follow Sammy on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samsiekate

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!

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JOIN ME FOR A THRIVE SOLO TRIP TO ITALY IN APRIL 2027!  https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

In Part 2 of this minisode series, I’m getting into the nitty gritty of exactly what I’ve been doing to get fitter, stronger and leaner at 50. I’m talking you through my three weekly strength-training sessions, progressive overload, how I get around 100g of protein a day, what I actually eat, the supplements I take, my daily walks, why I’m completely obsessed with rebounding, and the importance of sleep and recovery. There’s no extreme diet, punishing exercise regime or magic menopause hack involved — just a handful of simple things done consistently. If you’ve been telling yourself it’s too late to get stronger or start looking after your body, I hope this episode gives you a little kick up the arse to start.

USE THIS LINK TO GET 10% OFF THE SAME REBOUNDER I HAVE USING CODE: THRIVESOLO AT CHECKOUT! https://rebound.fitness/?ref=ThriveSolo

Support the show

• JOIN MY ITALY TRIP IN APRIL 2027: https://www.explore.co.uk/thrivesolo-italy

• Buy 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 Most
  Annoying 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: [email protected] 

And thank you so much for listening!