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My guest this week is Harry Hardisty, creator of the TikTok/Instagram/Facebook channels 'Dad Hugs for Your Soul,' which offers support for people recovering from difficult relationships; he started the channels just over a year ago, and now has a quarter of a million followers across all his socials. 

Harry created 'Dad Hugs For Your Soul' as a safe, supportive space for anyone struggling with a relationship, especially if the person in question has left you questioning your worth, or if you’re chasing closure that never came. He wanted to help people move towards healing with honestly, compassion, and support. 

Our conversation inclused: the difficult relationship he had with his Dad that resulted in his anxious attachment style and the work he did to heal from that; the mistakes people make when they chase happiness in a romantic partner; the pressure and expectation that romantic relationships have to last forever; why Harry’s view of romance and romantic relationships aren’t what most people think they are; why authenticity is so incredibly important; and why Harry isn’t a great believer in the so-called male loneliness epidemic.

04:31 How Dad Hugs Went Viral + Why the Audience Is Mostly Women

07:37 Anxious Attachment Origins: An Avoidant Dad & the Abandonment Wound

11:00 Healing the Pattern: Self-Audit, Accountability & Learning to Be Enough Alone

16:03 Stop Outsourcing Happiness: Validation, Addiction-Like Attachment & Self-Love

23:56 Are the Most Healed People Single? Authenticity, Acceptance & Growth Through Pain

29:55 Do Healthy Relationships Even Exist? Rethinking Romance Beyond “Forever”

34:11 The “Bubble Marriage” + Why Relationships Aren’t Failures When They End

37:01 Marriage as a 50/50 gamble + letting go of ego

38:05 Authenticity on social media: ditch the armor, “just mean it”

42:35 Not a therapist, but real experience: handling backlash with conviction

46:45 The widening dating gap: women opting out & men’s online toxicity

52:02 Why men struggle emotionally: how boys get de-socialised from vulnerability

01:00:22 Intentional Dating: why “searching for love” (and apps) set you up to fail

01:03:36 Red flags & green flags: beware polished profiles, date the happy/peaceful man

01:07:31 Words of wisdom: secure attachment = happy single together + date yourself

01:10:11 Where to find Harry + support packs

Check out Harry's website & buy his support packs: https://dadhugsforyoursoul.com/

Follow Harry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadhugsforyoursoul

Follow Harry on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dadhugsforyoursoul/

Follow Harry on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dadhugsforyoursou

Check out

Support the show

• 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]

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In this week's minisode, I’m getting honest about why 2026 so far has felt a bit off for me — my morning routine went out the window, and so did my mindset. I share how even a mini version of my usual habits (gratitude, meditation, movement and uplifting inputs) instantly lifted my mood, and why the first couple of hours of your day can make a HUGE difference to how you feel and how your whole day goes.

Support the show

• 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 today's Thursday Thoughts, Polly and I are talking about moving your body, and more specifically, starting small when you’ve been injured or you’ve got out of the habit of taking exercise.

Polly and I talk about what our exercise routines look like when we’re taking it easier than usual, which can include some simple stretches or 10 minutes on a rebounder. We also touch on nasal breathing and why it’s so helpful for our overall health.

The main thing to take from this conversation is that even the smallest amount of movement is better than nothing.

We really hope you’ll find something useful in here.

Love,
Polly & Lucy x

Support the show

• 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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My guest on this week's episode of Thrive Solo is the fabulous Akosia, an Australian singer-songwriter who is also an actor and a voiceover artist. Akosia is single, doesn’t have kids, and lives in Melbourne, Australia. Her music defies genres with its raw mix of pop, jazz, soul, dance, and R&B. 

In our conversation, Akosia and I talk about her career, how her late father influenced her music, her religious upbringing, as well as an abusive relationship that she managed to walk away from. We also talk about how she no longer wants to make men her central focus, some of the questionable conversations on Steven Barlett’s podcast, The Diary Of A CEO, relationship red flags, solo travel and much, much more. 

03:54 Akosia's Musical Journey

06:09 Influence of Akosia's Father

07:24 Overcoming Personal Struggles

10:14 Navigating the Music Industry

15:25 Acting Career Highlights

17:53 Focus on Single Life

21:17 Abusive Relationship Insights

30:54 The Importance of Quality Time in Relationships

31:32 Introducing the Feedback Wheel

32:00 Discussing Alarming Statistics on Abuse

33:56 The Peace of Being Single

37:58 Navigating Modern Dating Challenges

44:22 The Complexities of Parenthood Decisions

51:34 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Follow Akosia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iam.akosia/

Check out her music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Oe5XB0pjnOZZo8snWSHoL

Read the books Akosia mentioned, 'Fierce Intimacy' and 'Why Does he Do That?'

Read ‘Why Does He Do That’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Does-He-That-Controlling-ebook/dp/B000Q9J0RO

Read ‘Fierce Intimacy’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fierce-Intimacy-Standing-Another-Love/dp/1683641574 

Support the show

• 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!

Send a text

On this week's minisode, I'm talking about how one of the hardest parts of being single can be a quiet grief for the life you expected: the culturally prescribed path of meeting someone, marrying, and having kids. This particular kind of grief is often an understated pang triggered by friends’ family milestones, but can coexist with genuine happiness, independence, and peace in a single, child-free life. Grief can also signal transition, and letting go of an outdated future while building a meaningful life that fits your present.

Support the show

• 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 how the amount of good things in your life depends on your ability to notice them.

With so much fear and negativity in the news right now, it’s easy for your attention to be pulled towards what feels heavy and overwhelming. That’s why being intentional about where you place your focus matters more than ever.

This conversation is a gentle reminder that you can train your brain to look for more of what’s uplifting and good. It’s not about ignoring reality — it’s about strengthening your capacity to see the positive alongside it.

We hope you find something that resonates in here.

Love,
Polly & Lucy x

Support the show

• 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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My guest this week is Poorna Bell, an award-winning author, journalist, public speaker and former executive editor at the Huff Post. Her sixth book, (and fourth non-fiction book) She Wanted More, came out just last month, and shines a much-needed spotlight on the lives of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond, challenging the stagnation narratives that society tries to force upon us. The book explores various themes including the distinction between motherhood and otherhood, diving into the reality that women can be childfree and still live lives of purpose and meaning. 

Our conversation includes: the tragic loss of Poorna's husband Rob; how society still sees marriage as the superior path; her thoughts on the viral Vogue article, 'Is Having A Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?'; Poorna's current outlook on dating; decentering men, i.e. removing them as the focal point in our lives; the impossible standards placed on women when it comes to ageing; and Poorna's new book, She Wanted more. 

05:28 Poorna’s Story: Losing Her Husband & Rethinking the 'Life Script'

09:25 10 Years On: Grief, Healing, and Finding Joy & Peace Again

16:06 From Wife to Widow to Single: Status, Stigma, and Solo Travel

22:23 Dating Pressure

25:25 Viral Vogue article ‘Is Having A Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?’ + Why Women’s Lives Get Harder with Men

34:20 Why She Wrote ‘She Wanted More’: Aging, Reinvention, and Rejecting the Decline Narrative

38:13 Older Women Athletes & Rewriting the ‘Frailty’ Narrative

40:07 Aging as Liberation: Social Media Role Models in Their 60s

43:17 Letting Go of the Male Gaze

47:53 Desire, Menopause & the Many Realities of Midlife Sex

49:49 Heidi Clements, HRT, Money & Why Friendship Matters More Than Romance

52:54 Decentering Men: Putting Yourself Back at the Center

55:50 Are We Escaping the Patriarchy? Measuring Progress (and What’s Missing)

59:50 Dating Burnout, Quitting Drinking & Dipping a Toe Back Into Dating

01:05:12 Online Dating Reality Check: Hybrid Dating, Expectations & Efficiency

01:08:46 Final Words of Advice

Buy Poorna's book, She Wanted More: https://www.amazon.co.uk/She-Wanted-More-space-dream/dp/1785122835

Follow Poorna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poornabell/?hl=en

Follow Poorna on TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@poornabell

Support the show

• 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!

Send a text

On today's minisode, I'm talking about the backlash to my social media content which — like the podcast — celebrates and advocates for single, childfree life — especially comments from coupled people telling me to stop 'going on about' being single. 

My message has always been that singlehood is not better than marriage and children, but also that it is not worse, and it deserves equal validity. There is no question that society continues to stigmatise single women in a multitude of ways, not least through the intrusive questions implying we are lonely, incomplete, or left behind, while married people are not similarly interrogated about things such as regret, divorce, or lost independence. By naming the benefits of single life, and necessarily pointing out the trade-offs of marriage and parenthood, my aim is to correct the long-standing cultural imbalance, reduce shame, and help younger women see multiple legitimate routes to a meaningful life.

Support the show

• 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 talk about all manner of things including where we’re at with our goals and habits, the importance of staying present in the moment, and how crucial awareness is if we want to make any kind of change in our life.

We hope you’ll find something useful in here!

Love,
Polly & Lucy x

Support the show

• 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!

Send a text

It’s a very special episode today because my guest is someone I really do love, even though I’ve only known him for a matter of weeks. His name is Einar Thorsteinsson, and he was the wonderful, wonderful guide on my recent trip to Iceland in January. 

This trip was a first for me, not only because I’d never been to Iceland before, but also because I was hosting the trip - having partnered with Explore Worldwide for a Thrive Solo trip for single women. There were 13 of us from the UK, the Netherlands, and the US, and we had a truly fabulous and really quite special 5 days, not least because we had Einar as our most brilliant, brilliant guide. 

To put it in context, Einar is a 67 year old, very happily married man with five adult children, and he was given us lot as his group - but I like to think that he loved us as much as we loved him!

In this conversation, Einar talks about how and why he became a tour guide for Explore in his retirement years, he talks all about Iceland and why he loves it, and he describes the trip that we did in the south of the country which included waterfalls, beaches, and the Northern Lights. Einar also dishes the dirt on what it was like to be in charge of an unruly group of single women! I bloody love this man, and I know you will too.

02:15 Special Guest: Einar Thorsteinsson

04:58 Einar's Background and Career

07:48 The Iceland Trip Experience

13:03 Exploring Iceland's Natural Wonders

24:58 Group Dynamics and Reflections

31:09 The Magic of the Northern Lights

33:47 Magical Night Under the Northern Lights

35:25 Managing Expectations for the Northern Lights

38:11 Exploring Iceland's Natural Wonders

40:59 The Wild Beauty of Iceland's Black Beach

44:11 Final Day Adventures and Reflections

45:22 Looking Forward to Future Iceland Adventures

57:39 Conclusion and Farewell

Support the show

• 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!