The One Where I Talk To Author of Unwed & Unbothered, Emma Duval

Send us Fan MailIn this solo episode I’m talking about what I genuinely believe is one of the hardest parts of being single: other people’s assumptions — the pity, the judgement, the head-tilt “awww,” and the constant sense that you have to explain yourself. I unpack why this can trigger shame even when you’re genuinely happy, why we can’t control other people’s opinions (much as we’d like to), and how to free yourself from caring so much. You’ll come away with practical tools for handling awkward comments, separating facts from the stories your brain tells, stopping the urge to 'over explain' for approval, and staying rooted in your own version of a brilliant life. Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailIn this week's minisode, I’m taking aim at one of the biggest lies we’ve been fed by Disney, romcoms and half the songs on the planet: that romantic love will save you. Spoiler alert: it won't. Yes, love can be gorgeous — but that early “I’m floating on air” feeling is often chemistry and fantasy, not a rescue mission. I talk about how we confuse intensity with compatibility, and why relationships can’t fix loneliness, purpose, self-worth or emptiness — because you can’t outsource your wholeness to another person. A healthy relationship can be a wonderful addition to your life, but real liberation comes when you stop needing one to feel complete and start building a life (and a relationship with yourself) that you genuinely love. Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailOn this week's Thursday Thoughts, Polly and I are talking about victimhood.We all know that person who tells the same story over and over again, blaming everything that’s wrong with their life on something that happened to them in the past. And let’s be honest, we’ve probably all done it to a greater or lesser extent. The question is: how long will we play the victim? And are these stories we keep repeating actually serving us?Of course bad things happen to us all, and of course we need to feel our feelings; but how long we choose to stay in that place of victimhood is ultimately up to us. Freedom comes when you start to take radical responsibility for yourself and your life.We hope you’ll find something interesting or helpful in this conversation.Love,Polly & Lucy x Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailMy guest this week is the wonderful Dr. Kate Adams, an Australian vet and animal behaviour expert who has worked extensively in clinical practice, and the owner of Bondi Vet Hospital in Sydney, Australia. Kate is also a media personality who has starred in 'Bondi Vet: Coast to Coast' and The Real Housewives of Sydney. Our conversation includes taking risks and getting out of your comfort zone; believing in yourself; how Kate feels about single life; and some of the assumptions people make about single women. We also talk about the ease that comes with finding the thing that you were meant to do — in Kate’s case, being a vet — as well as  and the lie that young women have been told about single life. I would be very surprised if you didn’t enjoy listening to this conversation as much as I enjoyed having it!03:02 Chasing the Vet Dream04:33 Bravery and Resilience11:44 Meaning Beyond Motherhood14:01 Choosing Single Life17:45 Work as Purpose20:03 Judgment and Sacrifice25:43 Aging and the Big Lie31:22 What Women Want33:47 Matriarchy vs Patriarchy38:55 Final Advice and WrapFollow Kate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkateadams/?hl=enFollow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkateadams/ Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailIn this week's minisode, I’m talking about the real secret to building habits that actually stick: starting so small it feels almost ridiculous. Whether it’s running, strength training, meditation, journalling or even writing a book, the mistake most of us make is going too big too soon — and then giving up. I share why 'absurdly small' reps build consistency, identity and momentum, and how doing less at the start is often the fastest way to create lasting change. Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailThis week on Thursday Thoughts, Polly and I are talking about decluttering…and not just the cupboards and drawers.Because clutter isn’t always physical. Sometimes it’s the mental tabs we keep open, the emotional baggage we’re still carrying, the commitments that no longer feel like ours, or the digital noise constantly pulling at our attention.If life has been feeling a little full lately, we hope this conversation might be the gentle nudge you need to clear some space, both physically and mentally.Love Polly & Lucy x Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailMy 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 Women07:37 Anxious Attachment Origins: An Avoidant Dad & the Abandonment Wound11:00 Healing the Pattern: Self-Audit, Accountability & Learning to Be Enough Alone16:03 Stop Outsourcing Happiness: Validation, Addiction-Like Attachment & Self-Love23:56 Are the Most Healed People Single? Authenticity, Acceptance & Growth Through Pain29:55 Do Healthy Relationships Even Exist? Rethinking Romance Beyond “Forever”34:11 The “Bubble Marriage” + Why Relationships Aren’t Failures When They End37:01 Marriage as a 50/50 gamble + letting go of ego38:05 Authenticity on social media: ditch the armor, “just mean it”42:35 Not a therapist, but real experience: handling backlash with conviction46:45 The widening dating gap: women opting out & men’s online toxicity52:02 Why men struggle emotionally: how boys get de-socialised from vulnerability01:00:22 Intentional Dating: why “searching for love” (and apps) set you up to fail01:03:36 Red flags & green flags: beware polished profiles, date the happy/peaceful man01:07:31 Words of wisdom: secure attachment = happy single together + date yourself01:10:11 Where to find Harry + support packsCheck out Harry's website & buy his support packs: https://dadhugsforyoursoul.com/Follow Harry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadhugsforyoursoulFollow Harry on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dadhugsforyoursoul/Follow Harry on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dadhugsforyoursouCheck out Harry's YouTube Channel: http Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailIn 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 showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailOn 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 showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!

Send us Fan MailMy 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 Journey06:09 Influence of Akosia's Father07:24 Overcoming Personal Struggles10:14 Navigating the Music Industry15:25 Acting Career Highlights17:53 Focus on Single Life21:17 Abusive Relationship Insights30:54 The Importance of Quality Time in Relationships31:32 Introducing the Feedback Wheel32:00 Discussing Alarming Statistics on Abuse33:56 The Peace of Being Single37:58 Navigating Modern Dating Challenges44:22 The Complexities of Parenthood Decisions51:34 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsFollow Akosia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iam.akosia/Check out her music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Oe5XB0pjnOZZo8snWSHoLRead 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/B000Q9J0RORead ‘Fierce Intimacy’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fierce-Intimacy-Standing-Another-Love/dp/1683641574  Support the showBuy my book, SHINY HAPPY SINGLES (UK) / THRIVE SOLO (US & Canada) at: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/bookJoin my membership community for single women, Thrive Solo: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/thrivesoloDownload my FREE PDF 'Top 10 Comebacks for the MostAnnoying Questions Single Women Get Asked' Go to: https://www.lucymeggeson.com/comebacksCheck out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivesolowithlucymeggeson Join my private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870817913309222/?ref=shareFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivesolowithlucymeggeson/Email me: [email protected] And thank you so much for listening!