When I speak with women struggling to come to terms with being on their own—whether for a season or forever—they often bring up the same old narratives we’ve all heard: married people are happier, healthier, and (of course) live longer.
Guess what? That’s not the full story.
New research from experts like Dr. Bella DePaulo and Dr. Joe Dispenza, along with countless real-life examples, are turning these outdated assumptions on their heads. Single women, especially in midlife and beyond, are thriving—and the data backs it up.
But here’s the problem: if you’re only consuming content that paints singlehood as something to “fix,” you’re missing the bigger picture.
How many podcasts have you listened to about thriving in single life? How many books have you read about the new science of living alone? If you’re like most of us, the answer is probably “not enough.”
Why the Content You Consume Matters
The stories you surround yourself with, the information you consume, and the people you listen to shape how you see the world—and your place in it. When you open your mind to the wealth of information showing single women thriving, your own perspective of “single life” begins to shift.
And when that shift happens, it changes everything. You stop fighting the shame and feelings of deficiency we’ve been conditioned to believe come with being “single.” You stop wasting energy trying to “fix” a life that doesn’t need fixing. Instead, you start enjoying your life—exactly as it is.
The good news? There’s a world of stories, resources, and voices out there that can fill in the gaps and show you a whole new perspective.
If you’re ready to hear the full story, I invite you to explore the voices sharing the other side of single life. Below, you’ll find a starter list of podcasts, books, blogs, and media to help you challenge outdated narratives—whether they come from others or yourself—and embrace the truth about what single life can be.
Recommended Podcasts, Books, Blogs, and Media
1. Dr. Bella DePaulo
- Who: A Harvard professor, social psychologist, author, and the leading expert on single life.
- Why: Dr. DePaulo’s extensive research into single living dismantles societal myths about marriage and happiness, proving that single women are thriving in ways rarely acknowledged. Her work spans blogs, articles, books, Ted Talks, and more.
- Start with: Living Single Blog on Psychology Today
2. Dr. Joe Dispenza
- Who: A neuroscientist, best-selling author, lecturer, and corporate consultant.
- Why: Dr. Dispenza’s work focuses on rewiring your brain to create happiness, health, and success. As part of his podcast, he’s come out with a series around Women Living Alone and how they are uniquely some of the happiest and most fulfilled people on the planet.
- Start with: Why Women Who Live Alone Are the Happiest People You’ll Ever Meet
3. Rebecca Traister
- Who: Acclaimed journalist and author who writes about the intersection of women’s lives, independence, and society.
- Why: Rebecca’s book All the Single Ladies dives into the state of women in America, spoiler: they are choosing to be single, and when given the option historically–they did as well! It’s an inspiring reminder of how independence can be a strength, not a weakness.
- Start with: All the Single Ladies on Amazon
4. Lane Moore
- Who Comedian, musician, and writer known for her humor and insight into relationships and solitude.
- Why: Lane’s book, How to Be Alone, is part self-help, part comedy, and at points, that kind of depressingly funny 🙂. She doesn’t shy away from her own challenges, makes us sometimes uncomfortably relate, but in the end helps us accept and laugh at whatever sh#it comes our way.
- Start with: How to Be Alone (If You Want To, and Even If You Don’t)
5. Shani Silver
- Who: Author, podcaster, and advocate for reframing single life.
- Why: Shani’s work emphasizes that singlehood does not have to be a “waiting room” for a relationship—it’s a life worth celebrating. Her book and podcast are refreshingly honest about the joys and challenges of being single and I personally like to follow her Instagram.
- Start with: A Single Revolution: Don’t Look for a Match. Light One.
6. Catherine Gray
- Who: An award-winning author and journalist.
- Why: Catherine’s memoir, The Unexpected Joy of Being Single, is a witty and uplifting exploration of single life (albeit it only lasts a year). But she shines the light on the scripts we sell ourselves that make us crazy and instead help us see how single life can be great.
- Start with: The Unexpected Joy of Being Single on Amazon
7. Jennifer L. Taitz, PsyD, ABPP
- Who: A clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and expert in cognitive and dialectical behavior therapy.
- Why: Dr. Taitz specializes in helping people navigate emotions like loneliness and anxiety, making her work particularly relevant for single women. Her book How to Be Single and Happy emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, emotional resilience, and focusing on the joy of the present moment, instead of waiting for “what’s next.”
- Start with: How to Be Single and Happy
8. Cheryl Strayed
- Who: Bestselling author of Wild and former advice columnist for Dear Sugar.
- Why: While not explicitly for the Single Life, Cheryl’s essays are classic and they offer raw and compassionate guidance on resilience, self-love, and navigating life’s challenges–something to which all single women can relate.
- Start with: Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
9. Dr. Bella DePaulo’s Singled Out
- Who: The same Dr. Bella DePaulo, but highlighting her essential book on single life.
- Why: Singled Out is a myth-busting manifesto that tackles biases about singlehood and celebrates the freedom and fulfillment that come with being solo.
- Start with: Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After
10. Peter McGraw’s The Solo Podcast
- Who: Behavioral scientist, professor, speaker, author, and host of The Solo Podcast.
- Why: Peter’s podcast is dedicated to exploring the joys and challenges of solo living. He interviews a variety of experts and people doing amazing things with their single life–it’s insightful, practical, and filled with stories of people thriving on their own.
- Start with: The Solo Podcast
My Story: Early Exposure to a New Kind of Happy Ending
Years ago, I thought I had it all figured out: a significant other, a shared home, true love—the works. Then one weekend, I came home to find my things hidden, shoved into corners like an afterthought. The kicker? A woman’s hair tie in my shower. (Spoiler: it wasn’t mine.)
Heartbroken and with nothing left to lose, I packed my things, put them in storage, quit the job I hated, and took off on a solo trip spanning 11 countries in 3.5 months.
Before I left, the comments rolled in: “Oh, you’ll find an amazing guy! Just like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love!” But that wasn’t my plan. I didn’t want to find a guy—I wanted to find me. Depending on someone else for my happiness is what got me into that mess in the first place.
Once I started traveling, I discovered something unexpected. I kept meeting strong, fascinating, independent women of all ages, traveling on their own too. They were focused on cultivating a relationship with themselves—on loving themselves—not chasing a man.
As I listened to their stories, something inside me shifted. Hearing these alternative happy endings to single life inspired me to embrace my own. My perspective changed, I actively sought out more of these stories, and the painful compulsion to “fix” my single status simply disappeared.
Bottom Line
Your perspective on being single starts with the stories you expose yourself to. Keeping an open mind, expanding what you consume, and seeking out voices that challenge the status quo can help you see singlehood in a new, more empowering light. Educating yourself about your own lifestyle—and hearing stories of others thriving in it—can stop the knee-jerk reaction of thinking it’s something to “fix.”
Pick one or two resources from the list and dive in with curiosity. You might find that instead of battling against your singlehood, you start embracing it. Whether you plan to stay single or your dream guy is just around the corner, the key is learning to enjoy and thrive in your life now. Happiness doesn’t need to wait for a partner—it can begin with you.
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