BOOK REVIEW: “THRIVE SOLO” by lucy meggeson

“So accustomed have we become to the furious thrash metal and aggressive vocals of Megadeth drilling into our brains 24/7, we have no idea how our lives would change if only we would just throw on some Stevie Wonder,” writes Lucy Meggeson in her book, “Thrive Solo: Embracing the Freedom, Joy, and Opportunity of a Single, Childfree Life.”

Meggeson, a British writer who runs the “Thrive Solo” podcast and membership community, has written a pep talk to single women. In chapter after chapter, Meggeson touts all the virtues of the solo life, covering topics from travel to living child-free.

Living solo gives women peace of mind that they don’t have to please anyone but themselves. “It’s bloody awesome not to have to think about anyone else when it comes to how I spend my time,” she writes. “My days are my own; my schedule is my own; my plans are my own; my decisions are my own; my life is my own.”

She adds, “It’s only when you live on your own that you know for 100 percent certain that no one within those four walls has the power to upset you, annoy you, hassle you, shout at you, moan at you, complain at you, bore the crap out of you, or generally shift your mood from cool, calm and collected to angry, upset and frustrated.” Say it louder for the people in the back!

Meggeson conducted dozens of interviews with other single women, from all ages and different parts of the world. Some of the best quotes come from these women, such as Maddie’s views on solo travel: “You pay so much more attention, and I think life is about paying attention, and choosing where you put that attention.” On not having children, Helen notes, “I love kids. But it’s the lifestyle I never wanted, and honestly, as I’ve got older, I’ve just got surer of that decision.”

Meggeson, as noted in the first quote, is a big believer in thinking positive, offering several tips on how to change your perspective.

It's fun to see a woman relish living on her own, knowing that it can be wonderful to make our own decisions and just conk out on the sofa with no one is telling us what to do. For those single women who still feel out of place in the world, Meggeson’s book is a great guide that shows that it’s a good place to be.