Well Enough Alone - A Guide To Thriving Solo

Claire Mason: on sobriety as a path to single freedom, self-love and happiness Can quitting drinking be the key to a happy, single life? This week, Jill talks to podcaster, body positivity advocate and digital creator, Claire Mason about her journey from party girl to sober queen. They share stories about their history of binge drinking and what happens when you can no longer numb your emotions with alcohol. There are many parallels with choosing to be single and choosing an alcohol-free life, and in this raw and real conversation, they discuss what it’s like to be stripped bare and feel all your feelings. You can follow Claire on Instagram @claire_maso_or @lyssk_official. And check out her podcast, Booze-Free Bants, here. To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early access to episodes on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.    Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our friends are some of the most important people in our lives. They’re the people we can be 100% ourselves with. And for many single people, they are our family. So why are friendships seen as lesser than romantic or blood family relationships? This week, Jill talks to journalist and author, Gyan Yankovich, about her book, Just Friends, and what would happen if society treated friendship with the same reverence and respect as marriage. Can a friend be more than just a friend – can they be someone to build a shared future with? This conversation explores the power of modern friendship – what it means to be, to make, and sometimes to lose a friend, and why these pivotal relationships are so often undervalued. You can follow Gyan on Instagram @gyanyankovich learn more about her book Just Friends here. To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early access to episodes on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.   Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Jill talks to TV presenter, public speaker and proud Warumungu/Yawuru woman, Megan Waters about growing and healing through times of struggle and why time alone is an essential part of her self-care toolkit. She also talks about her deep connection to her Indigenous culture and how kinship and community have helped her build a strong sense of self. Megan is open about her battle with a chronic health condition, the impact it’s had on her mental health, her plans to freeze her eggs, and how she’s grown stronger through times of adversity. Megan Waters is the co-host of NITV’s Yokayi Footy Show, a Nike trainer and ambassador, a gym owner, breathwork teacher, and a boundary rider for Fox Footy’s AFLW coverage. You can follow her on Instagram @megzyy_ To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only earlyaccess to episodes on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.   Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the best things about solo life is the freedom to live life your own, without having to run decisions past anyone else. But one of the more challenging things is how expensive it can be to live alone. You have the same household costs as couples but only one income. Whether it’s booking a room in a hotel, paying for health insurance, or forking out for power bills, groceries and living expenses, it all costs more when you do it solo. We’re essentially paying a single person’s tax. So, how can we better manage our finances when we can only rely on ourselves? And how do we understand the patterns that drive our spending? This week, Jill talks to certified Financial Behaviour Specialist®, Emma Edwards – founder of The Broke Generation – about how to get underneath the emotional side of money and why our spending habits are often tangled up with our sense of identity and behavioural patterns. Emma also talks movingly about the challenges of being an only child caring for ageing parents. You can find out more about her through her website, The Broke Generation, follow her on Instagram @the.brokegeneration, listen to her podcast or read her book, Good With Money. To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only earlyaccess to episodes on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.  Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are single people often ignored by policy makers? And is that about to change?This week, Jill is joined by writer and political commentator, Lauren Beckman, to dissect Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance’s attack on “miserable, childless cat ladies” and how this group is becoming a potent voting bloc.Single person households are the fastest growing demographic and yet we’re often treated like we don’t exist as politicians make their pitches to “working families.”The number of people living alone is rising – it’s a constituency that political leaders should be courting rather than insulting. Ignore us at your peril!Lauren helps to break down the politics of being single and how the shifting social tides are changing the political landscape.She has a background in the Australian public service and is now Head of Canberra at Future Women, where she works to progress gender equality in Australian workplaces.You can follow Lauren for her political and social insights through an intersectional feminist lens on her Instagram account, @lauren.lately.To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early access to episodes on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If a romantic connection is something you see in your future – whether for one night or forever – then you do not want to miss this week’s episode.Jill speaks to Alita Brydon – dating expert, body positivity champion and creator of the cult social media phenomenon, Bad Dates of Melbourne on Facebook.Just because you enjoy time on your own doesn’t mean you can’t still dip your toe in the dating pool. And what a cesspit that can often be!If you want to survive the modern dating scene, you’re going to need to be mentally prepared. And sometimes it helps to hear from those who have been through the wars too.Alita is the perfect guide to walk you through it.She’s created a space for people to share their dating horror stories – and the occasional triumph – and after hearing from hundreds of thousands of people from all over Australia, she has learned a thing or two about how to navigate the dating experience.You can follow Alita and Bad Dates of Melbourne on Instagram and Facebook.To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only earlycontent on Patreon.Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danni Duncan: on choosing not to have children, and the rise of the child-free movement.The pressure to couple up starts early in life, but it’s not just a pressure to be partnered, it often comes with an expectation that you will also want to have children.In a world where the nuclear family is still the archetype, it’s often seen as a biological imperative to become a parent.But more and more people are choosing to be child-free. The number of women having children has been steadily declining for decades.This week, Jill speaks to someone who has torn up the motherhood rule book and is writing her own script.Danni Duncan is a content creator from New Zealand who has built an online audience by celebrating the choice to be childfree.With almost quarter of a million followers across Instagram and TikTok, her content showcases all the upsides to a life without kids.She joined Jill for a wide-ranging conversation about their choice not to have children, the pushback they’ve both faced, and how things are slowly changing.You can follow Danni on Instagram or TikTok.To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only earlycontent on Patreon.Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From an early age we’re told that that the dream is to find our soulmate, have the big wedding, and then live happily ever after.But for a long time, that fairytale was one only straight people could aspire to.On the day same-sex marriage was finally legalised in Australia, Stuart Henshall was proposed to live on national television.He and his fiancée became the first couple to ever get married at Sydney Mardi Gras, tying the knot on top of a giant wedding cake in front of the world’s cameras.But the fairytale was short-lived. Stuart talks to Jill about the complex emotions of fighting for the right to get married, only to see it end in divorce.And they discuss whether gaining access to this traditional institution has imposed heteronormative pressures on LGBTIQ+ people to get engaged and marry, even if it’s not what they really want.Stuart also talks about the power of shame and his journey to self-acceptance, and how he’s learned to love his solo life.You can follow Stuart at @dvynepr.To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram.@wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early access to episodes on Patreon.Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a world obsessed with partnering up and settling down, it can sometimes feel like you’re a square peg in a round hole if you’re on your own.So how can you learn to not just accept your own company but actually love it? Is loneliness something we can banish, or is it a necessary part of the human condition?And how do you deal with pressure to be coupled and/or have children, from people in your life who may mean well but are not respecting your choices?Today, Jill speaks with Dr Ahona Guha – a clinical and forensic psychologist and an author whose latest book, Life Skills For A Broken World is a guide to building essential psychological skills.She writes widely for the media on matters related to mental health, social justice, and equity. And she’s also a single woman, living her best solo life with her greyhound rescue, Carla.You can follow Ahona on Instagram @drahonaguha or check out her books and writing at ahonaguha.comTo stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only earlycontent on Patreon.Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production.Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when the life you planned comes crashing down around you?  Jess King faced a major betrayal that changed everything. But in rebuilding herself from the ashes of that crisis, she found freedom and strength in her own company. Jess is one of Australia’s leading curve models, a body positivity advocate, and a content creator. She’s walked runways across Europe, Asia and Australia for some of the world’s leading fashion labels, and is on a mission to inspire young women to be confident and love themselves. But despite all her career and personal successes, some insist that “finally” finding a partner is her greatest achievement. In this candid conversation, Jess shares what she’s learned about self-love and compassion, managing anxiety, and how to maintain your sense of self whether you’re single or partnered. You can follow Jess on Instagram @jessraeking To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early content on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.   Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 As single people, we’re often pitied or seen as living half a life. We’re just incomplete puzzles desperately searching for the missing piece to make us whole. But what if the risk is not what we’ll miss out on if we don’t organise our lives around a romantic partner, but what we’ll miss out on if we do? Today, Jill speaks to Dr Bella DePaulo – the world’s leading thinker on the single experience about her research, which shows that for millions of people in every corner of the globe, being single is actually the key to thriving and living their best life. And contrary to popular cultural assumptions, those who embrace their single status, grow happier as they age. Dr DePaulo is a professor of psychology with a PhD from Harvard, she’s 70, has always been single, and says she always will be. She’s the author of Single at Heart: The Power, Freedom, and Heart-Filling Joy of Single Life. Her TEDx Talk, “What no one ever told you about people who are single,” has been viewed more than 1.6 million times. You can learn more about her at her website, www.BellaDePaulo.com or follow her on Instagram @bellasingleatheartTo stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early access to episodes on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.    Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fearless and fabulous at 51, Yvie Jones is one of Australia’s most well-loved TV personalities and a proud and unapologetic long-term single woman. In this raw and candid conversation, she talks about love, grief, body image, self-worth, and how she’s built connection and community while doing life solo.And for the first time, she shares behind-the-scenes details of what really happened in that viral moment on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here – when she refused to be weighed on camera – and how this turning point helped her take back her power. Yvie Jones is a broadcaster, actor and a podcaster, who became a household name with her friend Angie Kent as stars on the hit show Gogglebox, winning four Logies. She’s a regular co-host on Studio Ten and The Project, as well as hosting her own show, Snackmasters, and the popular podcast, Two Girls One Pod.You can listen to Yvie’s podcast here or follow her on Instagram @yvie_jones To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early access to episodes on Patreon. Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a podcast for anyone who’s ever been told that being single makes you incomplete, or life will only begin when you find “the one.”I wanted to make it because I was tired of outdated cultural narratives that told me there were only two life paths available to us – “partnered and happy” or “single andsearching.”There is a different way – solo and thriving.With more solo households today than at any point in our history, single people are the fastest-growing demographic.And yet, being alone is often viewed as a state of limbo before we meet “the one” and settle down.What if the one you’ve been looking for is you? Could embracing your single status rather than fearing it be the key to a whole and happy life?To leave “well enough alone” means to stop trying to change something that is already good enough.I wanted to make a space for conversations that celebrate solo life, flipping the script on sad and lonely single stereotypes and embracing all that a life untethered has to offer.And that’s exactly what I’ve done, with my incredible production team at Spare Room, who have helped me turn this dream into a reality.Over the last few months, I’ve interviewed inspiring guests – some who are single and some who aren’t – who shared stories of the strength and comfort they’ve found in their own company.And I talked to leading experts in psychology, human behaviour, business and health about the upsides and the challenges of solo living – from choosing to be child-free or being a single parent, to managing a budget on one income, enjoying your freedom or navigating loneliness, and dipping your toe in the dating pool.Whether you’re happily single, trying to get comfortable with your solo status, or even partnered and looking to carve out more time for yourself, Well Enough Alone is here to help you live your life your way. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well Enough Alone is a celebration of solo living that tears up the “sad and lonely”single script and embraces a path that can be joyful, expansive and fulfilling.Because there is more to life than “partnered and happy” or “single and searching.”There is solo and thriving.Hosted by best-selling author and award-winning journalist, Jill Stark, this podcast isfor anyone who’s ever been told that being single makes you incomplete. Or that lifewill only begin when you find “the one”.To leave “well enough alone” means to stop trying to change something that isalready good enough.What if the one you’ve been looking for is you? Could embracing your single statusrather than fearing it be the key to a happy life?Jill talks to inspiring guests, some who are single and some who aren’t,about what they’ve learned from time spent in their own company, and interviewsleading experts in psychology, human behaviour, business, health and wellbeing,about how to thrive alone. Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.