Podcasts about alonement

How good are you at having alone-time? In the book Alonement, Francesca Specter points out that time spent solo can often look very different depending on what gender you identify with.  LINKS Read more from Francesca Specter here Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram    CREDITS  Host: Casey Donovan @caseydonovan88  Writer: Amy Molloy @amymolloy  Executive Producer: Anna Henvest Editor: Adrian Walton  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How good are you at having alone time? If you're a woman, do you find the need to be productive in your free time? In her book Alonement, Francesca Specter explores how solo time can look different based on your gender.  LINKS Read more from Francesca Specter here Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram CREDITS Host: Casey Donovan @caseydonovan88 Writer: Amy Molloy @amymolloy Producer: Adair SheppardEditor: Adrian Walton  Listen to more great podcasts at novapodcasts.com.au   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maggie Smith is a poet & writer who found overnight fame when her poem, ‘Good Bones', went viral on social media in 2016. Later on, her life was to take a further change when her husband of 19 years, and the father of her children, announced he wanted a divorce two years later. Her memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, published in April 2023 – explores the connection between these two events, how become a hit writer led to the breakdown of her marriage – and what could be found in the disruption that followed it all. Throughout it all, Maggie's love of creativity and solitude has been a constant – something she speaks to me about in this episode. We also talk about finding love in middle age, and the joy of a relationship that's free from the pressure of milestones.Thank you to our season sponsor Sensate, a palm-sized infrasonic stress and anti-anxiety device. Visit getsensate.com/alonement for 10% off your first device.TakeawaysAlone time can be a positive and restorative experience, especially for creative individuals.Being in a relationship that is not working can be lonelier than being alone.Financial independence and self-sufficiency are important for personal empowerment.There is freedom in choosing a relationship without merging lives and milestones.Alone time is essential for creativity and self-reflection.Chapters00:00Introduction and Small Talk03:33Exploring the Meaning of Alone04:27Aloneness as a Positive and Restorative Experience05:24The Irony of Being an Introverted Writer06:24The Challenges of Being an Introverted Writer in the Public Eye08:15Navigating Life After Divorce09:43The Loneliness of Incompatible Partnership10:41Living Alone vs. Living Without a Partner11:36The Myth of Partnership Solving Loneliness13:29The Shift in Attitudes Towards Being Alone14:52The Impact of Age on Relationship Choices16:13The Pressure to Settle Down and Have Children17:32Financial Independence and Self-Sufficiency18:45The Liberation of Not Racing Through Relationship Milestones19:58The Freedom of Choosing a Relationship Without Merging Lives21:20Balancing Independence and Vulnerability22:48The Lack of Cultural Models for Non-Traditional Relationships23:44The Beauty of Constant Companionship24:43The Negative Side of Hyper-Independence25:39The Importance of Alone Time for Creativity27:29Learning to Accept Help and Support28:54Returning to a Special Place for Solitude31:43The Restorative Power of Writing Alone33:09The Impact of Professional Success on Relationships35:31The Evolution of Creativity After Having Children39:21The Joy of Having Unstructured Alone Time With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are certain rites of passage that take place after a major break-up. For some, it's a hair-cut or a big solo trip, or a regrettable rebound with someone the polar opposite of your ex. My guest this week, Alice Vincent, departed from the cliches: for her, it was growing plants. In her partly autobiographical books, Rootbound and more recently Why Women Grow, Alice chronicles how she came to growing plants as a way to heal and regain a sense of control after a break-up in her late twenties. As her life has changed – Alice is now married with her first child – gardening has remained a constant for her. In this episode, we discuss how Alice has navigated the changes of the past seven years, how gardening has allowed her to maintain a version of independence throughout it, and why she never feels lonely while out in the garden. Later, Alice also shares her tips for beginning your gardening journey by yourself, whether it's just growing herbs on a windowsill, using a balcony space or joining a community garden. TakeawaysAlone time can be a valuable and fulfilling experience, allowing for personal growth and self-reflection.Creating personal space, whether through gardening or other activities, can provide a sense of independence and freedom.Navigating relationships and sharing space with a partner requires constant communication and a willingness to compromise.Taking time alone, whether through solo trips or dedicated alone time at home, can be rejuvenating and empowering.00:00Introduction 04:34Transition to Writing06:27Exploring Alonement07:43Defining Alone09:38Aloneness in Different Life Stages10:35The Luxury of Alone Time13:04Navigating Alone Time14:28Themes in Rootbound and Why Women Grow15:21Finding Solace in Gardening19:46Creating Space for Oneself20:46Gardening as a Solitary Activity24:41The Meditative Nature of Gardening27:03Living with a Partner and Maintaining Independence30:16The Ambivalence of Sharing Space34:32Choosing Relationships on One's Own Terms38:52Creating Personal Space43:37Tips for Starting a Growing Journey47:21Taking Time Alone50:07Ultimate Alone Time With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Stephens is the writer behind Morning Person, a top 10 Substack newsletter that chronicles her life in Portland, Oregon. In August last year, shortly after her 30th birthday, Leslie announced to her readers that she was separating from her husband. Over the past 18 months, she's chronicled her journey of living by herself for the first time, including her recent solo house purchase – which we chat about in this episode. She also shares her advice – as a former food and lifestyle editor – of establishing a home by yourself, and – crucially – for yourself, rather than designing around the absence of someone else. Whether or not you're already familiar with Leslie's work, this conversation is full of gems for any kind of solo living – I hope you get as much from it as I did.Thank you to our season sponsor Sensate, a palm-sized infrasonic stress and anti-anxiety device. Visit getsensate.com/alonement for 10% off your first device. This season of Alonement was edited by Pineapple Audio Production.Chapters00:00Introduction01:00Learning to Make a Home for One02:25Designing a Home as a Solo Liver05:22The Challenges and Mistakes of Designing Alone06:47Designing with a Partner vs Designing Alone10:59The Lack of Resources for Solo Living11:55Creating Content for Solo Living13:17Making Changes in a Solo Living Space14:44The Importance of Solitude in Designing a Home19:44The Lack of Resources for Designing a First Home Alone21:08Building a New Relationship with a Parent22:32Navigating the Grey Areas of Life25:16Coping with Weekends and Sundays Alone27:07Finding Joy in Cooking for One32:29Creating Recipes and Experimenting with Cooking Alone38:11The Inspiration Behind the Novel 'You're Safe Here'46:26Maintaining Solitude in a Relationship47:45The Ultimate Alonement: Movement and Stillness10:00The Importance of Self-Awareness20:00The Role of External Validation30:00Navigating Comparison and Social Media40:00The Impact of Internal Dialogue48:40Conclusion With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting engaged to your partner is typically a time for celebration. But for today's guest Max Dickins, it was …. more complicated. As he prepared to propose to his girlfriend, Naomi, he had an uncomfortable revelation: he couldn't think of anyone to ask to be his best man. This prompted a personal crisis for the writer and comedian – one which inspired him to address the dwindling friendship connections in his own life …… and to investigate the topic of male mental health and loneliness more. The result was his brilliant non-fiction book, Billy No Mates: How I Realised Men Have a Friendship Problem.This is a wide-ranging discussion, which actually opens with a chat about the romance of solitude – sometimes Max has always valued, but once used as an excuse for why he sometimes had no one to see at weekends. We also cover gendered attitudes towards both solitude and loneliness, which was really interesting and definitely opened my eyes. I hope you enjoy listening.Thank you to our season sponsor Sensate, a palm-sized infrasonic stress and anti-anxiety device. Visit getsensate.com/alonement for 10% off your first device.TakeawaysSolitude and loneliness are not the same; solitude is a choice to spend time alone, while loneliness is a subjective feeling of unhappiness with social connections.Gender plays a significant role in the association of solitude and loneliness, with historical and cultural factors influencing the gendered distinctions.Toxic masculinity can contribute to extreme solitude and the need to outdo each other in terms of solitude, which can be pathological.The social biome is a balance of different types of relationships, including close friendships, casual connections, and moments of solitude.Weekend loneliness is a phenomenon that affects many individuals, particularly men, who may feel isolated and lacking social connections during weekends.Understanding and appreciating the value of solitude can lead to a healthier balance in relationships and personal well-being.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background03:00 Gendered Perspectives on Solitude06:00 Toxic Masculinity and Extreme Solitude09:00 The Rationalisation of Solitude10:00 Loneliness vs. Solitude12:00 The Social Biome and Balance15:00 The Friendship Problem for Men20:00 Exploring Masculinity and Gender Conditioning23:00 Gendered Behaviours and Barriers to Connection29:00 Weekend Loneliness and its Impact34:00 Reevaluating the Value of Solitude38:00 Reflections on the Book and the Importance of Conversation With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Anita Bhagwandas, an award winning beauty director, and more recently the author of Ugly: Giving Us Back Our Beauty Standards, a book that examines the damaging impact of narrow beauty ideals and serves as a brilliant manifesto towards a more inclusive attitude. The book explores the importance of practising self care on your own terms, not what the beauty industry tells you - something Anita knows a lot about after 15 years in the industry. Anita also lives alone in London, like me, and we discuss the creative joys of cooking for one, getting to plan a week that perfectly balances quiet night doing laundry with going out to gigs with friends - something Anita loves – plus an honest discussion of why getting flaked on can affect you much harder when you're single or live alone.Thank you to our season sponsor Sensate, a palm-sized infrasonic stress and anti-anxiety device. Visit getsensate.com/alonement for 10% off your first device.TakeawaysAlone time preferences can vary from person to person, and it is important to find a balance that works for you.Self-care is not about buying things or following trends; it is about understanding what truly nourishes and rejuvenates you.The commodification of self-care has led to a misconception that it requires expensive products or activities, when in reality, it can be as simple as taking a few minutes for yourself.It is important to advocate for yourself and communicate your needs to others, especially when it comes to making plans and canceling.Cooking for oneself can be an act of self-care, and it is important to challenge the notion that it is not worth it to cook for one person. Don't just follow beauty trends or societal expectations, choose makeup and beauty routines that bring you joy and creativity.Alone time can be an escape from beauty standards and an opportunity to embrace your natural self.Choose what beauty work brings you joy and let go of the tasks that feel tedious or unnecessary.Journaling and checking in with yourself can be a valuable practice for self-reflection and self-care.Chapters00:00Introduction and Speed Friending02:14Being Good at Time Alone03:10Introverts and Only Children05:39Alone Time During the Pandemic08:05Journalist Mode in Social Situations11:12Solo Hobbies15:31Changing Relationship with Alone Time18:04The Myth of Self-Care27:57Counteracting Myths Around Self-Care32:30Navigating External Reinforcement of Self-Care35:08Overcoming Only-Me-ism in Cooking36:45The Joy of Cooking and Makeup38:20The Danger of Makeup as a Tool to Hide39:17Rediscovering the Joy and Creativity of Makeup40:30The Solo Process of Makeup and Self-Criticism41:35Cooking for Yourself vs. Cooking for Others43:58Escaping Beauty Standards in Alone Time44:49Choosing What Beauty Work to Enjoy47:25Picking and Choosing What Makes You Feel Good48:21Alonement: Journalling and Checking In with Yourself49:36The Joy of Writing in a Nice NotebookYou can follow Anita Bhagwandas' Substack at anitabhagwandas.substack.com, and mine at francescaspecter.substack.com With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SummaryIn this episode, Jessica Pan discusses her book 'Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come' and her journey of embracing extroversion. As we discuss on the show, Jessica is almost the opposite to me – she's an introvert who learnt to be more extraverted, whereas I started exploring Alonement as a means of dealing with my fear, as an extrovert, of being alone. She tells me about her journey to embrace solo travel, socialising with strangers and making new friends, all with the help of her 'extrovert mentors'. What this following episode touches on is the importance of balance and choice around how we spend our alone time, plus how learning to integrate more connection in your life can help you fall back in love with your solitude. We also touch on the loneliness of big cities, particularly London, and how Jessica has managed to curate her own tiny village within the UK capital. Jessica also talks about starting her Substack newsletter, It'll Be Fun, They Said, based on part-time job working in a local independent bookshop. Finally, she shares her favourite kinds of alone time, which involves reading by the ocean and journaling in a cafe.TakeawaysEmbracing alone time can be a luxurious and fulfilling experience when it is a choice.Working in a bookshop can be enchanting and provide opportunities for meaningful connections with customers.Journaling is a valuable tool for self-reflection and understanding one's thoughts and feelings.Solo travel can be challenging but can also provide opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery.Having extrovert mentors can provide guidance and support in navigating social situations.Chapters00:00Introduction and Background02:21Different Journeys, Same Goal03:42The Fluidity of Introversion and Extroversion04:10The Pleasure of Working in a Bookshop05:31Starting the Substack Newsletter06:30Choosing Pleasure and Storytelling08:25The Enchantment of Working in a Bookshop09:50The Joy of Working in a Bookshop10:46The Aspirational Lifestyle of Working in a Bookshop11:02Balancing Work and Alone Time12:57The Privilege and Prison of Being Alone13:57Choosing to Be Alone14:25The Nuance of Enjoying Alone Time15:24The Universal Loneliness Problem16:48The Counterintuitive Decision to Be an Extrovert17:18The Loneliness of Metropolitan Life19:10The Surprise Solo Travel Experience23:12The Challenges of Solo Travel25:08The Benefit of Extrovert Mentors32:50Favorite Extrovert Adventures36:36Gaining Compassion for Introverted Parts40:05Tips for Spending Time Alone45:27Appreciating Introverted Parts of Yourself46:26Creating a Village in the City49:21Curating a Community51:17Creating Connections52:15Favourite Alone TimeThank you to our season sponsor Sensate, a palm-sized infrasonic stress and anti-anxiety device. Visit getsensate.com/alonement for 10% off your first device.You can follow Jessica Pan's Substack at jesspan.substack.com, and my own at francescaspecter.substack.com With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this week's episode is Poppy Jay, best known as the co-host of Brown Girls Do It Too, which won Podcast of the Year at the British Podcast Awards 2020. She's also a BAFTA-nominated documentary maker, devoted to chronicling difficult, real-life stories for BBC Three and Channel 4. But she's also been honest about her own: after entering an arranged marriage at the age of 19, Poppy got divorced at 25 – and has spent the past decade exploring her identity. In a Times interview earlier this year, she said – 'I'm 37 and and my whole life has been riddled with shame. Now I try to live by confronting it and owning it.' And that's exactly what she does in this episode – we talk about everything from the self-knowledge that comes from being alone, doing nothing, to why Poppy's trying to be more honest for her need to be by herself after casual sex – and the unexpected beauty of a mutual, respectful break-up in your 30s.Thank you to our season sponsor Sensate, a palm-sized infrasonic stress and anti-anxiety device. Visit getsensate.com/alonement for 10% off your first device. With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'That's the root of perfectionism: that chronic deficit thinking, the belief that we're not good enough. That we're not attractive enough, smart enough, fit enough, whatever it might be. In order to compensate for those feelings, we project on to the world a perfect persona that we feel like everybody wants to see – that we should be, essentially. And it's exhausting if you have to keep that up in every single interaction.'Welcome back to another season of Alonement. My first guest on this season is Dr Thomas Curran, a world leading expert on perfectionism and the author of The Perfection Trap: The Power Of Good Enough In A World That Always Wants More. Endorsed by the likes of Adam Grant and, more recently, Gwyneth Paltrow, The Perfection Trap is the culmination of years of academic research, interwoven with other expert voices, and as well as being rooted in academia it's also chatty, engaging and honest, which was not something I expected from an academic text. In this conversation, we chat about the relationship between alone time and perfectionism. This includes how solitude can sometimes be used as a space to recover from perfectionism, for practising a hobby that you're not, technically, very good at – purely for the joy of it. But also the danger of bringing your own perfectionist tendencies along, like trying to get a PB every time you go for a solo run. We also touch on the potential loneliness of relocating you have to do as an academic professor – or any lifestyle, like digital nomadism, that involves rootlessness and moving around a lot. Finally, we discuss how time outside – specifically cycling in nature – is Thom's favourite kind of alonement, and how sometimes finding joy in solitude can come to our rescue in our lowest moments. Thank you to our season sponsor Sensate, a palm-sized infrasonic stress and anti-anxiety device. Visit getsensate.com/alonement for 10% off your first device (you can also use the code ALONEMENT at checkout). With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can't really love anyone until you love yourself. While we see this a lot on Instagram, it's something that actually requires a lot of exploration – and it's my guest this week, the bestselling author and mind coach Vex King, that many of us have turned to over the past few years to teach us the true power of self-love, through his books, first in 2018's Good Vibes, Good Life and later in 2021's Healing is the New High. Now, Vex is back with his new title – Closer To Love – an essential guide to bringing those lessons into dating and romantic relationships. In this episode, he shares a little sample platter of that wisdom. We discuss everything from how Vex's difficult upbringing made him the person he is today - how he's navigated what he calls the verb, or action, that is love, in his own relationship with his wife. Finally, a fresh approach to self-love: how to demonstrate it to yourself through actions, and how to self-love if you're looking for a relationship but haven't found one yet. We discuss, among other things:Vex's understanding of love as something that exists ‘within you' [5:31]How self-love can help us identify healthy relationship dynamics [7:58]‘Healing' in a relationship versus outside of a relationship [15:25]The distinction between ‘mature' and ‘immature' love [25:32]How to show yourself love through your actions [30:30]Vex's journey towards self-acceptance after being bullied for his voice [40:23]Why daily meditation is Vex's alonement [48:02]Cultural references from our conversation:The concept of immature versus mature love, originating in Eric Fromm's book The Art of Loving‘Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving', a quote from bell hooks' All About Love‘You can't heal what you don't reveal', from the song ‘Kill Jay-Z' by Jay-ZYou can purchase all of Vex King's books from Vexking.comSubscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content.You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org.Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions,T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023.Twitter:*  @ChezSpecter@vexking*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@vexking With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Women Without Kids author, Ruby Warrington. We're are at a fascinating time in history – where, both in the UK, US, and across almost every developed nation like Switzerland, Italy, Japan and South Korea, adults are having children later in life – or, indeed, not at all. While statistics vary, it is a recognised trend – and that trend is relevant to all of us whether we have children now or in the future, or don't. Author Ruby Warrington, for this week's episode, has tackled that subject in her latest book, Women Without Kids – a timely non-fiction investigation into what it means to be, as it says on the tin, a woman without children today, with the help of expert insights from philosophers, anthropologists, social scientists and other writers. This is naturally a topic that lends itself an alonement slant, too – we all know that parenthood isn't exactly famed for its abundant alone time, but what about a life, and heterosexual relationship, that takes place without it? Ruby, who is now in her mid-forties and has been with her husband Simon for over 20 years, shares the answers to that question, and many more – offering so many insightful perspectives into being childfree by choice.We discuss, among other things:Why alone, for Ruby, means ‘sovereignty' [3:57]The value of having strong connections in your life as insurance against loneliness [8:30]The link between Ruby's introversion and her choice to be childfree [11:54]Why alone time is important in Ruby's marriage [15:04]How Ruby envied her father's lifestyle growing up [21:39]Ruby's experience of abortion [29:32]When Ruby questioned whether she did want kids [35:09]Chosen families and ‘other mothers' [39:18]What Ruby gained through the process of writing her latest bookRuby's favourite kind of alone time [47:47]You can purchase Women Without Kids from all good bookshops, and online.Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content.You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org.Thank you to WestLab for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Their bestselling Dead Sea bath salt range is a skin hero, containing a unique blend of magnesium, calcium and potassium, which is brilliant for protecting and repairing your skin barrier and managing conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne and sensitive skin. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions,T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023.Twitter:*  @ChezSpecter*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@rubywarrington* With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All this week on the programme we are looking at the topic of loneliness. Women are statistically more likely to be lonely and so in today's programme we will look at ways to cope with those feelings and if it's possible to reframe them. Anita is joined by Radio 4's All in the Mind presenter Claudia Hammond and author of Alonement, Francesca Specter. The comedian Nicole Travolta is taking her one-woman show Doing Alright to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It chronicles her life as a compulsive shopper, how she freed herself from debt, shame and the weight of a famous last name, one spray tan at a time. When she is not dressed up in a wig doing impressions, she can also be found performing comedy around LA. The children's charity NSPCC says that its Helpline received over one thousand contacts last year about children experiencing coercive and controlling behaviour, a form of domestic abuse. The school summer holidays can be a particularly difficult time for some of these children. If you are worried about someone, what should you do? Anita is joined by Paddi Vint, Development Manager for the NSPCC and a woman we call Margaret, who experienced coercive control in a previous relationship. The Cuban-Spanish singer-songwriter Lucy Calcines joins Anita to sing live, ahead of her headline performance at the UK's largest Latin music and dance festival this weekend. She shot to fame after her appearance on the Voice TV show in 2020, when she achieved a four chair turn by superstar coaches Meghan Trainor, Sir Tom Jones, Olly Murs and will.i.am. Anita will also be joined by the festival organiser, Amaranta Wright, to talk about all things Latin. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt Studio manager: Bob Nettles

Donna Lancaster is a coach and therapist, best known as the co-creator of The Bridge, a retreat designed to help attendees navigate grief and loss, and the author of a book of the same name. More recently, Donna has published a pocket book called Wise Words for Women, full of advice on how to live a rewarding, connected life. I know we hear a lot of these buzzwords like authenticity and pain, but equally I think what a lot of us are searching for day to day is that person who emanates gentle, universal wisdom, that comforting phrase that catches you at the right time. Donna refers to herself as a ‘trainee elder', and to those she touches with her work, that's what she is. This is a conversation about how to find wonder and creativity in alone time; how to connect with nature; and just generally how to find a bit more joy in our lives. We discuss, among other things:Why Donna feels most authentic when she is alone [3:53]Donna's struggle with loneliness growing up [6:31]How Donna's relationship with nature makes her feel more connected to the world [12:!6]Are you a mountain person, a sea person or a forest person? Donna believes we all have a ‘natural leaning' [19:08]How to have a ‘Date with Wonder' [24:40]Why wealth can make you feel lonelier, according to Donna [28:39]Is loneliness something we should accept in our lives? [39:30]Donna's love of colouring books as an alone time activity [45:19]You can purchase Donna's latest book, Wise Words for Women, now online and in bookstores.Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content.You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org.Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Their bestselling Dead Sea bath salt range is a skin hero, containing a unique blend of magnesium, calcium and potassium, which is brilliant for protecting and repairing your skin barrier and managing conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne and sensitive skin. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions,T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023.Twitter:*  @ChezSpecter*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@donnalancs With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is author Naoise Dolan. I am absolutely thrilled to have Naoise on this season – she's widely consider of the millennial generation's most talented writers, ever since her Sunday Times bestseller debut novel Exciting Times was published in 2020. It's currently being adapted into an Amazon Studios TV production starring Phoebe Dynevor. We're here to discuss her hotly anticipated follow up book, The Happy Couple, which is a sort of anti-rom counting down to the wedding of a boy and girl who probably shouldn't get married. During this recording, we chat about Naoise's experiences of being an expat in Berlin – where she's lived less than a year. Fans of Naoise, who is originally from Dublin, will know that she is no stranger to the experience of living abroad – her first book, Exciting Times, was heavily inspired by her own expat experience living in Hong Kong, while she's also lived in Singapore and Italy. From an alone time perspective, this is an interesting position to be in – and Naoise describes how this sense of being a foreigner has enabled some of the incredibly perceptive social observation in her writing. We also discuss Naoise's autism diagnosis, and how it might or might not reflect itself in her writing – plus, whether framing writing as ‘neurodivergent' is useful in the first place. I found Naoise incredibly thoughtful and intelligent – she has a dark sense of humour, which I really appreciate, and she has one of the best laughs I've ever heard on this podcast. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. We discuss, among other things:Naoise's decision to relocate to Berlin [4:56]Navigating cultural differences as an autistic person [9:01]Why Naoise structured her book around a wedding narrative [19:25]Main character syndrome, in relation to Naoise's protagonist Celine [24:08]Naoise's characters' self-sabotaging tendencies (in The Happy Couple & Exciting Times) [30:26]How Naoise's neurodiverse perspective influences her writing [34:23]Naoise's love of drawing in her alone time [38:30]You can purchase Naoise's book, The Happy Couple, now online and in bookstores.Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content. My book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org.Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, expires 31st August 2023.Twitter:*  @ChezSpecter@NaoiseDolan*Instagram:@ChezSpecter@naoisedolan With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest for this week's episode is podcaster and author Caggie Dunlop, whom you might also recognise as a former cast member on the rather well known reality show called Made in Chelsea. Caggie has since reached a whole different audience. Her show Saturn Returns – which explores the coming of age happens somewhere around your late twenties and early thirties – has united a community as they navigate the shared challenges and opportunities that come with this age. I discovered the show last year – unsurprisingly, just as I was coming into this life stage – and was lucky enough to be Caggie's guest on an episode released this May. Afterwards, Caggie generously agreed to come on and talk all things alone time with me – together with discussing her debut book, a memoir meets guidebook co-written with astrology expert Noura Bourni. In this episode, we talk about everything from the loneliness that Caggie faced when she pursed her singing career in LA, to, on the more positive side, how to navigate the vulnerable early stages of a blossoming relationship in a healthy way. I also ask Caggie how solo holidays work out when you're a recognisable former reality TV star. We discuss, among other things:Why Caggie describes herself as ‘a bit of a recluse' [4:45]Independence vs. codependency in a romantic relationship [7:25]Why alone time was a ‘sanctuary' for Caggie, growing up [10:10]The definition of ‘Saturn Return' [19:19]How Caggie's own ‘Saturn Return' let to a career pivot [25:31]The power of the ‘slow burn' when entering a relationship [32:09]Navigating anxious attachment [35:52]Caggie's recent solo mini break [39:40]You can purchase Caggie's book, Saturn Returns, now – while her podcast of the same name is available to listen to wherever you get your podcast.Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content.You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org.Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions,T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023.Twitter:*  @ChezSpecter@caggie_dunlop*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@caggiesworld With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Adam Gopnik, a long-standing staff writer at the New Yorker, and the award-winning author of a frankly intimidating number of books, most recently The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery, which explores the process of learning a new skill. And then there was his recent Hollywood debut – those who've seen Oscar-winning film Tar might have also spotted Adam playing himself, as an interviewer, alongside Cate Blanchett in the film's opening scene. Today, we're talking about solitude – and how it's played out in Adam's writing career and life more broadly. As a true New Yorker, Adam tells me how his version of alone time manages to integrate a great deal of companionship too, from his love of working amid the hustle & bustle of others in his office days to the more collaborative strands of his career, including writing for musical theatre. Alone time, for Adam, is best spent pacing around a crowded city listening to what he still still refers to as a walkman – alone in a crowd. He also shares with me how his childhood, growing up as one of six in a crowded noisy house, has shaped his love of being around others in modern life. Finally, we discuss the beauty of solitude as depicted by the art of Edward Hopper – which Adam and I share a love for.We discuss:How Adam's upbringing primed him to feel most comfortable around the noise of others [4:34]His love of walking alone around a city [7:08]Adam's lifelong struggle with insomnia – and how he treats it [10:38]Writing routines, and approaching writing like a ‘physical challenge' [16:30]Edward Hopper's depiction of solitude [26:04]The art of ‘social solitude' in New York [31:34]References from our conversation:Adam Gopnik's 'walkman' playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1oe0WuKABmBtL576sGgW64?si=c45849d6d4a94cefThe Edward Hopper exhibition at The Whitney, New York‘What sin to me unknown dipp'd in ink', from Alexander Pope's Epistle to Dr ArbuthnotThe Monologue Art Museum You can purchase all of Adam Gopnik's books, including The Real Work, at adamgopnik.com/books.Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow her personal writing plus podcast bonus content. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, based on this podcast, from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions, T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023. With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Ctrl Alt Delete. This is a replay from last year with Francesca Specter, author of Alonement: How to be alone and absolutely own it, and the creator of the Alonement podcast. Francesca coined the term Alonement, which is different from being lonely - we talk about learning to enjoy your own company, tips and tools, and how we can speak about solitude in a more nuanced way. Hope you enjoy this conversation.My Substack page, come and say hi: https://thehyphen.substack.com/My books: https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/emma-gannonBooks mentioned on Ctrl Alt Delete podcast: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/books-mentioned-on-ctrl-alt-delete-podcastTwitter: Twitter.com/emmagannonInstagram: Instagram.com/emmagannonuk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[DISCLAIMER: Due to a couple of technical glitches, the eagle-eared among you might notice the audio in the main interview portion of this episode isn't quite the usual standard. I've done my very best to rectify this in the edit, and I hope it doesn't take away from your listening experience of this otherwise brilliant episode! Francesca]This week's guest is Dr Nicole LePera, whom you might be more familiar with as the Holistic Psychologist – the handle of her somewhat insanely popular Instagram account. She's also the author of multiple books, including her New York bestseller How To Do The Work, and her latest title, a workbook called How To Meet Your Self. With fans including Elizabeth Day, Dr Rangan Chatterjee and Mel Robbins, Nicole's popularity is justified – with her succinct but hard-hitting social media posts bringing therapeutic insight out of the expensive and often inaccessible clinical space and in front of the 9 million people who follow her on social media. We discuss, among other things:The practical challenge of alone time when you're in a throuple, or three-person relationship, as Nicole is [5:40]How Nicole developed a fearful relationship with being alone in childhood [8:10]How your body can go into a ‘threat state' when you're alone [10:45]Nicole's experience of struggling with being physically alone in her early twenties [15:05]How to practically teach yourself to cope better with alone time through Nicole's five-minute exercise[18:16]Can you learn to be alone through therapy? [20:51]How to avoid the addictive trap of ‘self-help' [26:51]Why Nicole is passionate about mental health advice being widely accessible via social media [33:31]Practical advice for engaging with self-help content sensibly [37:08]Why Nicole's favourite alone time involves nudity (not like that!] [41:18]You can find links to Dr Nicole Lepera's latest workbook on howtomeetyourself.com. Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions,T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023.Twitter:@ChezSpecter @theholisticpsychInstagram:@ChezSpecter @the.holistic.psychologist With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes for The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast Episode: How to thrive spending time alone – with Francesca SpecterThank you for listening to the Aspiring Psychologist Podcast. For a variety of reasons in psychology we might find ourselves needing or choosing to spend large chunks of time by ourselves alone. But this can be frowned upon by others and also conjur up tricky thoughts and feelings for us too. In today's episode I am joined by Times Book of The Year Author, Francesca Specter where we discuss how to understand and Nail spending time by yourself. I wish I'd had access to this episode when I was an Aspiring psychologist.I'd of course love any feedback you might have, and I'd love to know what your offers are and to be connected with you on socials so I can help you to celebrate your wins! The Highlights:(00:00): Overview(01:19): Welcome and Context (03:22): Welcome to Francesca (03:47): What is alonement?(04:55): How we met(05:10): Why is this an important conversation in psychology? (06:14): Why being alone is scary(07:07): Our tolerance for boredom (09:01): Loneliness and mindless scrolling (10:03): What does the state of alonement feel like?(10:44): Differences to loneliness(11:57): Extroversion and introversion (13:25): Normalising alonement (15:25): Alonement and the Psychology profession(19:32): Old habits and patterns can be a useful crutch but….(22:16): Confidence and courage to explore new local areas (23:25): Marianne's unusual USA cinema experience (26:02): Main character syndrome (26:37): Chats about cauliflowers (27:22): Alonement – Francesca's book(29:47): For future versions of ourselves who need it (30:51): Learning to emotionally regulate (31:52): Research into time alone and perceptions (32:46): The accidental breakup manual (34:29): Tips for starting out in alonement (39:19): The empowerment of alone (40:24): Connecting with Francesca (41:29): Thanks to Francesca (41:58): Summary and close Links:➡️ To connect with Francesca Specter head to: https://www.francescaspecter.co.uk/ and https://francescaspecter.substack.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/chezspecter/

This week's guest on the podcast is the poet Amy Key. We're here to discuss her first work of prose, Arrangements in Blue: Notes on Love and Making a Life, which is a memoir inspired by the work of Amy's beloved musical icon, Joni Mitchell. Aged 44. Amy has been single for 22 years. Her book challenges us to consider the claim that life can both be wonderful in the absence of romantic love – and that it is yet still valid to want it nevertheless. Described by The Guardian as a ‘cathartic meditation on singledom', Arrangements in Blue is a book that reflects on the universal question of what makes a life rich and whole, in a way that resonates regardless of your relationship status. It is also a nuanced discussion of different kinds of alonement, from the luxury of living alone (it's worth mentioning. Amy speaks to me from her flat in London, where the walls are painted a gorgeous shade of pink, and there's a piano and her books in the backdrop) to the highs and lows of solo travel. We discuss, among other things:Why ‘alone', for Amy, means ‘attunement' [4:25]What was behind Amy's decision to theme her book around Joni Mitchell's ‘Blue' album [8:15]The challenge of living life on a different timeline to your peers [13:34]What people in long-term relationships could learn from Amy's account of long-term singledom [16:34]Do single people face discrimination? [23:55]The contagious joy of holidaying alone [26:59]Practising self-care and personal boundaries as a single person [34:08]Amy's platonic relationship with her mentor, the late poet Roddy Lumsden [38:30]Why Amy's asking for more, not less, from her dating life [44:46]You can purchase Arrangements in Blue now at all good bookshops. Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content.You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org.Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Their bestselling Dead Sea bath salt range is a skin hero, containing a unique blend of magnesium, calcium and potassium, which is brilliant for protecting and repairing your skin barrier and managing conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne and sensitive skin. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions,T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023.Twitter:*  @ChezSpecter@msamykey*Instagram:@ChezSpecter@msamykey With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Alonement podcast is back! And for the first episode of this season, I'm speaking to one of the most-requested guests since the show began: Susan Cain. Susan is the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, a book which spent eight years on the New York bestseller list after its publication in 2012. The book was inspired by her former career as a Wall Street lawyer, a profession where she came face-to-face with what she identified as a Western bias towards extroversion in the workplace. In Quiet, she celebrates the traits of introverted people, including their capacity for reflection and solitude. In April 2022, Susan published Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole, which is an exploration of how embracing life's sadness, as well as its positive moments, can be the pathway to a greater appreciation of beauty and wonder.We discuss, among other things:How Susan navigates busy publicity cycles as an introvert [4:49]Free trait theory [10:03]The ‘Alone togetherness' of spaces like Starbucks, co-working spaces & family homes [14:28]Why Susan Cain's unpublished memoir was called ‘Freefall'  [23:21]Why the act of being creative is inherently bittersweet [25:05]The relationship between alone time, religion and spirituality [29:08]Susan's critique of positive psychology [31:32]Why Susan is a ‘happy melancholic' [33:15]A different look at romantic obsession – and how it can help us learn more about our deeper internal desires [34:16]Should introverts only date extroverts – and vice versa? [39:16]Cultural references from our conversation:‘Only connect', the epigraph to EM Forster's Howard's EndRyan Little's ‘Free Trait Theory'The film Splendour in the GrassThe ‘Bittersweet' playlist created to accompany Susan's latest bookThe discipline of positive psychology, founded by Martin SeligmanThe Myers Briggs personality testYou can purchase all of Susan Cain's books, including Quiet and Bittersweet, on susancain.net/books.Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter at francescaspecter.substack.com to follow my personal writing plus podcast bonus content. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon,  Waterstones and Bookshop.org.Thank you so much to WestLab for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Their bestselling Dead Sea bath salt range is a skin hero, containing a unique blend of magnesium, calcium and potassium, which is brilliant for protecting and repairing your skin barrier and managing conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne and sensitive skin. Visit westlabsalts.co.uk/products/dead-sea-salt and quote the code ALONEMENT15 for 15% off when you spend £10 or more, excludes subscriptions,T&Cs apply. Code expires 31st August 2023.Social links: @ChezSpecter on Instagram & Twitter, while Susan is @susancain on Twitter and @susancainauthor on Instagram. With a one-off payment of £5, you can listen to the Alonement podcast ad-free. https://plus.acast.com/s/alonement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you struggle to enjoy alone time? Or do you love taking yourself off for alone time, but struggle to justify it to your partner or family? Does your fear of time alone drive you to unhealthy levels of busy-ness? Or are you desperate to find just five minutes for yourself? Is the idea of ‘needing space' from someone a foreign concept? Or else, do you struggle to maintain your independence in your relationships? Do you want to celebrate and benefit from your alone time – however much, or little, of it you get? Francesca Specter is the woman for you. She's written a best selling book Alonement, and in this podcast we dig into themes around embracing being alone, whatever your age, life stage or relationship status. Francesca's book - Alonement: How To Be Alone & Absolutely Own It Francesca's newsletter theshoulds.substack.com The radical act of travelling solo https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-radical-act-of-travelling-solo/id1618450456?i=1000565322084 Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World https://www.vivekmurthy.com/together-book Gloria Steinhem Revolution From Within https://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Within-Self-Esteem-Gloria-Steinem/dp/B000NZTQDYGet tickets for our very first conference, UPFRONT and Centre taking place on March 11th 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland at https://www.upfrontandcentre.com/Sign up for UPFRONT's email newsletter hereClick here to sign up for Bond 7Follow Lauren and UPFRONT:Twitter: twitter.com/_laurencurrie_Instagram: instagram.com/_laurencurrie_ and instagram.com/upfrontglobalLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laurencurrie/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we shoot for a random dad chat and end up talking about whether we would want to spend time alone even with the amazing families that we have.

Most of us find it increasingly difficult to be ok in our own company, which isn't helped our tendency to autopilot to scrolling Twitter or Instagram on our phones to fill the moments we find ourselves alone. Francesca Specter is a podcast host and author of Alonement: How To Be Alone And Absolutely Own It, who is building a community that celebrates the transformative power of spending time alone. In the conversation we talk about why as humans we naturally place greater importance on social skills over solitude skills, why alonement is needed in our daily lives, how to turn loneliness into positive solitude, and much more. Enjoy :)

Season 7 finale! How did that happen?! We are, however, going out with a bang... This week, I have the pleasure of chatting to friendship expert & psychologist Dr Marisa G. Franco, whose new book Platonic: How Understanding Your Attachment Style Can Help You Make and Keep Friends combines two of the most zeitgeist-y lifestyle topics of the moment: attachment theory and the value of friendship. After interviewing Marisa, I was actually invited to provide the cover endorsement (!) for the UK edition, which I couldn't have been more honoured to do. Here's what I said about it: ‘Relationships take work. We've always accepted that romantically – but, curiously, rarely do we apply the same adage to friendship. Marisa G. Franco's Platonic is the book that changes that. It not only champions the essentiality of friendship for a happy life and gives a generous reflection of the author's own experience, it also gives you the toolkit for deepening existing friendships and making new ones. This is all done through the fascinating lens of attachment theory, once again something you may have applied to your romantic relationships but likely never before to your friendships. This is a timely, unique guide to approaching friendship, often the profoundest source of connection in your life, with the love (and self-reflection) it deserves.' In this episode, recorded just before the book release, we discuss: What ‘attachment theory' actually means, in – as Dr Marisa G Franco put it – ‘a rather big nutshell'How secure friendships underpin your ability to feel ‘safe' when in your own companyThe value of showing vulnerability in your friendshipsThe challenges we face when making (and keeping) friends in adulthoodPractical advice to nurture healthy friendships You can order Dr Marisa G. Franco's book, Platonic: How Understanding Your Attachment Style Can Help You Make and Keep Friends, now on Bookshop.org You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@DrMarisaGFranco*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@drmarisagfranco*Contact: press@alonement.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week my interviewee is radio and TV presenter Nihal Arthanayake. While I'll be asking the questions today, Nihal is most used to playing the other role, having interviewed countless household names, including Minnie Driver, Ricky Gervais & Benedict Cumberbatch on his regular BBC 5 Live show. He's recently written a book, Let's Talk: How To Have Better Conversations - based on what he's learnt through his job, which we'll be discussing as part of this episode. We discuss, among other things: How the David Lloyd became Nihal's creative haven when he was writing his bookNihal's love of long, solitary drivesThe value of taking time to do nothing'Quiet quitting'How male loneliness comes around – and why we need to talk more about itThe complicated business of male friendships You can order Nihal's latest book, Let's Talk: How to Have Better Conversations, now from Bookshop.org. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@TherealNihal*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@therealnihal*Contact: press@alonement.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another week, another bitesize mini-episode from Alonement archives. This conversation with journalist and author Daisy Buchanan comes from the first season of Alonement, recorded in person at my flat in November 2019. Before pivoting towards writing books, Daisy worked as an agony aunt for Grazia magazine, answering reader questions around everything from work to relationships. We discuss the philosophy underlying all of her advice: that, actually, her role was to empower people to recognise their own capacity for self-knowledge, and to, in the least woo-woo way possible, realise that they had the answers within them. As ever, Daisy is kind, soothing and wise in this clip - I hope you enjoy listening.Twitter: @ChezSpecter @NotRollerGirl Instagram: @ChezSpecter @alonementofficial @thedaisybee Get in touch: press@alonement.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I have the absolute pleasure of speaking to one of my favourite authors, Holly Bourne. After beginning her novel-writing career in the young adult genre, Holly has released three brilliant titles for adults over the past few years, which are full of wise reflections on relationships, navigating social pressure and recovering from trauma. She's influenced, in part, by the five years she spent working as an online agony aunt for a youth charity, specialising in relationships and mental health, and her present role as the youth ambassador for Women's Aid. Her honest, empathetic writing has made me, and so many other that I know, feel less alone – saying that, I can't wait to see what she has to say about alone time, and what it means to her. We discuss, among other things: Why her heroines' 'happy endings' always involve them finding a greater degree of love for themselvesHow Holly learnt to enjoy taking herself out for dinnerHow female friendship can offer a 'safe space' away from the male gazeThe challenge of adjusting to a new relationship after being happily-single for a periodYou can order Holly's latest book, Girlfriends, now on Bookshop.org.You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@hollybourne_YA*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@hollybourneya*Contact: press@alonement.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, I interview poet, BBC radio presenter and author Salma El-Wardany. Salma's debut novel, These Impossible Things, has been a breakout international hit. It's a novel about three British Muslim women whose close friendship falls apart one devastating night, and covers the themes of platonic bonds, identity and growing up. We discuss, among other things: Salma's experience of heartbreak and rediscovering herself afterwardsHow to maintain independence in a romantic relationshipThe tension behind growing up in a community-based religion like Islam, and learning to advocate for one's alone timeHow Salma's mother inspired her love of alonement You can order Salma El-Wardany''s debut novel, These Impossible Things, now from Bookshop.org. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@writtenbysalma*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@salmaelwardany*Contact: press@alonement.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered about the relationship between sleep and ‘alone time'? That's the topic of this week's episode with Dr Kat Lederle, a sleep scientist and chronobiologist (read: ‘body clock scientist'). I don't know about you, but as someone who occasionally sits up for hours in the early morning with insomnia, I'd never considered how a lack of ‘me-time' in the day might turn into a sleepless night… this conversation truly opened my eyes, and gave a fresh view on why quality alone time is just so important, not only for our waking hours but for our sleeping ones too. We discuss, among other things: How a lack of ‘me-time' can lead to sleeplessness and insomniaWhy the best bedtime routines actually begin in the dayWhether or not it's a good idea to journal before bedtimeThe value of taking ‘mini-breaks' throughout the day You can learn more about Dr Kat Lederle and the Somnia sleep clinic on the Somnia.org.uk website. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@DrKatSleep*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@drkatsleep*Contact: press@alonement.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As political protests go, a four-year vow of celibacy is on the extreme side. And that's what this week's guest, British-American film director & writer Emma Forrest, decided to do following her divorce from actor Ben Mendelsohn, a period of her life which coincided with Donald Trump serving as the 45th US President from 2017 to 2021. ‘Looking at him makes me not want to have sex,' Emma reasoned – devoting herself to single parenting, finding joy in solitude, relocating from sunny LA to not-so-sunny London – and writing a memoir, Busy Being Free: A Lifelong Romantic Is Seduced By Solitude, about all of the above. In this episode, we discuss: How, as a single parent, Emma has instilled an appreciation for healthy solitude in her daughterWhat it takes to have a ‘good divorce'How celibacy helped cure Emma of her ‘addiction' to romanceWhy Emma's ultimate sexual fantasy begins with a day of uninterrupted writingThe joy of leaving a bad movie mid-way through You can order Emma Forrest's book, Busy Being Free: A Lifelong Romantic is Seduced by Solitude, now on Bookshop.org You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@girlinterrupter*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@addiepray*Contact: press@alonement.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Phoebe Fox, aka Marial from The Great, who acts alongside Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult in Hulu's deliciously irreverent ‘anti-historical' comedy-drama. I interviewed Phoebe, a RADA-trained actor who's been nominated both an Olivier and a SAG, earlier this year for GLAMOUR magazine, and I enjoyed our conversation so much that I begged her to come on the podcast so we could continue it. We discuss, among other things: The ‘grounding' that helps Phoebe step out of her character after a long day of performingHow Phoebe and her fellow actor husband Kyle Soller have navigated living away from each other during long filming schedulesWhy it's important to define your own idea of successPhoebe's discovery of meditation during lockdown You can watch The Great now on Channel 4. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@phoebemercedes*Contact: press@alonement.com Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's mini-episode, I'm revisiting my conversation with Dr Julie Smith, a clinical psychologist turned bestselling author known better by her Instagram handle, Dr Julie, or simply as that therapist off TikTok. In this clip, we take a deep dive into what it means to journal well. Of course, we see a lot on Instagram about journalling, but as inspiring as that can sometimes be, I wanted to go deeper than picture-perfect stationery. Dr Julie, in this ten-minute clip, goes to the core of what journalling does to our brain – and how it serves as a unique tool to help us process emotions, through helping us put names to our emotions and through reducing rumination. She also offers alternative to journalling for those who, whatever reason, don't get on well with it. You can order Dr Julie Smith's book, Why Has No One Told Me This Before?, now from Amazon and Waterstones.You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones.Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip.Twitter:*@ChezSpecter@Dr_Julie_Smith*Instagram:*@ChezSpecter@drjulie*Contact: press@alonement.com Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Described by close friend Bear Grylls as ‘stronger than 99% of the men I know', Megan Hine is a survival expert and TV presenter who works on and off camera to make some of the most extreme adventure shows on television happen. She also holds a degree in psychology – just another string to her already-very-loaded bow. I managed to catch Megan during one of the rare occasions she wasn't on location for her day job, wrestling tigers, escaping tribal warfare or climbing a mountain (I'm not even exaggerating…). During this podcast interview, she chats to me via Zoom from her home in Wales – with the gorgeous sound of birdsong and clucking chickens. We discuss, among other things: Megan's incredible, self-designed career as a survival expert – and how it began with her taking solo mountain expeditions at the tender age of nineBeing a ‘survivalist' – and how we can apply those skills to our everyday livesWhy taking a ‘pause' is an essential survival skill What happened when Megan experienced burn-outWhat ‘going bushy' means – and how it applies to lockdown You can learn more about Megan Hine on her website, Meganhine.com. You can order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@meg_hine*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@megan_hine*Contact: press@alonement.com Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm delighted to welcome Sunday Times bestselling author Owen O'Kane on to the show this week. Previously an NHS Clinical Lead for mental health, Owen is now a psychotherapist and bestselling author. His books have all sorts of intriguing names, like Ten Times Happier and Ten To Zen. But when I saw the title of his latest book, How To Be Your Own Therapist, my ears pricked up. This is a podcast about alone time and how to make it better – and given that therapy is something which many of us consider valuable, but remains expensive and inaccessible to many, I thought that self-therapy, as Owen describes it, sounds like a brilliant use of your alone time. In this episode, he reveals some of the practical wisdom he shares in his latest book – plus, a little more about his own background, and what led him on the his career path, plus how he likes to spend his alone time. We discuss, among other things: How to stop living on autopilot and tune into the emotions driving your behaviourOwen's practical, daily tips to administer ‘self-therapy'Owen shares the biggest indication, for him, that he needs some time aloneWe discover Owen's background, and what led him to pursue this careerHow alone time helps therapists recover from the emotional toll of their job You can order Owen O Kane's latest book, How To Be Your Own Therapist, now from Bookshop.org. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@Owenokaneten*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@Owenokaneten*Contact: press@alonement.com Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to ‘Me Time', Alonement's new, weekly series of 10-minute mini episodes from the archives. We'll be showcasing the very best wisdom from some of our favourite former guests, in bitesize episodes designed for those smaller pockets of Alonement that you get throughout your day. I'm kicking off with a slice of Alonement history: an excerpt from the episode with philosopher, author & School of Life founder Alain de Botton, originally recorded in November 2019. It was actually the first ever episode I recorded of this podcast, and one of the few I got to record in person ahead of the pandemic – at Alain's office in north London. This recording happened at a time where I was still shaping my own understanding of alonement, and why it matters. Alain was challenging, in a way that proved invaluable. There's no instant magic in taking time alone, he argued. Long periods of time alone won't lead to self-knowledge, just like that. Essentially, we need to think about what we're doing in that alone time, and make sure we're spending that time in a conscious way - in order to make it ALONEMENT. In this clip, he takes us through a practical exercise we can do when we're alone: an exercise that involves asking ourselves hard questions about our relationships, our career, and our friends – in order to work out who we are, and what we want; to tune into our intuition, rather than let our major life decisions be dictated by external influences. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iona Bain is a personal finance expert who appears regularly on BBC Morning Live and writes a weekly column for the i Paper. She's written two books, her second is Own It – a millennial guide to investing. On a personal level, she's also recently made the big step of buying her first flat as a solo buyer – a process she described to me in an email as a ‘learning curve'. In this episode, we discuss questions around solo finance – including the cost of living alone and the dreaded ‘single' supplement' – which, as many of you will know, is the additional cost often associated with doing things solo, from getting a hotel room to buying food in the supermarket. So many of you had specific questions you wanted me to ask Iona, so in the second half of this episode I'll be bringing out some crowd-sourced audience questions. We discuss, among other things: How Iona went from a musician who stored cash from gigs in a piggy bank, to a leading money expert.Iona's journey to buying her own place alone (and why she's transparent about having had help)Why our relationship with money is about more than just numbers – there's emotion involved, tooThe Single Supplement and how to navigate itHow learning to spend time alone can help us not only save, but also spend on what matters to us You can order Iona Bain's latest book, Own It, now from Bookshop.org. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@IonaYoungMoney*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@IonaBain*Contact: press@alonement.com Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Francesca Specter, author of Alonement: How to be alone and absolutely own it, and the creator of the Alonement podcast. You guessed it, today we are discussing how to be alone - something I'm really passionate about as someone who values alone time, takes myself on solo trips and loves Julia Cameron's suggestion of The Artist Date, where you take yourself on a date. Francesca speaks so brilliant about this and coined the term Alonement, which is different from being lonely - we talk about learning to enjoy your own company, what this means in the context of getting through a pandemic, tips and tools on how to embrace alone time if it's something you feel afraid of and how we can speak about solitude in a more nuanced way. Hope you enjoy this conversation. My Substack page, come and say hi: https://thehyphen.substack.com/Francesca's brilliant book ALONEMENT: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/153/9781529412628The Alonement podcast: https://www.alonement.com/podcastMy books: https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/emma-gannonBooks mentioned on Ctrl Alt Delete podcast: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/books-mentioned-on-ctrl-alt-delete-podcastTwitter: Twitter.com/emmagannonInstagram: Instagram.com/emmagannonuk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to the tenth and final episode of season 6. This week's episode is the second of two live recordings I did back to back at Kings Place in London – which was recorded in front of an audience. My guest is Abigail Bergstrom, the literary agent behind some of the biggest bestselling books in the past few years. More recently, at the beginning of this year, Abigail published her own debut novel, titled What A Shame. It is a beautifully-written story which explores everything from heartbreak and healing to the occult. I can testify to loving Abigail's book so much I read the whole thing in one sitting, over the course of an evening. During our conversation, we discussed among other things the importance of turning up as your ‘best self' for alonement (i.e not completely hungover or tired – because you wouldn't turn up like that for a date!); the role that alone time plays in emotional healing; plus, why despite being a lover of solitude Abigail will never be taking herself off to a cabin in the woods – and feels a little bit miffed when her boyfriend goes for solo breaks in a log cabin. I hope you enjoy listening. You can order Abigail Bergstrom's book, What a Shame, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:@ChezSpecter@AbigailBergstrm Instagram:@ChezSpecter@abigailbergstrom Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, I have something very special for you – it's the first ever live recording of Alonement, which was recorded in front of an audience at Kings Place in London. In what was a fairly ambitious move, I decided to record not one but two episodes back to back – which I'll be releasing this week and next. The first guest to join me on stage was Olivia Petter, the author of Millennial Love, a brilliant memoir and social commentary on the modern dating landscape. She's also the host of a podcast of the same name, which I've been lucky enough to be a guest on in the past. Oh, and your ears do not deceive you, that really is a gospel choir singing faintly at the beginning due to a slight timings clash at the concert hall – bear with us, it only goes on for the first 90 seconds. Let's just call it divine intervention. During this episode, we discuss everything from the how-tos and how-nots of bringing solitude to your relationship to the frankly bizarre terms used to describe dating in online dating ('Cuffing'? 'Breadcrumbing?' We're exhausted!). This was a lively and, well, live conversation, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we (and the audience) did.You can order Olivia Petter's book, Millennial Love, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:@ChezSpecter@oliviapetter1 Instagram:@ChezSpecter@oliviapetter8 Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My very special guest this week is Emma Gannon, host of the Ctrl Alt Delete podcast, one of my absolute favourite shows and the first I ever listened to. Now a prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction, Emma is a true career inspiration – and well as an example of how to live a varied, creative life. Her latest book is Disconnected: How To Stay Human In An Online World, a practical guide to finding connection and community both online and off – in a nutshell, how to make our internet with the digital world that little bit better. As someone whose online brand is so established she was once described as ‘Miss Internet' by Emma Barnett on Woman's Hour, Emma is a true authority on how to approach our internet age in a more rewarding way – and I loved her suggestion that true connection begins not with other people, but with a deeper fundamental connection to ourselves first. Tune in to hear our conversation, which is jam packed with insights about everything from choosing a child-free life to Emma's top tips for solo weekends away (my favourite? Pack your comfiest slippers!). You can order Emma Gannon's latest book, (Dis)connected: How To Stay Human In An Online World, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:@ChezSpecter@emmagannon Instagram:@ChezSpecter@emmagannonuk Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Become the author of your own story – that's the promise from this week's guest, Roxie Nafousi, a self-development coach and bestselling author of Manifest: 7 Steps To Living Your Best Life, who champions the power of manifesting to bring about positive transformation in your life. Manifesting is a deceivingly simple concept; in a nutshell, it means changing your thought patterns in order to bring about positive change in your life and meet your goals. But it requires not just thought, but action – explains Roxie, who talks me through the power of solo practices like journaling, vision boarding and meditating in order to think hard about what you want from your career, relationships and creative life. This definitely convinced me of the merits of the practice, which some have written off as woo-woo or unrealistic but, actually, is firmly grounded in practical, realistic steps and intentionality. Plus, yes, quality alonement – which, yes I'm biased, but I maintain is the unifying force behind most modern day personal development practice. Anyway, have a listen, let me know what you thought, and I'll be back next week with a shiny new episode. You can order Roxie Nafousi's book, Manifest, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@roxienafousi *Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week's guest is Isy Suttie! The comedian, author and actor best known (among Peep Show fanatics) for playing the character of Dobby on the hit British sitcom. We discuss Isy Suttie's debut novel, Jane Is Trying, together with her stand-up comedy career and relationship with fellow comedian (and alone time fan, by the sounds of things!) Elis James. What follows is a gorgeous chat about the value of integrating alone time into your professional and family life, in order to live and create meaningfully. My Peep Show obsession is now in fierce competition with my adoration for the lovely, warm & wise soul that is Isy Suttie. I also have 100x more respect for the sheer craftsmanship and art form of comedy, a career which makes Isy's other lines of work (you know, casually writing a book and acting in an award-winning TV series) sound like a breeze, comparatively. Anyway, happy listening – Isy is a joy. You can order Isy Suttie's book, Jane Is Trying, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@IsySuttie*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter*Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My guest this week, Oliver Burkeman, may be many things – but he's not a productivity expert. Thankfully, the former Guardian columnist rejects both the societal obsession with productivity hacking and the idea of being an expert (he'd much prefer to be regarded as a work in progress tackling the problems he personally struggles with through his work, he tells me on this episode). While Oliver makes no lofty claims about his wisdom, I'm going to do it for him. The bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks – a provocative title when you find out it refers to the average human lifespan – and other personal development books such as Addicted To Busy is a soothing balm to anyone who finds themselves chronically trying to do everything, and feeling inadequate in the process. During this episode, we discuss the value of taking time for yourself within a busy, people-focused life; the unexpected overlap between an obsession with productivity and spending time alone; and we also talk about why coworking spaces are the absolute best for alone togetherness. You can order Oliver Burkeman's book, Four Thousand Weeks, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@OliverBurkeman*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter*Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

She's famous for her 60-second videos, yet I was lucky enough to have a full 60 MINUTES interviewing this week's guest, the wonderful Dr Julie Smith. She's the clinical psychologist, online educator and ‘TikTok therapist' who has been looking after the emotional health of her 3 and a half million (!) followers over the past three years through her light-hearted yet information-filled videos, which break down complex psychological concepts with the help of dance, handy props and lip-syncing. Yup, you can learn and have fun, kids! Once I'd stopped shamelessly gushing over Julie – oh you bet I cut that bit out – we had a fabulous discussion about everything from creating an actual IRL self-soothing box (which I will immediately be off to do after uploading this episode) to the emotional education that comes from watching Jim Carrey films. You can order Dr Julie Smith's book, Why Has No One Told Me This Before?, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones. Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip. Twitter:* @ChezSpecter@Dr_Julie_Smith*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter@drjulie*Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As far as being 'alone' goes, my guest Erling Kagge has experienced the extreme end of the spectrum. The first man to ever complete the Three Poles challenge (that's Mount Everest, the North Pole and the South Pole) on foot, Erling once spent 50 days alone, without radio contact, during his solo South Pole expedition in 1992 – a feat which saw him featured on the cover of Time magazine the following year. While it's impossible not to be awed by Erling's achievements, this podcast has always – at its core – celebrated those more moderate, everyday form of aloneness accessible to us all. Which is why the next part of this famous Polar explorer's career is so fascinating: he went on to write books with beautifully-simple, inclusive titles, Walking: One Step At A Time and Silence: In The Age Of Noise, which offer a guide, based on Erling's unique vantage point, of how we can access the stillness and solitude inside our own minds through simple everyday practices. 'After having travelled to hundreds of countries,' he tells me, 'My interpretation is the universe in your own mind – your body, your soul – is just as mysterious and huge as the universe stretching out to the stars and the planets'.We discuss, among other things:Why Erling found living in London lonelier than 50 days & nights alone in the South PoleHow being a Polar explorer can affect your relationshipsThe relationship between time alone and fulfilling your life's potentialHow being close to nature helps you to be presentYou can order Erling Kagge's book, Silence In The Age Of Noise, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones.Thank you so much to Flash Pack for sponsoring this season of the podcast. Flash Pack is a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip.Twitter:* @ChezSpecter*Instagram: *@ChezSpecter*Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For Radhika Sanghani, author of the brilliant new novel 30 Things I Love About Myself, time alone holds an important significance as the space where she's learnt the true meaning of self-love. Her book even includes an aspirational, alonement-loving heroine… and what could be better? Appearing as my first guest on this season of the podcast, Radhika brings an infectious, empowering energy and a whole smorgasbord of wise insights, from the relevance of her spirituality for her alone time to how she's ‘proved herself' to herself through solo travel: ‘I can tick that off my “being brave” list!'. We also discuss: Why talking to yourself gets a bad rep (but is perfectly normal, we hope!)How to rewire your inner monologueWhether self love is fixed, or requires constant maintenance Dating yourself, and why it mattersHappy listening. With thanks to our sponsor, Flash Pack, a travel company that offers boutique group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. Visit flashpack.com/alonement to learn more and quote ALONEMENT at check-out for £100 off your first trip.You can order Radhika Sanghani's book, 30 Things I Love About Myself, now from Amazon and Waterstones. You can also order my book, Alonement: How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It, which is based on this very podcast, now from Amazon and Waterstones.Twitter:* @ChezSpecter*@RadhikaSanghani*Instagram: @ChezSpecter*@RadhikaSanghani*Contact: press@alonement.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's comeback time, baby! Alonement returns with season 6 on Friday 18 February, with guests including a comedian, a self-love guru and an Arctic explorer. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Trust me, you won't want to miss out. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Would You Like to Learn to Enjoy Being On Your Own More? In this fascinating episode, James talks to Francesca Specter about her Alonement Movement. Alonement is a community that celebrates the transformative power of quality ‘me-time', whatever your age, life stage or relationship status. She explains how this all came about and offers great advice about how to simply enjoy your own company. Do listen and let me know what you think! Francesca Specter is a London-based journalist, podcaster and the founder of Alonement – a platform dedicated to exploring alone time, and why it matters. Her first book Alonement empowers you to value your own company and dedicate quality time to yourself, whoever you are and whatever your relationship status. https://www.francescaspecter.co.uk/

Hello and welcome to extra ordinary with me James Wallis - the podcast that shines a light on ordinary people doing extraordinary things. This week I speak to internationally published author Francesca Specter to talks me about Alonement - a word she invented and trademarked herself Francesca, a self-confessed reformed ‘extreme extrovert', coined the word ‘alonement' after discovering there was no positive word in the English language to describe valuable, fulfilling time spent alone. She has since gone on to feature everywhere from Sky News to BBC Woman's Hour, partnered with leading publications such as Stylist Media Group, and spoken on behalf of organisations including the London Mayor's Office, Women in Journalism and the Marmalade Trust, all about the importance of learning to be healthily alone. It was an absolute honour to chat to Francesca and hope you leave with as many takeaways as it did for me. Enjoy the show. Follow me on IG - https://www.instagram.com/extra_ordinary_podcast/

Support Millennial Love with a donation today: https://supporter.acast.com/millennialloveOlivia will be hosting a live Millennial Love event on Wednesday - and there's still time for you to join!You'll get to hear from author of Alonement, and former Millennial Love guest, Francesca Specter, The Vida Consultancy's Director of Relationship Psychology Services Dr Madeleine Mason Roantree and Hinge's Director of Relationship Science, Logan Ury.The discussion, held on Zoom, will look at the changed landscape when it comes to finding love - no matter your age, gender, sexual orientation or where you live.They will also touch on the benefits of being alone as well as ways to change approaches to dating to find a successful relationship.The event is totally free to attend, and you can sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/millennial-love-dating-post-pandemic-tickets-169245226027 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've all undoubtedly spent more time with ourselves in the last 18 months then we ever have before. This week Michael speaks with Francesca Specter, the alonement specialist. She coined the term to encourage alone time to be as buzzy as self care, and asks people to consider how they dedicate their time alone - what is the experience, what is the length of time, how frequent. Have a listen to perhaps gain a new perspective on why spending time alone isn't a negative thing nor the same thing as being lonely. She shares solitude skills to support you on your journey towards alonement, as well as ideas and suggestions of where to even start, especially if you're in a relationship. Francesca is an author, podcaster, and journalist, and you can find out more about her here. Her first book “Alonement: How to be alone and absolutely own it” was published in March of this year, and she's also a freelance journalist for multiple publications. She hosts Alonement, which is a podcast about the positive side of spending time alone. This word Alonement is Francesca Specter's empowering new word to express valuing your own company and dedicating quality time to yourself, whoever you are and whatever your relationship status. You can follow along with her on instagram @chezspecter and @alonementofficial. For more conversations like this and to join our community visit justbreatheproject.com and follow us on instagram @justbreathe. If you haven't already downloaded our recently re-launched app, you can click here for iPhone and here for Android. As listeners of The Quiet Life, use the code thequietlife to receive a 30 day all access trial. You can enter the code here and find directions on how to use the unique code you receive to start using the app. Happy meditating!

Today's guest is the wonderful Francesca Specter. She is the internationally published author of Alonement: How to be Alone and Absolutely Own It, and the creator of the Alonement podcast.Alonement is an uplifting and celebratory guide to embracing being alone and understanding why it's very different from being lonely. It's been described by journalist Daisy Buchanan as a ‘joyous invitation to make your own declaration of independence'.Francesca is also a freelance journalist, writing long-form lifestyle features for the Telegraph, the Guardian, Red, and Grazia.Listen as we discuss:What is lifestyle journalism?What is the difference between lonely and being alone?Why Extroverts need to learn the skill of being alone.Alone time is one the best catalysts for great ideas.Starting from inside and using the outside world to complement your experience.How Francesca decided to confront her biggest fear after a serious breakup.Your relationships benefit when you spend time alone.Do you need to give up relationships to reach enlightenment?Couples should be able to have a conversation about wanting alone time.The power of long walks.Not apologizing for being “just one” at a restaurant or cafe.Francesca's top tips for having a positive experience alone.Instagram: @mo_gawdatFacebook: @mo.gawdat.officialTwitter: @mgawdatLinkedIn: /in/mogawdatWebsite: mogawdat.com/podcastConnect with Francesca Specter on Instagram @chezspecter, Twitter @chezspecter, and her website, alonement.comDon't forget to subscribe to Slo Mo for new episodes every Sunday and Thursday. Only with your help can we reach One Billion Happy #onebillionhappyMy new book, Scary Smart, is releasing September 30. Pre-order your copy here.

Francesca is the creator and host of Alonement. Each week, her guests reveal the positive side of spending time alone – and why it matters to them. Listen to Alonement ‎wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Alonement:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alonementofficialWebsite: https://www.alonement.com Follow Francesca:Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChezSpecterInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezspecter Follow Podcaster:Twitter: https://twitter.com/PodcasterPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcasterpod/ Produced by The Chancer Collectivehttp://thechancercollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_chancer_collective/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChancerCollect Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My third and final guest for this miniseries is Rekesh Chauhan, an award-winning British-Indian pianist and composer, who over the pandemic channelled his musical talent into producing two short films to raise awareness around mental and emotional health issues. The second – Feel So Alone – released to coincide with this year's Loneliness Awareness Week, spotlights the effects of loneliness on young people, and signposts the organisations that can offer help. During this conversation, Rekesh and I discuss his work as a musician, the link between being alone and creativity, and how connecting with a passion or purpose can help you reduce feelings of loneliness. SOCIALSYou can find Rekesh on Instagram at @rekeshchauhan.As ever, follow Alonement on Instagram @alonementofficial, and follow host Francesca Specter on Twitter @ChezSpecterYou can learn more about the Marmalade Trust and the work they do on Twitter (@marmaladetrust) and Instagram (marmalade_trust) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode's guest is Sunday Times bestselling author Cheryl Rickman. Cheryl's latest book, Navigating Loneliness: How To Connect With Yourself and Others, is an insightful, comprehensive handbook to finding the balance between solitude and loneliness – through cultivating the most meaningful, fulfilling relationships possible with yourself and others. Cheryl is a woman after my own heart – as you might suspect from the title of her book, her anti-loneliness toolkit is just as much about time alone as it is time with others. This was such a fascinating and refreshing conversation. Cheryl talks inspirationally about the purpose of reframing loneliness, not as something to be scared of or to stigmatise, but actually as a useful evolutionary signal that points us towards making positive changes in our lives. Cheryl also shares her personal experience of loneliness – how she learnt to love time alone as an only child, but her relationship with it changed when she lost her mother as a teenager – and she had to develop stronger, more meaningful connections elsewhere.I'm so grateful for Cheryl's nuggets of wisdom – and I'm sure you'll find a lot of practical takeaway in what she has to say. Happy listening! SOCIALSYou can find Cheryl on Instagram at @wellbeingauthor and Twitter at @writeruk. As ever, follow Alonement on Instagram @alonementofficial, and follow host Francesca Specter on Twitter @ChezSpecterYou can learn more about the Marmalade Trust and the work they do on Twitter (@marmaladetrust) and Instagram (marmalade_trust) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to a 3-part miniseries of Alonement produced for Loneliness Awareness Week in collaboration with the Marmalade Trust.My first guest is Alex Holmes, an author, podcaster and mental health educator. On his podcast, Time To Talk, Alex interviews his guests about mental health, masculinity, identity and emotional education. His book of the same name, Time To Talk: How Men Think About Love, Belonging and Connection, came out earlier this year. Alex reached out to me a couple of months ago on Instagram to say hello, ahead of a panel event we'll be doing together at a literary festival later this year. Unbeknown to him, I was putting together the line-up for this mini-series – and I jumped at the chance to have him on.I was so grateful to have this conversation with Alex, who proved so generous in every sense – generous with his time for coming on and generous with his honesty and vulnerability in what he shares. First up, we talk about his own experience of growing up feeling lonely – despite being part of a loving family – and how he came to terms with this. Later on, we discuss how owning your imperfections, far from alienating you, can actually become a force for connection. That's a lot of other good stuff in there too. But, in a nutshell, have a listen – and I hope you enjoy. SOCIALSYou can find Alex on Instagram at @byalexholmes.As ever, follow Alonement on Instagram @alonementofficial, and follow host Francesca Specter on Twitter @ChezSpecterYou can learn more about the Marmalade Trust and the work they do on Twitter (@marmaladetrust) and Instagram (marmalade_trust) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Another newly coined term because apparently that is how we're rolling. In this episode we discuss Francesca Specter's new book ‘Alonement' and what it really means to enjoy quality time with yourself. What on earth does Alonement actually mean? What is the difference between being alone and loneliness? How do I enjoy quality time with myself? And can extroverts enjoy alone time?We once again go on many tangents but give our considered opinions and thought provoking (we hope) analysis on how to absolutely own being alone (and thrive off it darls) And yes, somehow supermarkets have made their way into our conversation. Again.  Everything we discuss in the episode can be found below:Alonement, Francesca Specter - https://www.alonement.com/How to own being alone - https://medium.com/write-like-a-girl/how-to-own-being-alone-5430a923f6abHow Anna Delvey Tricked New York's Party People, The Cut - https://www.thecut.com/2018/05/how-anna-delvey-tricked-new-york.html Please follow us on Instagram if you wish. We will forever be grateful for your presence;  @ordinary.instant   And send us some love letters at ordinaryinstantpod@gmail.com   P.P.S please remember to rate, review & subscribe

Hi everyone, in the last episode of this series, we spoke to Francesca Specter. Francesca is the host of the Alonement podcast and author of the upcoming book of the same name.We spoke about what atonement is and why its important to develop the skills to be by yourself.As ever if you enjoy the episode, please give us a rating and review where ever you get your podcasts!If you want to find out more about Francesca:If you want to find out more about Francesca:Twitter- @ChezSpecterWebsite- http://www.francescaspecter.co.ukBook- https://www.waterstones.com/book/alonement/francesca-specter/9781529412611 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Francesca Specter shownotes Episode SummaryWe're back with a new episode with Francesca Specter - podcaster, author, and journalist whose book Alonement was published in March 2021. Episode notes In this episode of Portrait of a Londoner, Catriona speaks with Francesca Specter who is passionate about helping others love the time they spend alone. We discuss Francesca's work and why she is passionate about inspiring people to value their alone time. We also discuss the relationship between alonement and gender, some of Francesca's best podcast guests and favourite books, and what she loves about where she lives in North West London. In this episode, we talk about: An introduction to Francesca, the alonement movement, and her new book (0:38)Keeping movements of alonement once we come out of lockdown (4.50) The Alonement podcast and highlights from some of Francesca's most insightful guests (9.10) The effect of social media on our psyches (14.20) Francesca's book habits and recommendations (16.23) What Francesca loves about podcasting and the importance of conversation (18.45) How the freedom to be alone is a different story for women (20.40)What Francesca loves about where she lives in Chalk Farm (21.52)If you want to find out more about Francesca, you can find her on instagram.com/chezspecter and her book is available now. We loved reading it, and we're sure you will as well. Be part of the conversationWe'd love to know, how do you feel about spending time alone? Find us on Instagram @portrait_of_a_londoner Facebook @Portrait of a Londoner Twitter @portraitpodcastor email us at portraitofalondoner@gmail.comWe are completely self-funded so if you would like to support us we would be extremely grateful: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=34411265Please rate, review and subscribe to our podcast! If you've enjoyed this episode, why not send it to a friend? 

To launch this brand new season, Rosie investigates and celebrates singledom. She speaks to Scummy Mummies podcaster Helen Thorn, who found herself suddenly single after twenty-two years of marriage just as the U.K. went into lockdown. Helen entered a sort of ‘separation boot camp', filled with sad songs and sneaky fags at the back of the garden, in the absence of being able to hug friends. But she revelled in the liberation of reclaiming the house, spending quality time with her children and discovering, via online flirting and dating, that her sex drive had suddenly gone through the roof. Rosie also chats to author and podcaster Francesca Specter, who has coined the word Alonement in order to reclaim solo time as a joyful and precious thing a million miles away from loneliness, and to happily long-term singleton comedian Juliet Meyers.  You can now follow The Breakup Monologues on Instagram