Solo – The Single Person’s Guide to a Remarkable Life
“Solo - The Single Person's Guide to a Remarkable Life” by Dr. Peter McGraw, seeks to celebrate and destigmatize single living. Welcome to the podcast that explores how being single affords you the freedom to be adventurous, start a business, make art, travel the world, get in shape, or simply sleep in when you want to. Join Peter – behavioral scientist, humor researcher, and bachelor – as he interviews happy single men and women and assembles advice from leading experts about health, fitness, money, business, travel, fashion, art, leisure, and of course, sex and dating. For the so-called spinster or bachelor, Solo is the resource for people who are happily single (aka the unapologetically unattached).
Episodes
Why are unmarried patients less likely to receive life-saving medical treatments? Peter McGraw talks to professor and author Joan DelFattore about how America’s healthcare system disadvantages those who are single or outside the nuclear family model. From TEDx talks to the New England Journal of Medicine, she’s sounding the alarm on a silent crisis. If you’re Solo—and especially if you live alone—you need to hear this epi...
Whether you call it a Third Act, third season, or second life, one thing’s clear: middle-age and beyond isn’t the end. It’s a redesign. In this episode, as part of the series on aging, retiring, and dying single, Peter McGraw explores how Solos can turn aging, retirement, and reinvention into their most liberated chapter yet. Joined by Theresa Williamson, a city planner and Solo in her own second life, they unpack how mobility...
In this Solo Thoughts episode, Peter McGraw talks directly to you about how singles are reshaping work, housing, finance, and community. The rise of single living isn’t a passing fad— it’s a structural shift. Yet our institutions remain stuck in a world built for two. That disconnect is where the Solo Economy sits. Is the world ready? No.
Join the movement: petermcgraw.org/solo
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New to Solo? Start here! This re-release from the early days of the pod covers a concept that comes up again and again—in the podcast and Peter McGraw’s book. The “relationship escalator” is the default path of dating, moving in, marrying, and merging lives. Amy Gahran, who coined the term, joins Peter to break it all down. We explore what the escalator is, why it’s so invisible, and how Solos step off it—through consensual no...
It’s 11/11—Singles’ Day—and we’re celebrating Solo style. First, Bella DePaulo returns to talk about her new book Single at Heart, why solo diners are more influential than you think, and what it really means to thrive alone. Then, Christina Campbell (aka CC) joins to unveil the Singles Bill of Rights—a bold call for equality in a world built for two. Onwards!
Sex educator and psychologist Lisa Dawn Hamilton returns to join Peter McGraw to build on Relationship Design and discuss Intimacy Design—the art of co-creating authentic, adventurous, and consent-forward sexual experiences. From sexual containers to eager consent, they explore how to make intimacy safer, hotter, and more intentional.
Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.petermcgraw.org/s...
Peter McGraw talks with Lucy Meggeson—host of Thrive Solo and author of a new book Shiny Happy Singles (UK) / Thrive Solo (US)—about embracing single, child-free living as a path to freedom, joy, and reinvention.
Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.petermcgraw.org/solo
In this re-release of a popular early episode, Peter McGraw talks to guests Jill Cohen and Julie Nirvelli about what it means to live a remarkable life. They explore how to break away from societal expectations and design a life that aligns with your values. The conversation touches on autonomy, identity, and the joys – and challenges – of living remarkably as a Solo. If you are interested in how Peter’s thoughts have evolved on th...
In this milestone episode, Peter McGraw reunites with fan-favorite Julie Nirvelli to reflect on 250 episodes of Solo and the rise of the Solo movement. Together, they look back on how far we've come, celebrate the viral success of the TEDx talk Stop Telling People to Get Married, and look ahead to what’s next for a world built for one.
Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.petermcgraw.org/solo
What does it mean to wait—especially as a single person? In this re-release, Peter McGraw is joined by guest co-host Iris Schneider, a fellow Solo and behavioral scientist, to talk with sociologist Kinneret Lahad about the overlooked power of time in singlehood.
They explore how the relationship escalator shapes our perceptions of time and adulthood—particularly for women, who are often left waiting hopefully... or hopelessly. T...
Why do so many people defend marriage like it is sacred – even when the data does not back it up. In this provocative episode, Peter McGraw talks to Martin Day about his paper on people’s committed relationship ideology – the belief system that says romantic partnership is the key to happiness, status, and success. With special guest co-host Iris Schneider, they explore how these beliefs are less about love and more about...
What if your life was built around dignity – not just yours, but everyone’s? In this episode, behavioral scientist and proud Solo Cait Lamberton joins Peter McGraw to unpack how dignity shapes Solo living, partnered life, and everything in between. They explore what dignity really means (hint: it’s not just self-esteem or being nice), the everyday moments we affirm or violate it, and how to design a life rooted in clarity, voice, f...
Peter McGraw takes the hot seat on the Three Single Women podcast to celebrate their 6-month anniversary—and (boldly) speak for all men. This crossover episode dives into masculinity, femininity, dating, and personal growth. ✨ Special announcement: Peter’s new eBook on aging sexy is coming soon. Learn more and join the Solo community at petermcgraw.org/solo
Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www...
Masculinity and Manhood: What are they, what are they not, and where we’re headed? To answer these questions, Peter McGraw is joined by two friends from a recent Men’s Wellness Day for a thoughtful (and fun) conversation on strength, vulnerability, relationships, femininity, and the state of manhood and masculinity. You can find bonus content about male role models and learn about the new Aging Sexy eBook at petermcgraw.org/so...
In this re-release of a thought-provoking episode, Peter McGraw is joined by Dr. Erin Westgate for a lively exploration of what it means to live a psychologically rich life. Moving beyond the usual narratives of happiness and meaning, this episode introduces a third path—one filled with novelty, complexity, and perspective-changing experiences. From solo travel to one-way tickets, Peter and Erin unpack how embracing uncer...
What if the key to a remarkable life isn’t doing more—but doing less, better? In this episode, Peter McGraw welcomes author Oliver Burkeman to explore themes from his latest book Meditations for Mortals. They dive into the beauty of limits, the folly of perfectionism, and why embracing imperfection might be the most productive thing you can do. Tune in for kayak metaphors, scruffy hospitality, and practical wisdom for the Solo life...
Peter McGraw is joined by Mary Dahm and Shane Mauss to reflect on how the pandemic disrupted everything—and unexpectedly liberated Solos. From lockdown revelations to pandemic breakups, we explore how COVID accelerated a shift toward independence, self-reliance, and living a life off the relationship escalator.
Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.petermcgraw.org/solo
Are you a lone wolf? Live from the HiFi Homestead, Peter McGraw is joined by his good friend—comedian, science communicator, and self-professed lone wolf—Shane Mauss, for a deep dive into solitude, survival, and the myths we tell about ourselves.
Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.petermcgraw.org/solo
Everyone talks about romantic breakups—but what about breaking up with a friend? In this episode, Peter McGraw is joined in the Solo Studio by two community favorites: the perceptive and passionate Janice Formichella and the Solo OG Julie Nirvelli. Together, they dive into the often-overlooked world of friend breakups—why they happen, how to navigate them, and what makes a good friend in the first place. Expect real talk, a few lau...
In this re-release of a popular episode, Peter McGraw welcomes Jessalyn Dean into the Solo Studio for a deep dive into Relationship Design—the art of co-creating intentional, customized relationships that truly work for you. Instead of following default scripts, Relationship Design encourages open communication, mutual agreements, and regular check-ins to ensure relationships remain fulfilling and adaptive over time. This conversat...
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