Real Talk About the Single Life Podcast by Jenny Emerson Jenny Emerson

As I close out this season on the podcast, I want to share a treasure and resource with you in the person of Anita Pringle. Anita is a licensed counselor and the Clinical Director at The Refuge Center for Counseling. 
From a young age, Anita knew she wanted to be a counselor. Anita certainly got her wish, but in a slightly different way than she had planned. What she didn’t know is that through the experience of her own grief, she would be able to minister to many others who were walking out their own grief. 
In this episode, Anita shares about the many seasons of her life, from a single adult, single parent, married, and now widowed.  Anita has discovered a significant perspective that has allowed her to live a full and purposeful life, even when seasons are sprinkled with loneliness and challenge. 
In this episode we’ll explore: 
What it’s been like to be single in more than one season of life How Anita navigated her own pain while caring for her sick husband How Anita’s sense of purpose fuels her ability to treasure each day now  
If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @realtalkaboutthesinglelife and tell me what you think!
Could you use some support to better navigate the challenges and harness the joy of being a single person? Contact me to schedule a free consult to see how you learn to write a love story that is true to you, whether that includes a relationship or not! 
Listen + subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher
Referenced in the Show Jenny's Website
Instagram
Facebook
Connect with Anita Pringle and the Refuge Center 
If you haven’t already joined my Facebook community for single women, we would love to see you there! Share your questions and comments there after the show!

In the midst of so much uncertainty from day to day, it’s hard to feel like we have any control at all. When I’m stuck in a fearful state, I spend a lot of time planning for things that might not even come to pass. Do you get stuck here too? What I’ve discovered is that my thought life is perhaps the most important thing I can control and makes the most impact on those around me. I have also learned that if I’m honest, a lot of my own suffering can be self-inflicted. 
 
So what’s the remedy for all of this chaos in our heads? Choose joy instead. Find your people and find ways to connect, even if it’s tricky. Take time to take inventory of all those things you’ve loved in the past. Then add all those things you’ve ever wanted to try-even if they sound crazy. Then go do them and let me know the results. And the best part of joy? It’s never limited! 



In this episode we’ll explore: 
How you can unknowingly be the cause of your own suffering Why you don’t need a romantic partner to know true joy Ideas that might spark new joy in your life  
If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @realtalkaboutthesinglelife and tell me what you think!
Could you use some support to better navigate the challenges and harness the joy of being a single person? Contact me to schedule a free consult to see how you learn to write a love story that is true to you, whether that includes a relationship or not! 
Listen + subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher
Referenced in the Show Jenny's Website
Instagram
Facebook

If you haven’t already joined my Facebook community for single women, we would love to see you there! Share your questions and comments there after the show!

If 2020 hasn’t been a giant reminder, when it comes to disappointment, none of us are getting out of here unscathed. Disappointment is a part of life, but it can be so easy to begin to think we should expect it or that it has something to do with our worth. If you find yourself getting stuck saying things like “this always happens to me” or “this figures”, it’s time to start analyzing some of those thought patterns so you can recognize the choices you have to make the moment disappointment strikes. 
 
If you haven’t caught my story by now, I have navigated a lot of disappointment and grief in recent years. I’ll recap some of that in this episode. I am not done healing, but I’m making progress and I want to share the tools I’ve found that have made the biggest impact on my ability to move forward. Friend, there’s nothing wrong with you. Disappointment does hurt. We’ve got to acknowledge the hurt and sit in a moment. But we can’t stay there forever. In time, you always have the choice to stay bitter, pretend it didn’t happen, or use it for good. What will you choose? 



In this episode we’ll explore: 
How to tell the difference between facts and the story you’re telling yourself  What it looks like to reframe your circumstances  How to know when it’s time to make a decision in your disappointment  What it looks like to integrate disappointment into your life without letting it define you   
If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @realtalkaboutthesinglelife and tell me what you think!
Could you use some support to better navigate the challenges and harness the joy of being a single person? Contact me to schedule a free consult to see how you learn to write a love story that is true to you, whether that includes a relationship or not! 
Listen + subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher
Referenced in the Show Jenny's Website
Instagram
Facebook
If you haven’t already joined my Facebook community for single women, we would love to see you there! Share your questions and comments there after the show!

Did you think you’d be in a relationship by now? Being single longer than you intended can mean that you have let go of hopes that came along with having a spouse or partner in the picture. This can certainly include having a family. But my guest and dear friend Sara Sweat decided that she wasn’t willing to give up on that desire. Instead, she decided to reimagine her future, and pursue that dream, while accepting the challenges that come with solo-parenting. In this episode, Sara helps us understand the distinction between single parenting and solo parenting and why even on the hard days, it has been 100% worth it. 
 
Because Sara is a tribe sister and soul mate, I have had a front-row seat to the unfolding of the miracle that her son is. We talk about the way she relied on her village from early pregnancy until now. Though taking such a non-traditional route like solo-parenting can be scary, Sara was delighted to discover how many people were so eager to support her. We also talk about the interesting challenge of dating as a solo parent. Sara shares how dating is both trickier and simpler in this season of her life. If you’re single and the dream of having children is not something you’ve been able to release, I challenge you to listen to Sarah’s story and consider the possibility that you might not have to let go of that dream. 



In this episode we’ll explore: 
 
Why solo-parenting implies intentional acceptance  What unique challenges and joys a solo parent encounters  How Sara’s community plays a critical role in raising her son How Sara can vet a potential dating match in just one conversation


If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @realtalkaboutthesinglelife and tell me what you think!
Could you use some support to better navigate the challenges and harness the joy of being a single person? Contact me to schedule a free consult to see how you learn to write a love story that is true to you, whether that includes a relationship or not! 
Listen + subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher
Referenced in the Show Jenny's Website
Instagram
Facebook
Connect with Sara on Instagram 
instagram.com/a.life.curated 
If you haven’t already joined my Facebook community for single women, we would love to see you there! Share your questions and comments there after the show!

Do you believe that there is just one amazing person out there for you? And IF you find them, then the rest of your life would just fall into place? You know, I sometimes wish there was an easy 3 step process to finding your soul mate. But the reality is, this traditional concept of a “soul mate” can really mess with our hearts and minds because it’s not rooted in reality. In this episode, I am going to point out all the problems that surface when we are waiting for this “soul mate” to finally arrive. That future partner? They are not going to complete you. They are only the icing on the cake. You my friend, ARE the cake. Do you believe it? 
 
So then do we just toss out the idea of a soul mate? I don’t think that’s really necessary. I propose that all we need to do is broaden our definition of a soul mate. I even go so far as to say that our need for a soul mate can actually be found in a lot of friendships in addition to our partner. Sometimes a spouse or partner is really receptive and encouraging when we are in need. And sometimes a girlfriend is just a better person to process with. So then what is the sign of a true soul mate? Listen in to find out! 
 
In this episode we’ll explore: 
Why traditional definitions of a soul mate can set us up for disappointment in dating Why your choice to weather the hard seasons in a relationship can make all the difference Why we need more than just one person to be able to speak the truth back to us in difficult circumstances.   
If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @realtalkaboutthesinglelife and tell me what you think!
Could you use some support to better navigate the challenges and harness the joy of being a single person? Contact me to schedule a free consult to see how you learn to write a love story that is true to you, whether that includes a relationship or not! 
Listen + subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher
Referenced in the Show Jenny's Website
Instagram
Facebook
 
If you haven’t already joined my Facebook community for single women, we would love to see you there! Share your questions and comments there after the show!

Well, the time has finally come to dive into all things dating apps! The emotional responses that come when the conversation turns to dating apps is always a mixed bag. They can be an exciting new way to connect but they can also lead to discouragement, sometimes all in the same week! I’ve used these apps and coached women who use these apps, so I’ve taken all this experience and packed it into this one episode. The key to online dating is in setting realistic expectations and always finding the opportunity to learn more about yourself, even if the date doesn’t lead you directly to the altar. 
 
Navigating the world of online dating is a lot simpler if you know what you should include and what you should leave out when it comes to creating your profile. How will I attract the right person? Is there such a thing as being too honest? (Ahem, yes!)  How long should we chat on email or through messaging before setting up a time to meet? I will cover all these questions and more! I’m also going to help you understand why being intentional about your expectations can allow you to enjoy the process more often. Listen to learn some of my best tips on creating your profile, how to handle the first few dates, and how to be a decent human, even when you’re not interested!



In this episode we’ll explore: 
How to find the right balance between being honest and over-sharing information about your profile.  How it can be easy to interact with the person in our fantasy versus the person we are meeting in real life.  Tips for how to deal with a lack of connection- on your end or theirs!  
If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @realtalkaboutthesinglelife and tell me what you think!
Could you use some support to better navigate the challenges and harness the joy of being a single person? Contact me to schedule a free consult to see how you learn to write a love story that is true to you, whether that includes a relationship or not! 
Listen + subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher
Referenced in the Show Jenny's Website
Instagram
Facebook
 
If you haven’t already joined my Facebook community for single women, we would love to see you there! Share your questions and comments there after the show!