
Single in middle-age: Truth, grief & freedom
From Beyond the basement by Chris Kenworthy
May 26, 2026 · 36 min
About this episode
An improvised exploration of the complexities of being single in middle age, addressing themes of grief, freedom, and self-discovery.
Come along for an improvised exploration of this strange, unexpected chapter of life: the grief of not being where I once expected to be, the freedom (and loneliness) of living outside the conventional script, and the quiet reality of building an unconventional life while many people around me are immersed in marriage, children, careers and family life. We’ll talk about the emotional texture of this experience - the sense that life is not supposed to look like this, the loss of structures I once assumed would hold me, and the way middle age seems to bring old wounds, deeper self-reflection and inner work to the surface. I also touch on friendship, solitude, self-reparenting, ageing, visibility, youthfulness, and the gifts that can come with knowing yourself more clearly. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chriskenworthy.substack.com
People in this episode
Host: Chris Kenworthy
Topics covered
- middle age
- grief
- freedom
- self-reflection
- friendship
- solitude
- self-reparenting
Keywords
- middle age
- grief
- freedom
- self-reflection
- friendship
- solitude
- self-reparenting
- loneliness
- unconventional life
- emotional texture
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- No means no - why boundaries begin with yourself · May 5, 2026 · 31 min
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