The Love Drive with Shaun Galanos

I've been thinking a lot about why so many men end up looking for belonging in all the wrong places.This conversation starts with the manosphere, but it quickly becomes something much bigger. Laura Ramadei and I talk about why so many boys and men are starving for connection, why "fix yourself" advice so often misses the point, and how loneliness can make almost anyone vulnerable to people selling certainty.We get into emotional safety, friendship between men and women, why relational skills matter far beyond dating, and why being seen for who you are will always be more valuable than chasing status, money, or someone else's definition of success.I also share some of my own experience with validation, why I spent years looking for it in sex and relationships, and what I'm still learning about opening my heart instead of protecting it.This one's about choosing connection over performance. Mess and all.Mentioned in this episodeLouis Theroux – Inside the Manosphere (Netflix)https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/louis-theroux-inside-the-manosphere-release-date-news"Small Hands, Big Heart" (Girthmaster & Small Hands parody)https://www.facebook.com/61556509147521/videos/small-hands-big-heart-smallhands/1157398549907361/Girls on Porn Podcasthttps://www.girlsonporn.com/About Laura RamadeiLaura Ramadei is a sexologist and intimacy coach. She's the Safety Director at one of Los Angeles' most prominent play parties and the host of the Girls on Porn podcast.Laura works with individuals, couples, and groups, specializing in relationship counseling, desire discrepancy, non-monogamy, queer identity, and kink.Connect with LauraWebsite https://www.intimacywithlaura.com/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/intimacywithlaura/Substack https://intimacywithlaura.substack.com/Connect with ShaunRetreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedriveRead my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.comThe Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelovedrive/More About Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive

In this solo check-in, Shaun begins with a simple question that lands deeper than expected: how is your heart? From there, Shaun moves through a mix of life update, therapy reflection, sex question detour, and a deeper check-in on what it means to feel like you’re doing enough with your life.He talks about quitting nicotine, feeling more touched by life again, and replacing one habit with an alarming amount of gummy bears. He reflects on doomscrolling, discipline, and the small daily choices that can either ground you or pull you further away from yourself.At the center of the episode is a vulnerable therapy reflection on feeling unaccomplished at 43 and realizing that praise, money, and external validation can’t create self-worth for you. There’s also dating advice, some delightfully unhinged sex talk, and a sweet reminder that this podcast is meant to feel like a longer voice memo from a friend.If your sense of success has been tied to achievement and you’ve been feeling a little unmoored lately, this episode is for you. And if it speaks to you, share it with a male friend too. We’d love to have more men in these conversations.Timestamps:(02:54) Nicotine update and feeling more alive(05:23) Doomscrolling and wanting more discipline(07:01) These episodes as a voice note from a friend(07:27) Feeling unaccomplished at 43(12:27) Can money make you feel successful?(15:14) Deep throating, sore throats, and bruising(18:54) Allergic to semen?(19:41) Reviews, voicemails, and how to send questions(20:55) Sweet listener message and why more men should listen(25:44) Dating question: should you ask for another date?(29:58) Travel update and weekly Thursday releases(31:29) Next week: Claire Perelman on sex and questionsSend Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too.To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen.Connect with Shaun:⁠Shaun's love camp⁠Retreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedriveRead my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.comThe Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelovedrive/More About Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive

In this solo episode, Shaun shares what life has looked like over the last several months and why this season has felt especially hard. He talks about grief, heartbreak, instability, and what it has been like to live without a fixed home while still trying to keep moving forward.In this episode, Shaun opens up about the death of his father, losing his dog Roger, a romance that stirred up old wounds, and the strange discomfort of living in transition. He reflects on self-doubt, feeling untethered, and the pressure to be doing better when life feels messy and unresolved.He also answers listener questions about regretting the end of a good relationship, the difference between grief and self-forgiveness, fear, freezing, and how to speak honestly about hard things.This one is tender, funny, raw, and deeply human.Timestamps:(00:24) Welcome Back And Name Story(01:08) Recording On The Move(03:21) Episode Roadmap And Pep Talk(06:11) Heartbreak Grief And Losing Roger(14:02) Self Doubt And Finding Home(21:14) Build A Life Proud Of(23:06) Sweet Voicemail And Self Doubt(26:20) Stop Negative Self Talk(28:13) Breakup Regret And Hope(33:58) Crisis Hotline Lessons And WrapSend Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too. To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen. Links & Resources:Farewell, Roger Substack postBay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR)Dan Savage episodeUpcoming Summer Retreat - Love Camp. June 5 -7 at Kripalu Yoga Wellness Center in Western Massachusetts. Learn more and join: https://shaungalanos.substack.com/p/summer-camp-isnt-just-for-kids-loveConnect with Shaun:Retreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedriveRead my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.comThe Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelovedrive/More About Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive

I’m both very excited and a tad nervous about relaunching my old podcast, The Love Drive.Excited because I love having conversations about sex, love, and relationships with other experts, thought leaders, and everyday people. Hosting a podcast is great fun, by the way. And I still have so much to learn about the subject.And, nervous because a lot has happened over the past few years, and my confidence in many areas isn’t where it used to be. I’ve also felt a lot of grief since my father passed a few years ago, and I’m feeling more tender and vulnerable ever since. And yet, here we go.Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect this month. New episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the month of March. Thanks for being here, and enjoy!

This is a final apology episode for ghosting you all, where you can find me, and a sneak peek of the first episode of my new project, Voicemails to Dad, where, you guessed it, I leave voicemails to my recently deceased father. You can find my writing on substack here: https://shaungalanos.substack.com/ You can find the Voicemail to Dad podcast here: https://shaungalanos.substack.com/podcast Again, thank you all for being here. Love, Shaun

Nora McInerny is an award-winning podcast host of ‘Terrible, Thanks For Asking,’ speaker, and author of several books, including her new book “Bad Vibes Only.” Shaun and Nora discuss vulnerability porn, their relationship with social media, and how they feel about posting everything online. What you'll learn (or why you should care): Toxic positivity and “good vibes only” mentality How to love people we deeply disagree with How to accept that people’s lives are not as perfect as we think Where to find Nora Buy her new book “Bad Vibes Only” Listen to her podcast Nora on Instagram Nora's website Join The Lovebird Club A private community for those who value love, trust, and intimacy. Group support and weekly calls. For contributing lovebirds only: https://thelovedrive.com/thelovebirdclub Learn more about The Love Drive Website https://www.shaungalanos.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thelovedrive