Ep.132: Hannah Brencher

Hannah Brencher didn't aim to create a global love letter writing campaign. A recent college graduate, she was living in New York City and feeling isolated. She realized writing letters to strangers helped her take her focus off of herself. In her struggle with depression, this focus switch helped her mental health. But when she started sharing about her letter writing, her services were requested and before she knew it people around the world were writing their own love letters.

In our conversation we hear Hannah's TED Talk story, what her parents said when she told them she was quitting her job to write letters, and how she met her now husband after ten days on a dating site. Hannah talks about her depression, how a major setback in her mental health prompted the writing of her second book, and how routines help her stay healthy. Hannah's story is almost unbelievable and yet it's real. One letter on a subway has turned into an international movement to encourage strangers through words.

Hannah tells a story about one letter campaign recipient who said the letters "restored his faith in humanity." If you are needing a little good news today, listen to this episode. It's about looking beyond ourselves to see the people right in front of us.