35: Anne Abel - Sweaters, Springsteen and Storytelling cover art

35: Anne Abel - Sweaters, Springsteen and Storytelling

35: Anne Abel - Sweaters, Springsteen and Storytelling

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 In this episode of the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast, host Meredyth Willits sits down with author, storyteller, and Springsteen superfan Anne Abel to talk about transformation, finding your voice in your 60s, and why it's never too late to change your life. After enduring decades of depression, perfectionism, and family dysfunction, Anne took a solo trip to Australia to follow Bruce Springsteen on tour — and it changed everything. That journey sparked her bestselling memoir High Hopes, a story of healing, humor, resilience, and finally taking up space in the world. Together, they talk about: ✅ Why 60 was the perfect age to change everything ✅ The danger of perfectionism and people-pleasing ✅ What it's like to survive ECT, depression, and emotional abuse ✅ How Bruce Springsteen became her emotional lifeline ✅ What improv taught her about confidence ✅ The moment she stopped playing small and claimed the word "author" ✅ Her viral rise on TikTok in her 70s and how storytelling saved her ✅ How to quiet the inner critic and embrace self-worth ✅ The sweater story, the guitar, and the unexpected twists of going viral ✅ Why it's never too late to heal, connect, and be seen This episode is for anyone who's ever struggled with feeling "not enough," and needs a reminder that reinvention, joy, and even a new career can begin at any age. 00:00:00 Meet Anne Abel and the book that changed everything 00:03:30 Growing up with a mother who weaponized shame 00:06:15 The deep toll of perfectionism and generational trauma 00:08:50 Why Anne took a solo trip to follow Bruce Springsteen 00:11:45 The moment everything changed at a Springsteen concert 00:14:30 Writing her memoir and healing through storytelling 00:16:50 How improv in Chicago helped her reclaim her voice 00:20:00 Becoming a storyteller and discovering The Moth 00:24:15 Going viral on TikTok in her 70s 00:27:10 "You're not nobody" – how strangers helped reframe her self-worth 00:31:00 Getting a signed guitar from Bruce Springsteen 00:34:30 The sweater story and social media backlash 00:38:45 On grief, judgment, and how others project their pain 00:41:30 Navigating criticism, mental health, and privilege online 00:44:10 "It's never too late" – on persistence and purpose 00:48:30 Japan, New York, and what's next for Anne 00:51:30 A TEDx Talk, book tour, and second acts 00:54:00 Why Anne's story is a reminder for all women to take up space 00:57:00 Final thoughts on healing, identity, and being seen 📚 Grab Anne Abel's Books: 📖 High Hopes: A Memoir 📖 Maddie, Milo and Me Available now on Amazon and wherever books are sold. 📲 Connect with Anne Abel: Instagram: @annesimaabel TikTok: @annesimaabel Facebook: Anne Sima Abel 🎙️ Follow Meredyth Willits & the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast: Facebook: Meredyth Willits Instagram: @meredyth_willits TikTok: @meredyth_with_a_why YouTube: TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast YouTube: Meredyth Willits 🎙️ Hosted by Meredyth Willits, where viral fame meets raw reality. Subscribe, review, and stay tuned for more unfiltered stories from the creators who move us.
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.