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A stadium full of strangers rose to their feet, Bruce Springsteen smiled into the camera, and Ann Abel felt something she hadn’t in years: possibility. What followed wasn’t a fairy tale; it was a series of small, stubborn yeses that moved her from severe, recurrent depression and ECT-induced memory loss to a late-life surge of storytelling, two memoirs, and a social media community of more than 720,000 people.
We sit down with Ann to trace that path with honesty and heart. She shares how a reluctant first concert at 59 cracked open a window of hope, why quitting a draining job demanded a new kind of structure, and how she designed a solo trip to Australia around anchors—eight Springsteen shows, daily workouts, and early-morning writing. You’ll hear how watching people in hotel lobbies became fuel, how a thousand candid trip emails turned into the spine of a book, and how stepping onto a Moth stage helped her break years of writer’s block through live feedback and human connection.
Ann talks about going from “nothing interesting to say” to viral videos, bestsellers, and messages from listeners who find her voice calming and brave. Along the way, we dig into practical strategies for navigating depression: build routines that move your body, choose environments that give you energy, keep creative commitments small and repeatable, and ask what the real worst-case scenario is before you say no. If you’ve ever wondered whether a second act can start at 59—or 72—this is your sign to follow whatever gives you life, even if it begins with a single song.
If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help more listeners find stories like Ann’s. Your next yes might be closer than you think.

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