June 13, 2024 • 23 mins
From her tenure on both “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” Hannah Brown was thrown into the reality TV world of love and relationships. Was it real? And what did she learn about love on and off the camera? Since her stint on the shows, she has made her debut as a romance novelist. She came on the show to talk about what love is — and what it isn’t.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello Sunshine, Hey fam Today on the bright Side, author,
Dancing with the Stars champ and former Bachelorette Hannah Brown
is here to talk about her latest book, her Self
Love Journey, and what it's like being reality TV royalty.
It's Thursday, June thirteenth. I'm Simone Boyce.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side from
Hello Sunshine, Danielle.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I guess you could say our guest today has really
cracked the reality TV code.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
For sure, she has.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
It's wild, It's really wild how successful Hannah Brown has
been on television screens. First, she stole hearts as a
contestant on one of the buzziest seasons of the Bachelor,
when former football player Colton Underwood was the leading man
in the reality show. So a lot to talk about. There,
so much dramas, so much drama. Then she came back
as the bachelorette. So even though she was in seventh
(00:56):
place on Colton season, you could say she won because
she became the bachelor.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, she was so beloved.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Yes, and just as a little refresher in that season.
It came down to two guys for Hannah, Tyler Cameron
and Jed Wyatt, who she ultimately gave the last rows too,
and we all know how that turned out.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, I mean, Hannah broke up with Jed after she
found out he was actually in a relationship while they
were filming The Bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
So brutal, but that didn't stop her.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Later that same year, she went on Dancing with the
Stars and won the Mirror Ball Trophy. And then just
last year, she competed in and won Special Forces World's
Toughest Test, which is this insanely physical competition where she
was up against NFL players, NBA athletes, olympians, they were
all taking orders from former military guys. It is so intense.
(01:45):
I was so impressed with her performance on that show.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I actually was impressed that you watched that show because
I did not know that about you. You really loved it,
But it also sounds like you loved her mental fortitude,
which I have a lot of respect for.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
One hundred percent. I mean, we've both watched The Bachelor.
It's unfortunately we have It's not often that you see
a former Bachelor contestant have this much longevity, you know,
like she's been able to parlay it into a successful
career and a successful enterprise.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I mean beyond her reality TV domination, Hannah has added
the title author and host to her resume. She has
a podcast, and then in twenty twenty one, she became
a published author. She wrote a memoir titled God Bless
This Mess, which became an instant New York Times bestseller, and.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Now she's released her debut romance novel titled Mistakes We
Never Made. So the story follows Emma and Finn, who
went from almost lovers to frenemies. Emma and Finn are
then reunited at a mutual friend's wedding when their friend,
the bride, goes missing. They're forced to work together to
find her, and then the old feelings spark all over again.
It's already a New York Times bestseller.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Simon and I are going to find out what it's
like for Hannah Brown to write her own happy ending.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Here, Hannah Brown, Welcome to the bright Side.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Welcome Hannah.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Hi, y'all, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Well, Hannah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Before we get into your book, I want to hear
more about this title, Mistakes We Never Made, And I
have kind of a fun retrospective question for you. What's
a mistake you never made that you kind of wish
you had.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I love the title of the book and like the
conversations that come from it, because I think a lot
of the mistakes that we don't make are just things
that we were like scared to do or to try.
And a lot of times that's in love, but also
in just taking risks for adventure and joy that we
sometimes just deprive ourselves from. And this is a very
(03:42):
silly one, but I think about it all the time.
My family owned a summer camp for girls, and I
could have gone at any time for free, for the
whole thing, but I was so scared that, like I
would have to be the person that like called my
parents to come get me because I wouldn't be able
to do it. But now I hear everybody's like fun
summer camp stories, I'm like, I could have gone it anytime.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Hannah, you went from living your love story publicly on
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette to writing a love story
in your new novel. It felt kind of like a
perfect next step from the outside looking in. What inspired
you to write a romance novel? And are we talking
to the next Nora Roberts. What's happening here? I mean,
that would be amazing. I would love to be the
(04:28):
next Nora Roberts. But yeah, all of this happened just
so kind of out of the blue for me. I
didn't like think I would be a reality TV start
on a dating show much less like that was not
like something that I've put on my goals of twenty
nineteen or whatever. I know, And I wasn't even really
a person that watch shows like this, so it's kind
(04:50):
of wild that that is where my start was from.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
But I always wanted to write a novel one day,
Like I remember talking to my mom in like high school,
early college, like saying, this would be a big goal
of mine. So that this has been kind of the
catalyst I'm so grateful for. Did you always love love?
It's actually funny. I used to say I wanted to
marry myself when I was little, So yeah, I've always
(05:14):
loved the idea of love, but I haven't always been
like consumed. That's why it's so funny that I was
the girl that went on a TV show to find
a husband, because I just wasn't that way. But then
I think once I got in college, and I think
the people that you're surrounded by can kind of make
you start feeling the pressure of that. Like seven of
(05:38):
my girlfriends in college got engaged their senior year, and
so I do remember during that time of my life,
and I was on the Bachelor, like right out of college,
like feeling this like desire or almost like need to
find love and to be married.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Isn't that so wild? Looking back?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It's so wild.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
You're so young.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
You have plenty of time, I know, and I was
the young fungus Bachelorette that they've had. I thought it
was so ready, and I'm like, I'm just now trying,
like really understanding what love is. You know, people followed
the journey of me trying to figure that out and
and kind of coming to more conclusions daily of what
(06:20):
that is, and then being able to kind of sprinkle
that into the stories that I'm able to create. Really
really cool.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
We're going to take a quick break.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
We'll be right back with more Hannah Brown.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
And we're back.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Hannah.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You talked about how young you were during the Bachelorette,
and I didn't even realize when I was watching the
show that you were just twenty four when you were filming.
You were pretty mature for a twenty four year old
on reality TV?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Oh was I? I mean there's some moments we could
question the maturity level. But kind of what I want
to ask you about.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
You know, we think about reality TV now, I think
we're like twenty years into reality TV and we think
that it's sort of contrived.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Or written, but there are moments that are real. Okay,
here's the thing I love when people ask me, like,
is it all real? Like? Yes, it actually really is. Now,
are there certain things that the television show or the
series like has that you do? Like, first of all,
you're not dating thirty people at a time, but you're
(07:34):
also not giving out roses at a rose ceremony that
lasts like hours long, Like yes, that is definitely scripted,
even like who I Call First? Like that is scripted,
but the feelings and the conversation is not as much.
It's just you're in a bubble that is not reality.
(07:57):
So it's real in that realm that is not real life.
Even though it's very unconventional. I do not like advise
dating that many people at one time. You do learn
a lot about what you like, things that you might
be like surprised that you like, and things that you
surprisingly you don't about a relationship. So I'm grateful for
(08:20):
it in a way, and it really helped and I
really learned a lot about what I didn't want and
that really helps me moving forward too.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I remember watching your season and what you went through
in the aftermath with Jed and everything, and it was
it was so hard to watch from afar, so I
can only imagine it was. It must have been horrible.
It was horrible, but you handled it. You handled it
so well. I mean I loved watching you on the Bachelorette.
But Hannah, I have to say I think my favorite
(08:53):
reality TV role of yours is on Fox's Special Forces
World's Toughest Test, because girl talk about defining things, perceptions
that people have of you, probably perceptions that you have
of yourself. How did you surprise yourself? I mean, you won.
We need to just put it out there that she won.
Still impressive, thank you.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
I talk about mental health quite a bit, because you know,
I was on three reality shows in a year, and
before that had never like I went to college in
my hometown, Like my life changed so quickly, and then
there was so much life lived in such a short
amount of time, and a lot of like emotions. I
don't e think I had dealt with in that anxiety
(09:37):
and depression and everything like manifested even like in my
body and what I was able to do. And I've
always been pretty active and was not like didn't work
out for like a full year and basically just did
like physical therapy. And I haven't talked about it much
because I can't quite understand like just how much all
(09:57):
that took a toll, just my body in general, like
how but remember I got the call for the show,
and I just started working back out again, like feeling
like I wasn't just going to like get hurt or
have like so much inflammation. And they called it and
I'm like, I'm so scared to do this because I
didn't know if I could like handle the mental part
(10:19):
of it, the emotional, physical, like all of it. Like
I knew it was going to be really tough. But
the reason I said yes to it is I really
needed to prove to myself that I was so much
stronger than I thought, because I had this limiting belief
that I was just completely broken and I really needed
something to prove myself. And I like talked to my
doctors and they're like, I really think you can do this,
(10:39):
And I did like hypnosis type things, like a lot
of preparing for pain. Mentally, I still wasn't at the
best like physical shape, I thought my mind, but I
was just slowly like getting prepared for it as much
as I could. But every day I was like, I
can do this. Like I genuinely was like, I'm miserable,
(10:59):
but I can. I can make it one more day.
I can make it one more day. And just that
I was able to prove to myself how strong I
was mentally and physically when I felt so weak and broken.
That was something that like camera, you know, can't fully
capture how that made me feel. But it was so hard.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Wait, Hannah, I have a question about that, because when
you said that you were in a really tough place
before heading into this show, it really struck me personally.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
When I was in like a very low place.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
I signed up for a triathlon because I said, if
I don't do something physical early in the morning, and
if I don't have something to train for, I'm not
going to get out of bed. Are you comfortable sharing
what sent you into this really low place? Because I'm
looking at your Instagram and like you're engaged on the outside,
(11:55):
look very happy, no one would really know what was
going on.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
I really tried to live my life as like a
role model at all times, and then to be in
the public eye and get a lot of criticism from
a lot of different things. That was really tough because
everything that I had built my life on and what
I thought I was had come into question. And you know,
(12:24):
even when there is support, the thing that you're going
to listen to, and that's the loudest is any type
of criticism or things people are saying, especially if it
comes down to like character and who you are. And
I couldn't handle it. It was about a year of
being pretty dark, but just keep working and distracting myself.
But then when all the distractions went away for like
(12:46):
a lot of people in COVID, that's when it got like, oh,
like I am really really not okay. I was actually
working on my first book about my life and was
also like reliving things that I had not really talked about.
I'm so glad that I was able to like share
(13:07):
my story and so many people resonated with my first book.
God bless this mess. But that was really really hard
for me to process, and I just started therapy for
the first time as I was writing this book, so
it was just a lot of open wounds, really fresh
and then having to learn how to process. That was
(13:27):
really tough for me. And yet now, like I still
have them battles to this day. But I'm so grateful
for everything that has led up to this point to
be at the place that I am now.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And she's hydrating, she's reading her books, she's glowy. You
look very healthy. Yeah, I've never met you before, but
you look light and you look healthy, She's offering.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Yes, Oh my gosh, I really appreciate that because I've
been sick this past week. So if I'm looking healthy
now like i'm usually thriving, then.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Well, it seems like you're in this new chapter of
your life mentally and emotionally. You're entering a new decade.
You mentioned you're thirty, you're newly engaged. Yeah, heading into
this new version of Hannah Brown. How has your idea
of love changed since that twenty four year old bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
I didn't even know what love was like it. Honestly,
that was a question I even had this past year
because of The relationship I have with my fiance now
is very, very different than any relationship that I've had before,
and I have learned that I have had to redefine
what love is, and love to me really is about
(14:41):
feeling safe and seen at the same time, and it's
creating a relationship. I think that is actually a lot
more powerful when you get you have choice in who
you decide to be with, Like, we built this relationship,
and that's really what love is. It's being able to
build a life with somebody. And even in the book Mistakes,
we never made like there's a reason why we struggle
(15:04):
with relationship and there's always a route to that and
the importance of being able to go on that journey
for yourself or with a partner, of being able to
find I think even Emma and Finn and the book,
you know, the main character has a lot of stuff
that she's suppressed about a relationship with her dad and
why she feels like she has to be the way
(15:25):
that she is and being able to like lightly bring
that in because that's truly what creates I think a strong,
beautiful love story of having another person kind of be
on that journey with you and give you that space
to work on the things that you need to work
on within yourself to be able to fully love somebody
else too. And I didn't know any of that at
(15:46):
twenty four. I didn't know any of that about it
at twenty four, and so to now be almost thirty
and you know, engaged in learning so much about love daily,
I'm excited and so thankful for the journey that it's
been for me and my relationship, but also to in
this new chapter of my life being an author to
be able to share that with other people while also
(16:11):
creating this beautiful, magical love story, but actually like adding
some truth in there along the way too.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
All Right, we got to take a quick break with
author and TV personality Hannah Brown. Okay, healed, healthy, Hannah Brown,
I have a have a have a spicy question. We
like spicy questions on our show. A question that comes
(16:40):
up a lot is whether it's possible to be friends
with an ex.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
We talk about this so much.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
I don't know why when it always comes up, and
you and Tyler Cameron still seem very close, like you
were just on his renovation show Going Home.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
You also dated him in like a very public way.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
It's I think it's totally different than most relational dynamics.
But what's your take on that question? Like, is it
healthy to be friends with an ex? Is it possible?
Speaker 3 (17:06):
I think you can be supportive of an ex and
truly like want their happiness. And I think you can
be acquaintances of an ext Oh.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
That's good, that's good. It's acquaintance.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, But I think you know, if you dated somebody
for a really long time and there's just, you know,
so much history, I think you can be acquaintances and
really like want the best for somebody. But I think
it takes a lot to even get to that point too.
But for them to be like at your barbecues in
your backyard with your new like, that's I think I think.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
That's good too. What's what's your take on this? Now
we go back and forth.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
No, I totally agree. Yeah, I mean I do too,
Like at different times, I'm like, maybe you know, you'll
see others, you'll see other people doing it well, So
I'm not saying that maybe it can happen, but I
think for the majority, for giving advice for the masses, yeah,
let's be realistic. Probably not the best.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Surgeon General's warning is don't do it.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
It depends how like serious the relationship was and where
you're at now. Okay, I am dying to know what
the bachelorette's bachelorette party looks like?
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Is it a.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Hannah Brown on a yacht all in white bikini's Instagram moment?
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Are you more chill?
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Like? What is this looking?
Speaker 4 (18:24):
What's the theme?
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I really? I mean I haven't planned anything yet, but.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
More chill.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
I'm more chill just where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
We plan it right now?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Yeah, I really am thinking like the Bahamas would be
so great. I mean, I love Mexico and I want
to go somewhere be with my girlfriends on a beach,
but very very chill.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Simone, and I realized today as we were thinking about
your interview that you are the winningest reality star. Yes,
the Bachelor, you technically won because you became the Bachelorette.
You one Dancing with the Star, You won Special Forces.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
What is the secret? What is secret skill? The special sauce?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
How are you winning everything?
Speaker 3 (19:10):
I genuinely don't. I never like think I'm gonna win,
but I've now figured out my special secret sauce in therapy,
and I don't always think it's a great thing. But
what helps me a lot in these very specific, not
real life situations is I can get so dialed in,
Like when I'm on a show, nothing else matters, like
(19:34):
everyone is shut out. I am fully in it and
I can't deal with anything else. So it's really great
for something where like you don't have your phone for
a while and that's all that you're doing. I'm really
great at that, and I can shut every other like
emotion or thing that's going on in the outside world.
I'm just emotionally and mentally invested in what's like at hand.
(19:57):
Are you super competitive some people? Yes, I don't think
I'm competitive about Yeah. I guess I'm not competitive in
like everything in life. Like you know those people who
like are competitive about just like it could be any
little game and they're upset. No, I'm not like that,
Like I don't care about just every type of thing,
but like, yeah, when I'm in a competition like the
(20:20):
ones I've been in, yeah, I guess there is like
a drive. I have a drive about me.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Yeah, she's the one to watch.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
I agree, you are on a reality show with Hanna Brown,
She's the one to watch.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I normally would never ask somebody this because the idea
of asking, like what's next for you is like the
most annoying question. But you've worn so many different hats.
I am really curious what is on your bucket list,
Like what's on the horizon for you?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Oh my gosh. Well, I'm working on book two now,
my romance novel, so I'm really excited about that. I
really want to get into real estate in some way,
which is just like my telling Sunset it's happening. I
started out in interior decorating. That's what I was doing
when I was on when I started The Bachelor, I'm
(21:06):
trying to bring everything back to my roots. So what
I was doing and what I loved well before I
was on a reality TV show. And oh, I mean
my big big dream I always say, just say, what's
your big dream is? I really want my books to
become movies. I've always wanted to produce some of my
own stories and bring them to life and on a
(21:26):
big screen. So that would be awesome, That's fabulous. I
might have wanted to marry myself, but I always loved
a good rom call me too, So to be able
to like do that would be really cool, so we'll see.
I'm in a good place of just being like hungry
and driven, but also like realizing that everything's going to
work out. Some of the awesome once in a lifetime
(21:49):
opportunities that I've had I never could have dreamt of
and have come to me. So I'm just like really
open to everything, but also feeling really settled in a
way too, of like really loving what I'm doing and
just pursuing that. It's great to be a healed Hannah.
I sometimes miss the chaotic because like she was hilarious
and fun, but it feels better in this body to
(22:13):
feel more centered and grounded and working on that daily.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Well, thanks for sharing your big dream with us. That's
not easy to say out loud sometimes, yeah, but I.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Think you have to, you know. I think that's like
one of the things that I've realized so much. You
just got to ask and sometimes people are going to
say yes and sometimes or not. But if you never ask,
or you never like say what the thing is, then
you're kind of giving yourself an out. And I don't
really want to out either.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Hannah Brown never takes an out. If I know one
thing about Hannah, She's never going to take an out. Hannah,
thanks for coming on the bright side and being so
open with us.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
This was so much fun.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It was so much fun. Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Hannah Brown is a New York Times bestselling author and
television personality. Her debut romance novel, Mistakes We Never Made,
is out now.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
That's it for today's show. Tomorrow, writer and comedian Chelsea
Davontes is joining us for our first edition of Popping Off,
our pop culture segment where we break down the biggest
stories on our radar and on yours. Listen and follow
the bright side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I'm Simone Boye.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
You can find me at Simone Voice on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
That's oro.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
V ay see you tomorrow, folks. Keep looking on the
bright side.
Hello Sunshine, Hey fam Today on the bright Side, author,
Dancing with the Stars champ and former Bachelorette Hannah Brown
is here to talk about her latest book, her Self
Love Journey, and what it's like being reality TV royalty.
It's Thursday, June thirteenth. I'm Simone Boyce.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side from
Hello Sunshine, Danielle.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I guess you could say our guest today has really
cracked the reality TV code.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
For sure, she has.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
It's wild, It's really wild how successful Hannah Brown has
been on television screens. First, she stole hearts as a
contestant on one of the buzziest seasons of the Bachelor,
when former football player Colton Underwood was the leading man
in the reality show. So a lot to talk about. There,
so much dramas, so much drama. Then she came back
as the bachelorette. So even though she was in seventh
(00:56):
place on Colton season, you could say she won because
she became the bachelor.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, she was so beloved.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Yes, and just as a little refresher in that season.
It came down to two guys for Hannah, Tyler Cameron
and Jed Wyatt, who she ultimately gave the last rows too,
and we all know how that turned out.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, I mean, Hannah broke up with Jed after she
found out he was actually in a relationship while they
were filming The Bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
So brutal, but that didn't stop her.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Later that same year, she went on Dancing with the
Stars and won the Mirror Ball Trophy. And then just
last year, she competed in and won Special Forces World's
Toughest Test, which is this insanely physical competition where she
was up against NFL players, NBA athletes, olympians, they were
all taking orders from former military guys. It is so intense.
(01:45):
I was so impressed with her performance on that show.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I actually was impressed that you watched that show because
I did not know that about you. You really loved it,
But it also sounds like you loved her mental fortitude,
which I have a lot of respect for.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
One hundred percent. I mean, we've both watched The Bachelor.
It's unfortunately we have It's not often that you see
a former Bachelor contestant have this much longevity, you know,
like she's been able to parlay it into a successful
career and a successful enterprise.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I mean beyond her reality TV domination, Hannah has added
the title author and host to her resume. She has
a podcast, and then in twenty twenty one, she became
a published author. She wrote a memoir titled God Bless
This Mess, which became an instant New York Times bestseller, and.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Now she's released her debut romance novel titled Mistakes We
Never Made. So the story follows Emma and Finn, who
went from almost lovers to frenemies. Emma and Finn are
then reunited at a mutual friend's wedding when their friend,
the bride, goes missing. They're forced to work together to
find her, and then the old feelings spark all over again.
It's already a New York Times bestseller.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Simon and I are going to find out what it's
like for Hannah Brown to write her own happy ending.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Here, Hannah Brown, Welcome to the bright Side.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Welcome Hannah.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Hi, y'all, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Well, Hannah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Before we get into your book, I want to hear
more about this title, Mistakes We Never Made, And I
have kind of a fun retrospective question for you. What's
a mistake you never made that you kind of wish
you had.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I love the title of the book and like the
conversations that come from it, because I think a lot
of the mistakes that we don't make are just things
that we were like scared to do or to try.
And a lot of times that's in love, but also
in just taking risks for adventure and joy that we
sometimes just deprive ourselves from. And this is a very
(03:42):
silly one, but I think about it all the time.
My family owned a summer camp for girls, and I
could have gone at any time for free, for the
whole thing, but I was so scared that, like I
would have to be the person that like called my
parents to come get me because I wouldn't be able
to do it. But now I hear everybody's like fun
summer camp stories, I'm like, I could have gone it anytime.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Hannah, you went from living your love story publicly on
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette to writing a love story
in your new novel. It felt kind of like a
perfect next step from the outside looking in. What inspired
you to write a romance novel? And are we talking
to the next Nora Roberts. What's happening here? I mean,
that would be amazing. I would love to be the
(04:28):
next Nora Roberts. But yeah, all of this happened just
so kind of out of the blue for me. I
didn't like think I would be a reality TV start
on a dating show much less like that was not
like something that I've put on my goals of twenty
nineteen or whatever. I know, And I wasn't even really
a person that watch shows like this, so it's kind
(04:50):
of wild that that is where my start was from.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
But I always wanted to write a novel one day,
Like I remember talking to my mom in like high school,
early college, like saying, this would be a big goal
of mine. So that this has been kind of the
catalyst I'm so grateful for. Did you always love love?
It's actually funny. I used to say I wanted to
marry myself when I was little, So yeah, I've always
(05:14):
loved the idea of love, but I haven't always been
like consumed. That's why it's so funny that I was
the girl that went on a TV show to find
a husband, because I just wasn't that way. But then
I think once I got in college, and I think
the people that you're surrounded by can kind of make
you start feeling the pressure of that. Like seven of
(05:38):
my girlfriends in college got engaged their senior year, and
so I do remember during that time of my life,
and I was on the Bachelor, like right out of college,
like feeling this like desire or almost like need to
find love and to be married.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Isn't that so wild? Looking back?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It's so wild.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
You're so young.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
You have plenty of time, I know, and I was
the young fungus Bachelorette that they've had. I thought it
was so ready, and I'm like, I'm just now trying,
like really understanding what love is. You know, people followed
the journey of me trying to figure that out and
and kind of coming to more conclusions daily of what
(06:20):
that is, and then being able to kind of sprinkle
that into the stories that I'm able to create. Really
really cool.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
We're going to take a quick break.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
We'll be right back with more Hannah Brown.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
And we're back.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Hannah.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You talked about how young you were during the Bachelorette,
and I didn't even realize when I was watching the
show that you were just twenty four when you were filming.
You were pretty mature for a twenty four year old
on reality TV?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Oh was I? I mean there's some moments we could
question the maturity level. But kind of what I want
to ask you about.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
You know, we think about reality TV now, I think
we're like twenty years into reality TV and we think
that it's sort of contrived.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Or written, but there are moments that are real. Okay,
here's the thing I love when people ask me, like,
is it all real? Like? Yes, it actually really is. Now,
are there certain things that the television show or the
series like has that you do? Like, first of all,
you're not dating thirty people at a time, but you're
(07:34):
also not giving out roses at a rose ceremony that
lasts like hours long, Like yes, that is definitely scripted,
even like who I Call First? Like that is scripted,
but the feelings and the conversation is not as much.
It's just you're in a bubble that is not reality.
(07:57):
So it's real in that realm that is not real life.
Even though it's very unconventional. I do not like advise
dating that many people at one time. You do learn
a lot about what you like, things that you might
be like surprised that you like, and things that you
surprisingly you don't about a relationship. So I'm grateful for
(08:20):
it in a way, and it really helped and I
really learned a lot about what I didn't want and
that really helps me moving forward too.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I remember watching your season and what you went through
in the aftermath with Jed and everything, and it was
it was so hard to watch from afar, so I
can only imagine it was. It must have been horrible.
It was horrible, but you handled it. You handled it
so well. I mean I loved watching you on the Bachelorette.
But Hannah, I have to say I think my favorite
(08:53):
reality TV role of yours is on Fox's Special Forces
World's Toughest Test, because girl talk about defining things, perceptions
that people have of you, probably perceptions that you have
of yourself. How did you surprise yourself? I mean, you won.
We need to just put it out there that she won.
Still impressive, thank you.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
I talk about mental health quite a bit, because you know,
I was on three reality shows in a year, and
before that had never like I went to college in
my hometown, Like my life changed so quickly, and then
there was so much life lived in such a short
amount of time, and a lot of like emotions. I
don't e think I had dealt with in that anxiety
(09:37):
and depression and everything like manifested even like in my
body and what I was able to do. And I've
always been pretty active and was not like didn't work
out for like a full year and basically just did
like physical therapy. And I haven't talked about it much
because I can't quite understand like just how much all
(09:57):
that took a toll, just my body in general, like
how but remember I got the call for the show,
and I just started working back out again, like feeling
like I wasn't just going to like get hurt or
have like so much inflammation. And they called it and
I'm like, I'm so scared to do this because I
didn't know if I could like handle the mental part
(10:19):
of it, the emotional, physical, like all of it. Like
I knew it was going to be really tough. But
the reason I said yes to it is I really
needed to prove to myself that I was so much
stronger than I thought, because I had this limiting belief
that I was just completely broken and I really needed
something to prove myself. And I like talked to my
doctors and they're like, I really think you can do this,
(10:39):
And I did like hypnosis type things, like a lot
of preparing for pain. Mentally, I still wasn't at the
best like physical shape, I thought my mind, but I
was just slowly like getting prepared for it as much
as I could. But every day I was like, I
can do this. Like I genuinely was like, I'm miserable,
(10:59):
but I can. I can make it one more day.
I can make it one more day. And just that
I was able to prove to myself how strong I
was mentally and physically when I felt so weak and broken.
That was something that like camera, you know, can't fully
capture how that made me feel. But it was so hard.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Wait, Hannah, I have a question about that, because when
you said that you were in a really tough place
before heading into this show, it really struck me personally.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
When I was in like a very low place.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
I signed up for a triathlon because I said, if
I don't do something physical early in the morning, and
if I don't have something to train for, I'm not
going to get out of bed. Are you comfortable sharing
what sent you into this really low place? Because I'm
looking at your Instagram and like you're engaged on the outside,
(11:55):
look very happy, no one would really know what was
going on.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
I really tried to live my life as like a
role model at all times, and then to be in
the public eye and get a lot of criticism from
a lot of different things. That was really tough because
everything that I had built my life on and what
I thought I was had come into question. And you know,
(12:24):
even when there is support, the thing that you're going
to listen to, and that's the loudest is any type
of criticism or things people are saying, especially if it
comes down to like character and who you are. And
I couldn't handle it. It was about a year of
being pretty dark, but just keep working and distracting myself.
But then when all the distractions went away for like
(12:46):
a lot of people in COVID, that's when it got like, oh,
like I am really really not okay. I was actually
working on my first book about my life and was
also like reliving things that I had not really talked about.
I'm so glad that I was able to like share
(13:07):
my story and so many people resonated with my first book.
God bless this mess. But that was really really hard
for me to process, and I just started therapy for
the first time as I was writing this book, so
it was just a lot of open wounds, really fresh
and then having to learn how to process. That was
(13:27):
really tough for me. And yet now, like I still
have them battles to this day. But I'm so grateful
for everything that has led up to this point to
be at the place that I am now.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And she's hydrating, she's reading her books, she's glowy. You
look very healthy. Yeah, I've never met you before, but
you look light and you look healthy, She's offering.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Yes, Oh my gosh, I really appreciate that because I've
been sick this past week. So if I'm looking healthy
now like i'm usually thriving, then.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Well, it seems like you're in this new chapter of
your life mentally and emotionally. You're entering a new decade.
You mentioned you're thirty, you're newly engaged. Yeah, heading into
this new version of Hannah Brown. How has your idea
of love changed since that twenty four year old bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
I didn't even know what love was like it. Honestly,
that was a question I even had this past year
because of The relationship I have with my fiance now
is very, very different than any relationship that I've had before,
and I have learned that I have had to redefine
what love is, and love to me really is about
(14:41):
feeling safe and seen at the same time, and it's
creating a relationship. I think that is actually a lot
more powerful when you get you have choice in who
you decide to be with, Like, we built this relationship,
and that's really what love is. It's being able to
build a life with somebody. And even in the book Mistakes,
we never made like there's a reason why we struggle
(15:04):
with relationship and there's always a route to that and
the importance of being able to go on that journey
for yourself or with a partner, of being able to
find I think even Emma and Finn and the book,
you know, the main character has a lot of stuff
that she's suppressed about a relationship with her dad and
why she feels like she has to be the way
(15:25):
that she is and being able to like lightly bring
that in because that's truly what creates I think a strong,
beautiful love story of having another person kind of be
on that journey with you and give you that space
to work on the things that you need to work
on within yourself to be able to fully love somebody
else too. And I didn't know any of that at
(15:46):
twenty four. I didn't know any of that about it
at twenty four, and so to now be almost thirty
and you know, engaged in learning so much about love daily,
I'm excited and so thankful for the journey that it's
been for me and my relationship, but also to in
this new chapter of my life being an author to
be able to share that with other people while also
(16:11):
creating this beautiful, magical love story, but actually like adding
some truth in there along the way too.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
All Right, we got to take a quick break with
author and TV personality Hannah Brown. Okay, healed, healthy, Hannah Brown,
I have a have a have a spicy question. We
like spicy questions on our show. A question that comes
(16:40):
up a lot is whether it's possible to be friends
with an ex.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
We talk about this so much.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
I don't know why when it always comes up, and
you and Tyler Cameron still seem very close, like you
were just on his renovation show Going Home.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
You also dated him in like a very public way.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
It's I think it's totally different than most relational dynamics.
But what's your take on that question? Like, is it
healthy to be friends with an ex? Is it possible?
Speaker 3 (17:06):
I think you can be supportive of an ex and
truly like want their happiness. And I think you can
be acquaintances of an ext Oh.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
That's good, that's good. It's acquaintance.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, But I think you know, if you dated somebody
for a really long time and there's just, you know,
so much history, I think you can be acquaintances and
really like want the best for somebody. But I think
it takes a lot to even get to that point too.
But for them to be like at your barbecues in
your backyard with your new like, that's I think I think.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
That's good too. What's what's your take on this? Now
we go back and forth.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
No, I totally agree. Yeah, I mean I do too,
Like at different times, I'm like, maybe you know, you'll
see others, you'll see other people doing it well, So
I'm not saying that maybe it can happen, but I
think for the majority, for giving advice for the masses, yeah,
let's be realistic. Probably not the best.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Surgeon General's warning is don't do it.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
It depends how like serious the relationship was and where
you're at now. Okay, I am dying to know what
the bachelorette's bachelorette party looks like?
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Is it a.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Hannah Brown on a yacht all in white bikini's Instagram moment?
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Are you more chill?
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Like? What is this looking?
Speaker 4 (18:24):
What's the theme?
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I really? I mean I haven't planned anything yet, but.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
More chill.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
I'm more chill just where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
We plan it right now?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Yeah, I really am thinking like the Bahamas would be
so great. I mean, I love Mexico and I want
to go somewhere be with my girlfriends on a beach,
but very very chill.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Simone, and I realized today as we were thinking about
your interview that you are the winningest reality star. Yes,
the Bachelor, you technically won because you became the Bachelorette.
You one Dancing with the Star, You won Special Forces.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
What is the secret? What is secret skill? The special sauce?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
How are you winning everything?
Speaker 3 (19:10):
I genuinely don't. I never like think I'm gonna win,
but I've now figured out my special secret sauce in therapy,
and I don't always think it's a great thing. But
what helps me a lot in these very specific, not
real life situations is I can get so dialed in,
Like when I'm on a show, nothing else matters, like
(19:34):
everyone is shut out. I am fully in it and
I can't deal with anything else. So it's really great
for something where like you don't have your phone for
a while and that's all that you're doing. I'm really
great at that, and I can shut every other like
emotion or thing that's going on in the outside world.
I'm just emotionally and mentally invested in what's like at hand.
(19:57):
Are you super competitive some people? Yes, I don't think
I'm competitive about Yeah. I guess I'm not competitive in
like everything in life. Like you know those people who
like are competitive about just like it could be any
little game and they're upset. No, I'm not like that,
Like I don't care about just every type of thing,
but like, yeah, when I'm in a competition like the
(20:20):
ones I've been in, yeah, I guess there is like
a drive. I have a drive about me.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Yeah, she's the one to watch.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
I agree, you are on a reality show with Hanna Brown,
She's the one to watch.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I normally would never ask somebody this because the idea
of asking, like what's next for you is like the
most annoying question. But you've worn so many different hats.
I am really curious what is on your bucket list,
Like what's on the horizon for you?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Oh my gosh. Well, I'm working on book two now,
my romance novel, so I'm really excited about that. I
really want to get into real estate in some way,
which is just like my telling Sunset it's happening. I
started out in interior decorating. That's what I was doing
when I was on when I started The Bachelor, I'm
(21:06):
trying to bring everything back to my roots. So what
I was doing and what I loved well before I
was on a reality TV show. And oh, I mean
my big big dream I always say, just say, what's
your big dream is? I really want my books to
become movies. I've always wanted to produce some of my
own stories and bring them to life and on a
(21:26):
big screen. So that would be awesome, That's fabulous. I
might have wanted to marry myself, but I always loved
a good rom call me too, So to be able
to like do that would be really cool, so we'll see.
I'm in a good place of just being like hungry
and driven, but also like realizing that everything's going to
work out. Some of the awesome once in a lifetime
(21:49):
opportunities that I've had I never could have dreamt of
and have come to me. So I'm just like really
open to everything, but also feeling really settled in a
way too, of like really loving what I'm doing and
just pursuing that. It's great to be a healed Hannah.
I sometimes miss the chaotic because like she was hilarious
and fun, but it feels better in this body to
(22:13):
feel more centered and grounded and working on that daily.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Well, thanks for sharing your big dream with us. That's
not easy to say out loud sometimes, yeah, but I.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Think you have to, you know. I think that's like
one of the things that I've realized so much. You
just got to ask and sometimes people are going to
say yes and sometimes or not. But if you never ask,
or you never like say what the thing is, then
you're kind of giving yourself an out. And I don't
really want to out either.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Hannah Brown never takes an out. If I know one
thing about Hannah, She's never going to take an out. Hannah,
thanks for coming on the bright side and being so
open with us.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
This was so much fun.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It was so much fun. Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Hannah Brown is a New York Times bestselling author and
television personality. Her debut romance novel, Mistakes We Never Made,
is out now.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
That's it for today's show. Tomorrow, writer and comedian Chelsea
Davontes is joining us for our first edition of Popping Off,
our pop culture segment where we break down the biggest
stories on our radar and on yours. Listen and follow
the bright side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I'm Simone Boye.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
You can find me at Simone Voice on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
That's oro.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
V ay see you tomorrow, folks. Keep looking on the
bright side.
Host
Simone Boyce
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