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.
