We were lucky to catch up with Hannah Jose recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Hannah , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I was first placed in foster care at age 4. I remember being in the back of the social worker’s car thinking “I’m alone now” – because I was & I was ever since then. I lived with family members and in shelters until I was 16 and decided to get emancipated so I could leave the system and try to make a life out of so much trauma. I wound up in a very abusive relationship with no way out. Resilience is the perfect word. I had to decide to be the boat that wasn’t going to let the water get inside of me because then I would sink. I developed a panic disorder despite that. I couldn’t understand why my mind seemed to be against me. Everything was as calm as it could be in the 3D, yet I felt like a catastrophe was happening 24/7. I couldn’t breathe for 5 years. I’m approaching 30 in 2025. I’m very well aware that I don’t get to walk away from the fire without smelling like smoke, I’m very mentally tired. I just decided that I have come too far to just come this far. I want financial freedom and a beautiful life. The challenges of my past have put a “try to stop me” fire in me. So I believe I will achieve my goals.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m currently working on building a platform of similar minded people. I love beauty & fashion so much. I believe I have a lot to offer the space! I’m hoping out of building a platform, I can start nonprofits and do lots of charity work. I want to start a nonprofit for trauma victims & to raise awareness for male mental health. My father took his own life when I was 19. It’s staggering the male suicide statistics. I believe this cause needs so much more awareness.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
My best advice is to never give up. Keep going. I am on my 6th business idea and most of the others have failed or gone nearly bankrupt. If you don’t give up, eventually something will stick. Just decide that no matter what happens, you’re going to keep trying and keep going. Show up everyday & do your absolute best.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The book the body keeps the score is so valuable to trauma victims. This book highlights that when you go through trauma, you may be physically out of the situation but your body is still there. Your mind is still there. It’s like reminiscence that deeply affects our mental health even if we don’t realize it. Self care, therapy & other treatment is not only necessary but should never be seen as you’re weak. I didn’t seek help for years because I didn’t want to seem like a crazy person. You’re not crazy. We’re not crazy. Trauma is stored in the body and we deserve to feel good and happy.
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