“Dancing With the Stars” season 28 winner Hannah Brown is opening up about how nabbing the coveted Mirrorball Trophy taught her an important lesson about herself.
During the June 18 episode of “The Jamie Kern Lima Show” the “Bachelorette” alum shared that winning her season of “DWTS” was not as gratifying as she’d hoped it would be. “…sometimes when you get that moment, when you have the dream come true…it can be a little jarring,” Brown said.
The former Miss Alabama USA rose to fame quickly, appearing on “The Bachelor,” starring on “The Bachelorette,” and competing on “Dancing With the Stars” consecutively in 2019.
Despite her sudden success, Brown was left feeling like something was missing. “I had all these amazing opportunities and yet I was so lost and felt so lonely,” she revealed.
Hannah Brown Felt Like She Had Something to Prove
It wasn’t that Brown didn’t enjoy competing on “DWTS,” but she was so laser-focused on winning that she let other aspects of her life fall by the wayside. “I just felt like I had to win to prove that everything that I had done had been worth it,” she explained.
But when she did achieve her goal, Brown experienced a strange feeling. “…I thought that this trophy in this moment was going to feel so big. But instead it felt so light,” Brown shared. “It actually carried no weight.”
Brown then went home to Alabama for the holidays and reflected on her experiences, ultimately realizing that she needed to focus on self love. “Mental health started becoming something that I couldn’t ignore anymore,” she said.
What’s Next for Hannah Brown?
Brown has a new novel out called “The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain” and will be taking on a new role in the upcoming installment of “Bachelor in Paradise” as “Paradise Relations.” She told The Hollywood Reporter, “I am there to help…whether that’s helping set up a sweet romantic moment or being a shoulder to cry on…”
But despite her continuing professional success, Brown is candid about where she is on her mental health journey. She told Jamie Kern Lima that she sometimes struggles with anxiety, even though she’s done a lot of work on herself.
However, she is grateful for everything she’s learned. “Even though I’m having this anxious moment now…I know that it’s going to get better,” Brown shared.
