Bridget has always lived her life full of courage, generosity city and love for others. Today she talks about her personal journey with her own mental health and how she committed to being her own hero and ins. She shares how music has shaped her life. And music inspired her to c found her company listen. And how during the process, it's the very thing that broke her open.
She even shares with us a little bit about her latest project, experiential billionaire which is heavily rooted in presence and cultivating life experiences. Hope you enjoy. Which Welcome to Loves everyday radius. A podcast brought to you by the Hoffman Institute. My name is Liz Sever and on this podcast we engage in conversation and learn from Hoffman graduates. We'll dive deep into their journeys of self discovery and explore how the process as transformed their internal at external worlds.
They share how their spirit and light now burn brighter in all directions of their lives their loves, everyday radius. Welcome Bridget. Hi, Liz. Very excited to have you on today and really get to hear your story. Thank you so much. I'm excited to be here. I'd love for you just to start out by telling us a little bit about who you are. And when you did the process? Sure. My name is Bridget Hilton. I live in Los Angeles, and I'm a social entrepreneur.
I run a company called listen that makes headphones and speakers, and we give our proceeds to giving hearing around the world. I did Hoffman essentials in 20 20 and then graduated from the full process in 20 21. Incredible. And just for the listeners, Hoffman essentials is a 2 day virtual course that the Hoffman Institute puts on, and it is 2 days of essentially going through the essentials of the hoffman process.
But, Bridget, how would you say that the essentials course helped prepare you or did it for the in person course. Yeah. Since it was during the beginning of the pandemic, I was unable to go in person. So I signed up for how an essentials online, and that it was a great way to, like, set me up for the week long process and that I did in
20 21. So an By the time I got up to, like, Petal luna, I was just ready to rock and super excited and fully aware of my patterns and, like, ready to get deep on the actual work in there. That's great. And I always enjoy just hearing how half essentials can, you know, lead you on a journey, but also bring you... Fully to the in person process. So thanks for sharing that.
Did you always know that you wanted to be a founder or a social entrepreneur, it's funny because I I had, like, 2 things when I was a kid that I was always really, really interested in, and it was, 1 of them was music. I was hyper
obsessed with music as a kid. And then the other thing I was obsessed with it was, like, the idea of like, starting my own company, even though I had, like, no 1 in my life I had ever done that before, but it was just always something that I was super interested in So, yes, I did always know that. So the 2, yes. So the 2 things that you knew as a child, you've made come true. Yeah. It's very random, but truth.
So, Bridget, you talk about knowing at an early age that you wanted to do these things, where did this drive this curiosity? Where did this come from? Sure. So I was born in flint Michigan to very blue collar family in the auto industry. I didn't come from, like, any money or have any real education or role models. I never had a close relationship with my parents. Was also never encouraged to, like, have emotions or share emotions or show how to love or be loved.
And as a result of that, I've never felt like I was actually, like, good enough. And this really drove me to try, like, prove that I was good enough and that I could get out of the situation that was born into. I didn't have heroes really. So I wanted to, like, become my own hero if that made sense Totally. Of course. Yeah, be your own your own here or your own role model. I, was always obsessed with music as as a kid and I also, like, wanted to start my own company. But I didn't really,
like, know how to do that. But I use these 2 things as, like, a way to escape and dream and, like, I saw, like, how it could be beat my ticket up to, like, a better future? Yeah. I was just gonna ask you, what do you think it is about music that you were so drawn to as a young child. That's an inch... You know, that's a very interesting kind of passion to learn at such an early age. And so... Yeah, I'm curious. What
what is it about music you think? I think it it's just such a great way to escape, and it's such a an emotional thing. Like, when you hear... A song that you connect with. It's, like, you feel like they're singing it to you or, like, that you are part of that experience. I mean, I was just so in love with music, like, it was my whole life. Like, as a teenager, I was, like, just this little hustle and these terrible
jobs. Like, I, I had a job, like, picking up trash and clubs, and I was like, passing out flyers on the street and, I, sold merch on the road through, like, a thousand American towns of you know, selling t shirts with bands, and
I'd, like, sleep in my car, and... And then in the morning, go to my other job, like, selling Cds at the mall, and I was just, like, super hyper obsessed with it and, like, this idea of, like, making it and, like, go and into the music industry and, like, hopefully, 1 day, like, moving to Hollywood and, like, having that whole dream. Yeah. Eventually, I ended up meeting someone who knew a person that was, like, hiring interns at a a record label? And I basically
harassed them until they interviewed me. And I lied my way into the internship, like, telling them that I was, like, in college, but, really, I just, like, really wanted to work there. And I could never afford to make to college, but it was, like my version of an education. And then, 1 day, I finally got a job there, and I was making, like, 20 grand a year in the mail room. But you made it. Right? It was you... In the music industry, in the mail room, but in the music industry. Oh,
yeah. It was like, it was incredible. I mean, in It's funny because, like, a mail room job sound so not great. But to me, it was like, I really thought, like, oh, I'm just, like, so rich now. I'm never gonna... Like, it's just gonna forever be amazing. So, yeah. When I was 21, they shut down that office that I was working in,
like, just... As I finally reached this point where I could survive, and I ended up leaving, like Michigan and headed to Hollywood and getting a job at the headquarters of the biggest record label in the world, which was my come true. Wow, even just, you know, hearing the this story back. I think I'm I'm really what's really calling to me is you really setting your mind to something and having it come to fruition. I mean, do you have a sense of what that is is that would you call
it spirit or what was... It almost sounds like something was working behind the scenes to you set these goals for yourself at such a young age and boom 21. We're here, we're in La, you've made it to Hollywood.
Yeah. I don't know. I think it's just a this drive that was kind of propelled by, like, a negative thing of me not feeling like I was you know, I had, like, prove something to myself and to other people that I was good enough and that I could do these things even though I came from, like, the...
Not an ideal situation. And it's funny because it's kind of a paradox it was such a dream come true, but at the same time, it was, like, extremely unhealthy like to in my early twenties in Hollywood, and I had, like, you know, unlimited access to drugs and alcohol, and I was like, at concerts every night and, like, all of these bad patterns were coming up in these addictions that I had were manifesting in me because I had this, like, void
of, like, not loving myself. At the same time, it was it was great, but it was also bad. At the time were you able to articulate it as such? Or is it really through your ongoing mental health journey and and hoffman that you were able to kinda put words to that? Feeling or that emptiness? I would say over, like, the last couple years that I've really, you know, dove into mental health and through half. Like, I can definitely articulate better and like, think about it.
I don't think I ever would have thought that way then, but then there was, like, a moment where I was like, okay. This is getting a little too crazy and I wanted to bring, like, the lo of control back to myself and, like, take agency of my own life. Around that time, I actually saw a video of a woman hearing for the first time on Youtube, and it made me think about how important music was to my life and, like, how I wouldn't be anywhere without it, and that's kind of how was started.
Yeah. Tell us more about this video. Sure. So is this 11 named sloan, and she basically, you know, it was at a clinic and got hearing aids and heard for the very first time, and she was the same age just me. So it really just, like, connected with me. And it was at the same time where it was this moment where there was, like, an energy around conscious capitalism, and it got me thinking about how I make... My life meaningful and how do I
make a living, like, from that life? It made me think, like, how do I make a net positive in my life instead of, like, a net negative, which is where I felt like I was at that point. And I realized that there was like, nobody doing anything in social enterprise with music or with hearing and you know, electronics basically, like, the poster child for bad business practices. In long story short. I linked up with
my friend Joe. I sent him this video of the woman hearing for the first time and told him about my idea that, you know, I wanted a to be that person that was like, giving hearing. That seemed like such an incredible experience to have. And we were actually on a plane, like, a week later to China, like, to sourcing products for what eventually would become listen. And that
was 10 years ago. Since then we've been lucky enough to sell millions of headphones and speakers and give over 50000 people the gift of hearing for the first time all around the world. Wow. So 1 week or so from you watching a video, you had come up with this business idea. You're on your way to China and ready to change the world. Change people's lives. It's funny. I just found my journal from China that week. It's like, wow. It really didn't happen in
that fast. Yeah. That's incredible. If we kind of bring that to to present day, what brought you to the process? I would say, like, throughout the time where we were really, like, hardcore traveling with... Listen. There was just so many things that happened that kind of, like, led up to me going to hoffman. Like, for years, we were working in these developing countries many times with victims of incredible amounts of trauma.
We worked in Uganda with children and women who've been rescued from Joseph Ko L. And we worked in Rwanda with victims of the genocide and and Sri lanka with soldiers from both sides of the Civil war. We spent some time in con Cabrera, which is, like, the biggest slum in Africa, and we were just seeing all these results of, like, war and poverty and it, like, fundamentally changed the way I viewed life, positively and negatively.
And as, like, a company and a brand, we'd always try to capture, like, you know, the happiness and the joy and like, the moment that people's lives changed forever for the positive, and it was an incredible high, but At the same time, on the daily, we'd also have these patients that we couldn't help.
So simultaneously, it was, like the most incredible experience of my life, but it was also very traumatic and I never really process that until the last couple of years because I put this roadblock, like, up myself that can you know, I had so much trauma growing up, but I could never compare it to what these people that we were helping have been through.
And I refused to, like, seek therapy and to admit that I had problems, basically because I didn't see myself is worthy of health is what I had seen throughout the world. And I thought it was kind of like a ridiculous privilege to to focus on my own mental health like, as a healthy American. Obviously, this could not have been more wrong and, like, comparing trauma is losing game.
So as you can imagine, like, over these years of not dealing with my own issues and, like seeing these traumatic things like snowball inside with me, and my relationships with other people and myself like, all exploded. You bring up such things an important topic, and that's the comparison game. Comparing trauma, and I think that is such a big thing for people to begin to explore because, yeah, just like you said, the things
you've seen, the highs, the lows. You know, it creates these beliefs in you or, like you said, that I... You felt unaware to seek the help that you need. And I I think that can ring true for so many people. For whatever reason, you know, they they compare themselves outside to others trauma and think well, I don't deserve to seek help. Or my problems aren't really as bad as other peoples and so it keeps them keeps them stuck. Keeps them not searching for
that healing. So I I appreciate you even just speaking about that. Yeah. I think it's a a really big problem, especially in our country. I was kind of just in this downward spiral I guess. And then, at the beginning of 20 20, I went through a completely, like, soul crushing separation with the person that I thought I would be, like, spending the rest of my life with. You know, lost up my stuff, moved out of my house in San Francisco,
and then I'd moved back to La. And at the same time, the pandemic hit, you know, my business got cut in half. We had to lay people off, and we stopped paying ourselves or charity shut down. The There was just, like, so many bad things happening at the same exact time. And all happen, like, within, like, 2 months, and, of course, that's, like, sent me into, like, a depression, and I just went to the darkest place Had ever been mentally in my life. I
couldn't eat. I just, like, sa con and when I woke up, I would just, like, count the hours until the day would be over. It horrible. Yeah. Basically, I lost, like, everything that I was attached to all at once. And all... That was left was, like myself, and I hated myself. So this is, like, you know, right before I went to Hoffman and... Well, hoffman essentials in 20 20. Well, do you remember what the catalyst was for you to kind of say? Enough is enough. I need help.
Sure. Yeah. I mean, after months of, like, just being in this really terrible dark horrible place. I came to this realization that there was, like, only 2 paths forward and 1 was a very scary dangerous 1 and what the other 1 was like an opportunity. Because, like, when you're at your lowest in your life, it's like the best opportunity to
change your future. So I kind of, like, turned myself into, like, a mental health and Guinea pig because I'm the only 1 that can, like change my brain and my outlook and nobody else was going to do it for me. I... I was like, literally sitting at home alone, you know? But like, just thinking about, like, what can I possibly do to not think this way and feel this way? Yeah. But there is that determination again. You know, this this commitment to just bringing even back to childhood just the
same belief in yourself this inner knowing. Like... I'm the only 1 that can change it, and I'm gonna I'm gonna do it. It's powerful. Yeah. And I started doing all these. You know, modalities, like, I started transcend dental meditation. I went to therapy, I, you know, read, like, an entire books shelf of self help folks, and that was all great, but there was, like, not 1 thing that was really, like, pushing me forward.
So I had heard of hoffman from some friends and it seems like, really interesting because it was, you know, experiential versus, like, something like, you know, reading is like, is great, but it's also, like, an experience is better of course. And that's when I signed up for a hoffman essentials and subsequently went to Hoffman in 20 20 1II love that saying. Reading is great, but experiencing is is better. And that's a huge a huge belief that we have at Hoffman 2 is that experiential learning.
But if we if we fast forward to you arriving, you know, to the in person process in petal, what would you say was the moment during the week that really broke you open or landed you in the process? I'd would say the first couple days, I, like, tiered up a bunch and got emotional, but I never really, like, broke open until I think it was probably, like, maybe the third day or so.
When you... When we had this exercise that was, like, a very impactful crazy exercise, but during it, you guys played in the living years, which is the song that I've heard hundreds of times in my life, but I've have never really, like, thought about the lyrics and, like, heard it in that way. And it just really hit me, like, the water came and, you know, like, wearing my masks and sobbing, and it was
just kind of all a mess. But the exercise was sop profound in all of the emotional energy that I had had from the week, like, all came out. And that experience was so impactful because I felt like it gave me permission to forgive my parents. And myself of, like, all the kind of terrible things that have happened with my life. And then the mixture of that with, like, the next day was actually my favorite part of Hoffman.
And I remember I went back to my room that next day and wrote my journal, like, today was 1 of the best days of my life, and I had cried tears of joy, part just, like, the complete opposite of the day before. So I think my...
1 of my favorite things about hoffman is that it allowed me to experience, like, the full range of emotion and, like, you know, 48 hours just in those 2 days and to feel so completely comfortable, like, being myself in a room of 30 people that I didn't know prior, and it allowed me to, like, give myself love and self compassion the way that I didn't even know exist it before that. Yeah. And I I think the fascinating thing and that is music.
That music was the thing that broke you open and and speaking, you know, drawing back to when you said in childhood growing up in a household where you didn't learn to express emotions, and emotions weren't welcome. And you found that release or that emotional connection to music, fast forward than into adulthood and the very thing that broke you open and touched into that emotional depth within you was music is what a beautiful story and just proof that music is is such a part of your spirit.
Yeah. For sure. I love that. Yeah. I mean, I really consider the process like, the best and invest of I've made in my own mental health and sort of, like, the summit of that to year journey that I was talking about to, like, heal myself. And that's not, you know, saying that I'm, like, perfect or anything like that. But I still have, like, a lot of internal work to do. But right now,
like, post process. I'm genuinely happier, like, more free and more clear like, how I want to live my life than I've ever been 1 of my favorite things about hop is that it was a surprise and that there's so few positive surprises in the modern world. Like, everything is so, you know, available online and there's just so much information that it it was such a breath of fresh air to not know what was going to happen. Like, there's nowhere online where you can go.
It's like, okay. Here's the daily schedule for the hop process. And here's everyone that's gonna be there.
And I loved that. And I was really grateful and enjoyed the fact that there was, like, people from so many different, like, age dr, so where they're from, their backgrounds, etcetera, and it was very diverse, and everyone was just different, but was there for the same reason to, like, heal and better themselves, and that was really powerful because that kind of environment can really propel growth further and faster.
And so 1 of my favorite experiences is just often, like, giving me that gift that was like a connection with a new group of people that were, like, supportive and interesting, and I'm super thankful for that. That's such a a beautiful way to put it It's 1 of my favorite things about the process is just you have to be present. It doesn't allow for any... You know, unless someone obviously tells you about it a lot of things about it, but
the miss tree. Right? We talked a lot about the mystery of life, and I think that not knowing what the process holds day to day hour to hour, really is a practice at being present and open to the mystery of life, and then you... As you said, just being able to peel back all the layers of the outside world and just see humans for humans and get to love and know people, and such a intimate way without the distractions without anything else kinda getting in the way
I completely agree. I mean, humans definitely tend to gravitate towards people that are like them and can end up in this, like, echo chamber. Which kind of stops your growth. So I think that hoffman like, it's just such a great way to experience more. Now, what are some of the practices that you're that you're doing, whether that's to grow spiritually or to touch in to that part of you?
Yeah. Something that's been really interesting. Like... So every year, I write overarching goals for the year and, like, break them down into months and hanging it on my bathroom mirror and, like, really try to, like, accomplish them. And this year, number 1 on the list is grow spiritually.
And before hop I would have never ever even thought of that is, like, being a goal, but down the shift that hoffman made and these like, to be more spiritually led and, like, make that my number 1 priority and then everything else can follow from there. So I think, you know, just something is simple that I've been doing every day that I didn't do before hoffman is, like... When I wake up, I, like, go watch it at the sunrise every day, and I do, like, my gratitude and appreciation while doing
that. And then I do the same thing when the sun sets. That's made a huge difference in, like, my difference in my mental health every day. It's beautiful. I'm curious to hear about how I know listen is still going strong And so I'm I'm curious though how hoffman and your work there is impacting present day work. Projects? What have you? Hof really gave you, like, the willingness to be more open and courageous with expressing my my emotions.
In a project that I'm working on right now, like, involves a lot of writing and speaking, and it really comes out in that. So when I'm like, speaking to a crowd of people or, you know, writing a chapter of this book that I'm putting out in October, it's, like, made it okay to be myself and, like, express the real emotions that I have, which has been super helpful. Yeah. Tell tell us more about this book that you're writing.
The name actually started as a joke with, like, a lot of things in my life start as a joke. Oh, the early days of listen, people we knew, I would always, like, see me and Joe in, like, you know, forbes or something and be, like, you guys must be killing it.
You're crushing it, and we would always, like, laugh at them and just say, well, we're actually giving most of our money away, but we're we're having all of these amazing experiences, So I guess we're experiential billionaires, not actual billionaires. Our new project is based around fact that the number and regret of the dying is not the things that they did do, but
the things that they did not do. So what we did was create, like, a road map in a book to get people to go beyond the fundamental ways that we measure how we're doing in our life. Which is typically like the besides if your bank account or your resume or your stock portfolio and making sure that people focus on their experiential portfolio, so they can live, like, our richer life without the end of life regrets, which has been proven.
Because, like, nobody on their death side wishes that they cuddle with their phone more or, you know, something like that. They wish that they'd traveled or, like, learned more helped other people
or spent more time with their friends. So right now, what we're doing is we're putting out these, like, 50 page guides to different experiences that get people off the couch and off their phone and start living, like, a more experiential life and, like, trying to, you know, knock things off their bucket list, whether it's, like, trying to serve for spear or, you know, roast their own coffee beans or, like, make their own pasta.
And it's sort of, like, a way to look at these models from when I was younger, like a, like, choose your own adventure or, like, the 4 dummy series making it into, like, something real in a world of, like, device driven and entertainment and, like, the meta and N entities and all that. So, yeah. The book we're currently writing is coming out in October and is the deep dive of all these, like application tools to help people start investing in experiences.
And gaining, like, real life value now, and it mixes in stories of our own past and then the science and psychology behind novel experiences. What an incredible this sounds amazing. What an incredible concept and even just putting that into words experiential portfolio. To even shift one's mind to think how can I grow and build my experiential portfolio, which I'm curious? What are some of the... What are some of the big life experiences that you would say are currently in your portfolio?
So many, I've been super super lucky to, like, I really have, like, thought this way for a long time and experiences really are the most important thing in my life. Like, I value my memories way more than anything that I could possibly buy. Some of my favorite, like, travel experiences definitely like, going out of Safari or, you know, hiking the Great wall China, seeing in the northern lights in Iceland, climbing Machu picchu. But Yeah. At the same time, like, I do
just love the little things. Like, I love good sunrise sunset that. Oh, that's beautiful. I hear that you're in the... Still in the writing stages of this book of this project. You mentioned that the process has allowed you to... To be more open with your emotions, more authentic. Has anything shifted in just the writing process, sort of how you approach that Sure. I think it's just allowed me to, like, be more vulnerable and, like, just kind of surrender to the process. And, like, there's...
So many stories that I would have never even told before. I didn't maybe want people to know that about me or. It didn't make me seem like a good person, but I I realized now that, like, that's what people gravitate towards, you know. But people just want authenticity and real, Yeah. Very much, though. And has has the love of reading or reading and writing always been a part of your life. Absolutely. I mean, I would say definitely, like, reading.
I was always a big greet. Like, when I was a kid, I loved it, and maybe that was part of, like, the es or whatever. But I love it. And I I have this practice in my life that I've been doing for, like, the last probably I don't know, 10 to 15 years of reading 1 book per week. And so I have quite a few books here. 1 book a week. So what does that what does that go down till, like, how many hours a day do you read? Usually, you read, like, 1 to 2 hours a day?
I try to do it, like, in the morning or, like, right before bed? Any book, 1 book that you would recommend to listeners that's really been instrumental in in your journey of of this self discovery? Oh, 1 book. That's hard. You can give us a few. But last year, my favorite books were the comfort crisis, and then actually the Knocking Kanye book was incredible. Green lights was great.
Right now, I'm actually reading this split called radical acceptance that's, very impactful, and I think I'm not done with it yet, but I would highly recommend it. Yeah. Thanks. We will definitely add that we need to get, like, a bridget Hilton book club or book list going, as well as maybe a a list of new experiences to add, which we'll be getting hopefully from your experiential billionaire book. I would love for hoffman to have a book club. Well, we'll talk about that, Bridget. I like this
idea. I I'm also a huge fan of of reading and kind of getting a book club going. So we heard it here first. Bringing it back to your week and I know music was so impactful for you. I'm interested just to hear how life has been you know, we're even that first weekend leaving the process, what that was like? On the last day on that Friday, I was just like, so sad to leave and wish that it wouldn't end, which was definitely
not something I would have expected. I would have expected to be, like, dying to look at my phone. But, I didn't even want to look at my phone. I cried, like, the moment. I got in my car to leave, and then, I remember, like, pulling out of the driveway just crying, but then something just, like, switched and I was, like, so 4 driving home and, like, for the next 6 hours of the drive, like, I just felt,
like, high on life. And, like, colors just seem brighter and music just seem better and and everybody knows it, like, the drive. Down the 5, like, from Northern to Southern California is the most boring drive in the entire world. And it's just like, straight empty road full cows and tumble weeds. But but on that day, it was, like, the most incredible drive ever had because I just felt so alive and free and good. Ever since then, I've... I've honestly just felt better
into that's that's no Bs. It's just I've really been, like, enjoying keeping on with the practices, and I don't... Know I just feel like it was 1 of the best things I could have done for myself. Yeah. What, I'm curious, what does the future hold for for Bridget at Hilton? Hopefully, you know, we'll publish my book and then, doing a lot of speaking, and, hopefully, just, like, living that experiential life, keeping on being helped healthy and happy. Thanks so
much, Bridget. Thank you, Liz. I love you guys. Thank you so much for everything you do. Thank you. Thank you for listening to our podcast. My name is Liza and Rossi. I'm the Ceo and President of Hoffman Institute Foundation. And I'm Ras Rossi, Hoffman teacher and founder of the Hoffman Institute Foundation. Hoffman Our mission is to provide people greater access to the wisdom and power of love. In themselves in each other and in the world. To find out more, please go to Hop Institute dot org.