Jeremy Hance Libri

Award-winning writer Jeremy Hance shares his humorous and inspiring journey as he navigates his career as an environmental journalist while managing severe OCD and anxiety. Diagnosed at twenty-six after fearing he was dying from imagined ailments, Hance learns that while he isn't dying, his OCD complicates travel—sometimes just reaching baggage claim feels like a victory. Despite these challenges, he embarks on adventures to remote corners of the world, from Kenya, where hippos graze and baboons steal film, to Borneo, where macaques invade balconies and the last male Bornean rhino sings. In Guyana, he faces bats diving at his head during dinner and encounters flesh-eating ants while being stranded by a drunken guide in the rainforest. Through these experiences, Hance explores resilience, the management of mental illness in stressful situations, and the therapeutic power of nature. He emphasizes the importance of living a life filled with experiences, even when grappling with mental health challenges. This timely narrative aims to inspire readers to step outside their comfort zones, reminding us that everyone carries baggage—it's up to us whether we keep it hidden or share it openly with others.