Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Stewart.
Hi Hannah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m the eldest daughter of a single mother, and I think that shaped who I am long before I realized it. Growing up, I naturally stepped into a caregiving role, helping raise my younger siblings and learning early on what it meant to support the people around me. Watching my mom work so hard while carrying so much on her shoulders gave me a deep appreciation for the strength and resilience of women. It also sparked a lifelong desire to support women in whatever way I could.
That passion eventually led me to nursing. I completed my prerequisites before earning my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and I began my career in Labor & Delivery, where I had the privilege of caring for women during some of the most significant moments of their lives. It was an incredibly rewarding experience that taught me compassion, resilience, and how to remain calm in high-pressure situations.
Working in healthcare has also challenged me to grow. I’ve learned that caring for others starts with taking care of yourself, and every experience—both the joyful and the difficult—has shaped the nurse and person I’m becoming.
Outside of work, I love creating meaningful experiences. Whether it’s planning themed date nights, exploring new restaurants, decorating my home, or finding ways to make everyday moments feel special, I enjoy bringing creativity and intention into my life. I believe those same qualities influence how I care for people—with empathy, thoughtfulness, and genuine connection.
Looking back, every step of my journey—from helping care for my siblings to caring for patients—has reinforced the same purpose: to show up for others with compassion, strength, and heart.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. My journey has been shaped by a lot of moments that were difficult to understand at the time, but ended up shaping who I am today.
Growing up as the eldest daughter in a single-parent household meant I carried responsibility early. I helped raise my younger siblings while watching my mom do everything she could to hold things together. That experience built my resilience, but it also meant I learned to keep pushing through things without always having space to process how I was feeling.
As I got older, I went through a period of significant depression and anxiety. It was one of the hardest chapters of my life, not only because of what I was feeling internally, but because of how it was received by the people around me. I didn’t grow up in an environment where mental health was openly understood or supported. At one point, my access to medication was taken away, and instead of being met with care or clinical support, I was encouraged to rely on faith alone to “pray it away.” That experience left me feeling very isolated and unseen during a time when I needed understanding the most.
There were moments where I felt completely overwhelmed by what I was carrying emotionally. But even in that place, something in me kept holding on. I leaned into whatever strength I could find—sometimes it was sheer determination, sometimes it was the love I had for my family, and sometimes it was the quiet belief that things could eventually feel different than they did in that moment.
Looking back, I don’t see that time as something that defines me by pain, but as something that reshaped my relationship with resilience. It taught me how important mental health care is, how vital it is to feel supported rather than dismissed, and how deeply it matters to be able to speak openly about what you’re going through.
Those experiences are a big part of why I approach life and my work with so much compassion. I know what it feels like to struggle silently, and I carry that awareness with me in how I show up for others.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Inside of work, I’m a Labor & Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum (LDRP) nurse, and I care for women and families during some of the most vulnerable, powerful moments of their lives. My role is both clinical and deeply human—I’m monitoring patients, supporting deliveries, assisting in recovery, and helping families transition into postpartum life. But beyond the tasks, what I really focus on is how people feel in those moments.
I’m known for being warm, calm, and extremely approachable. Patients often tell me I feel like someone they’ve known forever within minutes of meeting me. I don’t rush people emotionally. I sit with them, explain things in a way that feels understandable, and try to create a sense of safety in environments that can easily feel overwhelming or unfamiliar. That ability to make people feel comfortable and seen is what I take the most pride in.
Outside of work, I’m very intentional about creating a life that feels grounded and full of joy in smaller, everyday ways. I love curating experiences—whether that’s trying new restaurants, planning thoughtful moments with the people I care about, or turning ordinary days into something memorable. I’m also big on creating a peaceful space for myself at home and finding ways to slow down and reset after work, especially in a field that requires so much emotional presence.
At my core, whether inside or outside of work, I’m someone who leads with care. In the hospital, that looks like supporting families through life-changing moments. In my personal life, it looks like how I show up for the people I love and how I try to bring intention and softness into everything I do. That balance is what keeps me grounded.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
For me, success isn’t defined by titles or how quickly I achieve the next milestone. it’s defined by alignment. It’s waking up and feeling like the life I’m building matches who I actually am, not just what I’m expected to be.
In my work, success looks like a patient feeling safe, heard, and supported in one of the most vulnerable moments of their life. It looks like someone remembering me not just for what I did clinically, but for how I made them feel during their experience. That kind of impact matters more to me than anything else.
On a personal level, success is stability and peace. It’s having done the internal work to understand myself, to heal from what I’ve carried, and to move through the world with more softness toward myself than I once did. It’s being able to show up fully—at work, in relationships, and in my own life—without feeling like I’m abandoning parts of myself.
I’ve learned that success isn’t loud. Sometimes it looks like surviving something you didn’t think you’d get through. Sometimes it’s choosing a healthier path even when it’s harder. And sometimes it’s simply becoming someone who can sit with life as it is, without losing themselves in the process.
