One man. One sign. Life-changing impact.

Ben Lynne is bringing positivity to Utah’s streets — one run at a time. Since February 2022, he has made it his mission to uplift his community by jogging through local neighborhoods with a simple yet powerful message: I Believe In You.

“The first time I had the idea to run with a sign was in 2019,” said Lynne. “As I ran, I passed people on their way to drop off kids at school or commute to work. I would see their faces and a lot of the time it looked like a dejected feeling, like they’re caught up in the grind and it’s something they’re not always necessarily looking forward to. When I saw this, I felt like I should do something to see if I could help motivate and inspire some people.”

For three years, the idea remained just that — an idea. Then, in February 2022, Lynne decided it was time to take action. With the world still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, he saw an even greater need for encouragement.

“I started running with the sign mostly because of what we were going through in the aftermath of the pandemic, and I felt this empty sadness for society,” said Lynne. “It had all just culminated and I didn’t want to feel that way anymore. That week, I just went about my week, got out to run again, and when I got a mile into my run, I felt like I needed to do that ‘run with a sign’ idea. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew at that point that this was the next thing I needed to do. I still had doubts but I just went for it.”

When he first stepped outside holding the I Believe In You sign over his head, Lynne was nervous. Would people think he was strange? Would they ignore him? He decided to find out — and the response changed his life.

“I just wanted to hold the sign up over my head when I saw the first car,” said Lynne. “They were honking and smiling. Now I see that dozens of times when I run. My ability to be resilient since starting this has been through the roof. It’s been hard to have a truly bad day since.”

A Life Shaped by Resilience

Lynne was born in Australia and lost both of his parents at the same time when he was four years old. He and his siblings were taken in by a family in New Jersey before moving to Utah when he was ten. Having experienced personal hardships, he understands the impact of hope during difficult times.

“This is something I’m genuinely doing because I want to spread hope,” he said. “I know what it’s like to need that hope. I don’t want attention or to gain followers or become famous or anything. It’s genuinely something from the heart. It’s something I feel like I need to do. I feel connected to everybody; I’ve never felt more connected to random strangers than I do now. I feel a genuine love for people that I didn’t have before. It’s the best hobby I’ve ever had.”

A Sign That Saves Lives

Lynne has had countless interactions with people who stop him on the side of the road, but one encounter, in particular, cemented his commitment to his mission.

“During the first summer after I started, I was out running, and I saw a car go past me, turn around, and pull over on my side of the road,” said Lynne. “As I got closer, they rolled the window down and the man driving was in tears. He said he was driving to go end his life, but this sign made him realize he had more to live for and it saved his life. That really helped solidify in my mind that I needed to keep doing it. My body hurt from running with the sign, and I just didn’t know if it was worth it to do this anymore. But once I had that experience, I realized I need to keep going and make this my mission to do this because of the impact that it can have.”

Taking Hope Worldwide

Since beginning in 2022, Lynne has taken his sign beyond Utah, running in other states and even overseas.

“When I go on vacation or on a business trip, I’ll bring the sign with me,” said Lynne. “I’ve gone to Japan twice and run there with an appropriately translated sign, and same thing in Spain and France.”

Regardless of location, the message resonates.

“When I run in a new area, I’m always worried how people will react to it,” he said. “For the most part, people react the same. Love and support resonate with everyone. I’ve had amazing experiences. It’s pretty consistent anywhere.”

Growing a Movement

Recently, Lynne started a nonprofit, Show Me a Sign, to help others spread the message.

“After about six months of running with the sign, I had people reach out saying they wanted to do the same thing in their city,” said Lynne. “Now there are eight or nine runners here locally that have either ran with a sign in the past or are currently running. I also have a friend in Texas who does it, and some in Utah County as well.”

One of those runners is John Gifford in Houston, Texas.

“Ben told me about his sign running idea when it was just a thought and I’ve enjoyed watching him take the risk and make it a reality,” said Gifford. “Ben is the reason I decided to start running with a sign. He inspired me to lift up others and promised it would work miracles in my own life. He was right.”

A Future of Hope

Ultimately, Lynne’s goal for Show Me a Sign is to see I Believe In You signs displayed by runners across the country — and even the world.

“The whole point of this nonprofit is to spread,” said Lynne. “I want somebody running in every city and every area of the world. I want to see how far we can go. I want to spread more hope.”

For Lynne, the impact of his sign is already clear, but he’s just getting started.

“We have more than enough negativity out there,” said Lynne. “There is good and positivity in the world, but it doesn’t scream out like negativity does. My mission is just to spread more hope and positivity and fight back the negativity. We waste so much time having negative thoughts and letting that prevent us from doing new things. Four simple words — I believe in you — can be so powerful. It resonates with everybody. It’s something we all need every day. It’s a constant battle. We’re constantly inundated with negativity, and we need more hope and positivity and encouragement in the world.”

To run with a sign in your community, reach out to Ben Lynne on Instagram or visit the Show Me a Sign website.

Feature Image and additional photo courtesy of Ben Lynne.