Podcast
Different, Not Broken
Hosted by Lauren "L2" Howard · EN
You’ve spent your whole life feeling like something’s wrong with you. Here’s a radical thought: what if you’re not broken - just different?
Welcome to Different, Not Broken, the no-filter, emotionally intelligent, occasionally sweary podcast that challenges the idea that we all have to fit inside neat little boxes to be acceptable. Hosted by L2 (aka Lauren Howard), this show dives into the real, raw and ridiculous sides of being neurodivergent, introverted, chronically underestimated - and still completely worthy.
Expect deeply honest conversations about identity, neurodivergence, gender, work, grief, anxiety and everything in between.
There’ll be tears, dead dad jokes, side quests, and a whole lot of swearing.
If you are tired of pretending to be someone you’re not, this space is for you.
Come for the chaos.
Stay for the catharsis.
Linger for the dead Dad jokes.
40episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Bet On Yourself (Even When Nobody Else Will)
2w ago00:23:38Tap to summarizeThe CEO said something shitty to me at 8:00 in the morning and I resigned by 8:30. There was no plan. There was no thought process. There was just a body that physically could not do it for one more day.So I called a family member. Someone who owns a business, has owned one for years, who understands small business, who had let me call and cry through every terrible month of that job. In my mind I was talking to exactly the right person.I told them I didn't think I could go back to work. That I thought I had to find a way to work for myself. That I didn't know what that looked like, but I thought I could do it.And they said: no. That's a terrible idea.Every ounce of cobbled-together confidence I'd scraped up in the days since — gone. All the air went out of the universe. What I heard was I don't think you should bet on yourself.I don't think that's what they meant. But that's what I heard.This episode is what came after. The consulting company that started completely by accident. The job I took because someone who loved me told me it was what I was supposed to do. The boss who told me "it's not if you get it, it's when" during early COVID, while I was the primary caretaker for my mom, who had just had an organ transplant. The fact that I have spent years remembering that I quit that job when actually — I've just realised — they fired me.Which is fine, by the way. Getting fired gets a bad rap. Let someone pay you to go away. There is no greater joy in life.Six years on, I make significantly more than the person who told me not to start my own business. I don't say that to brag. I say it because somebody else's faith in you should not be the thing that decides whether you bet on yourself. Even people who love you will give you bad advice. Even people who know their own business very well might not know yours. Take in opinions. Let them influence your perception. Don't let them make the decision.Then Alison brings a Small Talk from Tamara in Louisiana, whose son was diagnosed autistic at five. Her mother-in-law said she was letting doctors label him. Her father said she was looking for excuses. Her husband believed it immediately and has been his biggest champion ever since. She asked: how do you love someone who won't do the work of understanding the person you love most?Don't sit at the table with them.I have an infinite amount of love and a finite amount of space. The love is awarded whether you want it or not — once I give it to you, I don't take it back. The space is awarded on a merit system, and you have to earn it.You are worth betting on. I would bet on you. So you should bet on you too.🎧 Different, Not Broken — honest, funny conversations about neurodivergence, mental health, burnout, and being a person.📞 Leave me a voicemail — Small Talk, brags, fights: https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemail💬 Come argue with us in the Quirky community (it's free): https://alwaysquirky.comLearn more: https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.comContains strong language.
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Is Mitch McConnell Alive? I Have Questions. And 40 Tabs On Fire.
3w ago00:19:22Tap to summarizeI woke up in the middle of the night, checked my phone, and read that Lindsey Graham died. My brain, naturally, read it as Mitch McConnell — because who among us can tell them apart — and from there the whole weekend was just political whiplash.This one is a tour of the chaos of this timeline. A senator had been missing for almost a month. They said he was "working remotely," and I said, yeah, me too, the only difference is I'm just dead inside. His wife left the country. Contractors were redoing his floors. And I had a lot of questions that nobody was interested in answering, so I did what I do: I made it funny.Somewhere in there I decided "The Dead Senators" would make an excellent throwback band name (the genre, obviously, is French Regency punk with banjos — a punk rock minuet), I invited everyone to come fight me in our Quirky community, where the Daily Fights have already established that the only acceptable pen is a Pilot V10 in purple and the jury is still out on whether a hot dog is a taco.And then the part that matters most. A Small Talk from Kristen in North Carolina: "I'm a 38-year-old woman with ADHD, and I look fine. From the inside, I'm running 40 browser tabs, three of which are on fire, and I haven't replied to a text from my sister in 11 days. I want someone to say out loud that looking fine and being fine are not the same thing."So here it is, out loud: they are not the same thing, and you are allowed to be a put-together human on the outside and a hot mess on the inside. Nobody has it together. Nobody knows what they're doing. We are all raw-dogging life with no guidebook — least of all a guidebook for this exact timeline — and the sooner we stop pretending otherwise, the better.🎧 Different, Not Broken — honest, funny conversations about neurodivergence, mental health, burnout, and being human.📞 Leave me a voicemail (small talk, brags, fights): https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemailLearn more: https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.comContains strong language and political commentary.Mentioned in this episode:Wanna learn to write like me?Here's how you can!Writing CourseBecome a podcast sponsor
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Taylor Swift Wedding Drama, President Trump's Billions, And Service Staff Love
4w ago00:25:36Tap to summarizeI keep getting thanked by restaurant staff. Not for tipping well. For not screaming at them.Hi, I'm Lauren Howard (you can call me L2) and this is my podcast Different, Not Broken - which is about exactly that.This one covers a lot of ground: why service staff now brace for impact over an overcooked salmon, why I tipped extra for honesty, and — since the outrage economy makes no sense to me — why Taylor Swift's wedding has the internet in a chokehold while Donald Trump has made $2 billion he can hold in his disgusting sweaty fat hands and nobody seems to care.What starts with an inedible salmon at Chili's, and a misplaced pizza descends into the Taylor Swift wedding outrage — the double standard around wealthy women being self-indulgent, and where I think our collective anger would be far better spent.Plus, in Small Talk: Priya from Oregon has been the planner friend her whole life.📞 Leave me a voicemail: https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemailLearn more: https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.comMentioned in this episode:Sponsor the showhttps://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsorsSponsor Different Not BrokenJoin Quirky
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No Brain Space Because Kidney Poitier Is Stealing It All
Jul 800:19:38Tap to summarizeThis is what happens when your brain runs out of RAM.Hi, I'm Lauren Howard (you can call me L2) and this is my podcast Different, Not Broken - which is about exactly that.My mom is in the hospital. Again.My kids are at camp for the first time ever.My co-worker Vanessa's grandmother fell.Kyle's eye is still a thing.And I have exactly zero bandwidth left for anything — including, apparently, remembering that not everyone knows my mom's transplanted kidney's nickname.The nephrologist found out the hard way. He's fine. Kidney Poitier is fine. I am questionable.In this episode, I tell you about the nurse who pretended she needed help from my mom — a former phlebotomist — just to get her brain working and make her feel useful in that hospital bed.I ugly-cried a little on the inside.Then I talk about the moment my filter completely abandoned me mid-conversation with a medical professional.And then Alison brings us a Small Talk question from Opal in Georgia, who's been close with her best friend for 26 years and is starting to feel like she gives more than she gets.Brain full. Filter gone. Heart kind of full, too. Let's get into it.New episodes every Wednesday. Find them all at differentnobrokenpodcast.com.
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My Kid’s Being Rude and Office Furniture Fu*kery
Jul 100:35:20Tap to summarizeMy oldest turns 10 this week, which is rude and kind of bullshit, and I will accept no part of it. She did not ask my permission.Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. Some people call me L2. You can too if you want. This is my podcast "Different, Not Broken" which is about exactly that.In this episode, I take you back to exactly 10 years ago — the Thursday night when a weird feeling turned into a labor story I was absolutely not ready for, including the shower incident. (You’ll know when you get there.)Then we get into what I’m calling Furniture Fuckery: the story of why my home office carpet smelled like funky ass dog for a decade, how it took me 10 years to buy a desk I first saw when we bought this house, and how Manny — a furniture store salesperson on his very first day — accidentally became the emotional highlight of my weekend.Alison joins for this week’s Small Talk to answer Kevin from Rhode Island, who is already spiraling about his upcoming high school reunion. We talk comparison culture, social media highlight reels, and why nobody — and I mean nobody — has their shit together. Not even the people who look like they do.I have lots of excellent things available for you to buy in my Stan Store so you should probably go do that at https://stan.store/elletwoWant to sponsor the podcast and speak directly to thousands of neurodivergent small business owners? You can do that here, and it's probably less cost than you think - https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsorsWant to leave a voicemail with a Small Talk question or even just to let us know you're enjoying a Fountain coke? Do that here - https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemailMentioned in this episode:Sponsor the showhttps://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsorsSponsor Different Not BrokenWanna learn to write like me?Here's how you can!Writing Course
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My Thunderous Moments During the NY Knicks and Stephen Colbert Finale
Jun 2500:20:05Tap to summarizeI am not generally a catastrophizer.I can see worst-case scenarios in almost any situation — and I'm usually right. But I'm always happy to be wrong. I just... don't get the opportunity that often.This week's episode is exactly the kind of chaos that makes me me.It starts with the NY Knicks winning the NBA Championship (for which I personally deserve significant credit, having been invested in their success for approximately 46 milliseconds).Five minutes later, something happened to my house that I was absolutely certain was the beginning of global nuclear war.Then I tell you about Stephen Colbert's series finale, Paul McCartney walking out onto the Ed Sullivan stage, and the exact moment I became a puddle of tears on the floor — because some feelings are genetic, and the Beatles are one of mine.And in Small Talk, Alison answers a question from Brianna in Tennessee, who's spent years being told she's "too much." Too direct. Too blunt. Too honest.
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I Did So Much Peopling My Brain is Still Wet (Or Maybe That's Just My Shower Soaked Jeans)
Jun 1700:22:31Tap to summarizeLife right now feels like putting on a pair of jeans immediately out of the shower. We’re gonna get through it. But it’s gonna feel sticky.Hi friends. I'm Lauren Howard, and this is my podcast Different, Not Broken.I did so much peopling in one single Sunday that I genuinely lost track of what week it was. A makeup class. Brunch at a place that charges $30 for an omelette and somehow recommends the cheeseburger. My mom’s birthday dinner at the Melting Pot. The balloon bouquet she hates. Venmoing at the table because I’m very Gen Z apparently. All of it, start to finish, until I got home at 6:30pm and was absolutely cooked.If that sounds familiar—if you also left a room full of strangers and had to run a silent internal audit of whether you were being annoying—this episode is for you.Also, Alison shares a question from Alejandro in New Mexico, who graduated with his bachelor’s at 37 and can’t stop doing the math on the years he considers “lost.”
Transcribe →Finding Your Voice and Power: Cindy Gallop on Authenticity and Resilience
Jun 1000:41:20Tap to summarizeWelcome to another episode of Different, Not Broken, the podcast that dives deep into the beauty of being different and the myth of brokenness. I’m Lauren Howard, and today I’m joined by the inimitable Cindy Gallop—renowned brand builder, outspoken public speaker, and founder of Make Love Not Porn. In this candid conversation, we talk about the challenges and triumphs of showing up authentically in a world that’s constantly trying to put us and our voices into boxes.You’ll hear us discuss what it means to speak your truth—and why the world desperately needs authentic voices now more than ever. From navigating criticism and resiliency to the unique struggles faced by women labeled as “difficult,” this episode is filled with practical wisdom and unfiltered encouragement. Plus, we tackle questions about emotional labor and the importance of asking for help, reminding all of us that being the “strong one” doesn’t mean carrying it all alone.Buckle up for some honest advice, permission to take a break, and a much-needed pep talk for anyone doubting the value of their voice.And in this week's Small Talk, Alison shares a question from Jenna in New York.
Transcribe →Food Aversions, Founder Friendship and Women’s Wellbeing with Dr. Sipra Laddha
Jun 300:45:55Tap to summarizePotatoes, cat tongues, and sandpaper skin—let’s talk food aversions, texture nightmares, and why maybe it’s totally fine to be a grown adult who can’t stand an apple.This week on Different, Not Broken, I go fully public with a truth: I am not a picky eater. I am… let’s say, texture specific. I will sample almost anything—once. What happens afterward is between me, my gag reflex, and whatever unholy thing just brushed across my taste buds. Mashed potatoes? Yes. Potatoes in soup? Get them away from me. Tomato sauce? Great! Raw tomato? Why do you hate me? Apple slices? Hard pass. Apple juice? Sign me up. Oranges are a war zone, but orange juice is fine—just keep the strings (and the heartburn) far, far away.Are these food preferences weird? Yes. Am I objectively a successful adult nonetheless? Also yes. Even if I can’t finish a plate of beans without gagging while my kids, in a spectacular twist of parental fate, will eat literally anything with stoic enthusiasm.It’s not just about food, though. We blend the personal with the professional this episode. Our guest is the incomparable Dr. Sipra Laddha, CEO of Luna Joy, mental health advocate, and my literal first phone call when I decided to build my practice. We tackle the idea of “competition” in women’s mental health spaces (spoiler: the real competition is the broken system, not each other) and how collaboration—not cutthroat tactics—moves everyone forward.Thinking of launching your own thing but stuck on knowing whether venture capital and bootstrapping are just buzzwords for other people? We’ve lived both sides. Sipra and I compare paths: raising millions in venture funding (which is about as glamorous as microwaving leftovers, more or less) versus scraping resources together and building from the ground up. Both are exhausting. Both are possible. Both come with landmines only those who have actually been in the room can describe.Maybe you’ve never considered what it’s like to be the only woman—sometimes the only woman of color—pitching life-or-death solutions to a room full of people who need to check with their wives to know what postpartum depression is. Spoiler: you end up not only knowing you belong in those rooms, but also knowing you’ve got something the rest of the room literally cannot bring.Still deciding if Different, Not Broken is your kind of podcast? If you’ve ever:Wondered why your sandwich can’t just be a sandwich—without some slimy tomato sabotaging itNeeded to know how real women founders support each other through texts, resources, and mutual survival tactics instead of passive-aggressive LinkedIn shadeWanted to hear a vulnerable, unfiltered story about living through postpartum depression from someone who was clinically trained to help others (and still couldn’t get help herself)Needed a reason to feel absolutely valid in your own “weirdness,” whether that’s food, mood, or business battlesAre looking for a show where softness is strength, and being different is a whole functional life, not a defectThen hit play. If nothing else, you’ll leave feeling a little less alone in your quirks, and maybe with exactly the push you need to find your own sandbox—and fill it with the right people.Plus, in Small Talk: a former Marine writes in about random, emotional tears in middle age. Why does softness sneak up on us, and what does it mean to finally drop the armor and just feel? Spoiler: it isn’t weakness.Listen in. We save room for you—no tomatoes required.Find out more about Sipra here: https://sipraladdhamd.com/
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I run successful companies but cleaning up their mess is still sometimes my main job
May 2700:14:41Tap to summarizeMy kids were supposed to be gone for three days.Three days turned into eleven. I had the house to myself, figured out who I am without background chaos, and managed to function like an actual adult person.Then they came home. And then everyone got norovirus.This week I'm walking through the Mother's Day that was the Mother's Dayest Mother's Day of any Mother's Day ever recorded — and one that was so chaotic, I've only just recovered from it enough to talk about it!Then Alison joins for Small Talk with a question from Tammy in Montana — a florist who built a real, thriving business from scratch, but whose mom still calls it "a phase."
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