Different, Not Broken

I recognised him instantly. I’d never met him before. Hi, I’m Lauren Howard . You can call me L2. Like other people do. In this episode of Different, Not Broken , I tell the story of going to a startup funding event in Miami and unexpectedly sitting down next to someone I knew far too much about… despite never having spoken to him in my life. It turns out reality TV, social conditioning, and a neu...

I have a habit of saying the obvious things most workplaces avoid. Hi, I’m Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. In this episode of Different, Not Broken , I break down why basic human standards at work get treated like radical ideas, why return to office policies are deeply ableist, and why so much “innovative leadership” is really just common sense wrapped in better language....

You’re not broken. But a lot of us were taught to believe we were. Hi, I’m Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of Different, Not Broken , I’m talking with Libby Alders, a pastoral chaplain who works at the intersection of faith, trauma, and identity, about what happens when religion stops being a source of comfort and starts quietly doing damage. We get int...

Can somebody please explain this timeline to me? Because I have a confession. Last week — not even sure which day, definitely one of the days ending in “y” — something happened. And I have no idea how.

Flying makes me anxious. Not the mild kind. The walls-closing-in, I-need-control kind. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard . You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Broken" I talk about what it was like flying with someone who supported me without making a thing of it. No fuss. No questions. No spotlight. Just quiet, steady presence. We get into why that kind of support...

Nobody tells you this part about being a parent. That every boundary you set comes with a quiet, gnawing guilt. Needing space. Wanting quiet. Asking not to be touched for five minutes. And immediately wondering if you’ll regret it forever. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard . You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of Different, Not Broken , I talk about the constant tug-of-war between yo...

Shhhhh! Come in and have a listen to your gift. Don't tell anyone....

Nobody really explains this part of relationships either. That a lot of the friction isn’t about love, or communication, or effort. It’s about order. And chaos. And which one of you is quietly losing your mind because the other one will not, under any circumstances, make a plan. Hi, I’m Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of Different, Not Broken , I introd...

Nobody tells you this part about being an adult. That most of your energy gets burned on decisions. Small ones. Constant ones. What to eat. What to say. How to say it nicely. Who not to upset. When to apologise. Again. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard . You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Broken" I talk about the real gift overwhelmed people actually want. Not stu...

I need to go on the record. The Wet Bandits are NOT the villains in Home Alone . This episode is a full rewatch reckoning. The kind that hits you sideways once you’re an adult and can’t unsee what’s actually happening on screen. And we’re meant to call it festive. This is not a cosy nostalgia episode. It’s time to get a little uncomfortable and understand what's really going on with this movie and...

Team Difficult: Can I Get That on a T-Shirt? Hi, I'm Lauren Howard . You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Broken"... You know that word you’ve heard muttered under their breath after a meeting, or the one you’ve seen tossed around as an insult every time you dared to challenge a Not-So-Great Idea™ at work? "Difficult." It’s the golden badge awarded when...

Your emotional energy is not in your job description. There! I said it. Did you feel a little jolt of recognition, a sense of relief—or maybe a stab of rage? Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Broken" I'm asking if you’ve ever slogged through unbearable meetings, survived a boss who’d rather watch you squirm than support you, or...

To be honest, I’ve hit my limit with holiday guilt and the weird pressure to act like everything’s cosy and magical just because the calendar says so. Holidays are made up. They only exist if you get paid time off or you genuinely enjoy them… and most people don’t. In this episode, I’m pulling the curtains back on the whole thing. The family expectations. The traditions no one even likes. The so-c...

I survived a healthcare conference in Las Vegas… and honestly, I’m still a little surprised. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Broken" I'm sharing my story of peopling in sin city. Between the cigarette-tinged air, the giant hotel that somehow has no sunlight, the time-zone confusion, and the very real possibility that I could’v...

I hate meetings. I hate them so much. Which is very awkward for someone who runs multiple businesses and technically needs them to function as an adult. In this episode I am unpacking why meetings make me irrationally angry even when they are useful, profitable, and with people I actually like. Why does my brain treat work like an interruption to my other work? Why do I get mad at my calendar for...

Buying a car in Florida shouldn’t feel like psychological warfare, but apparently it does. I’m just trying to replace my family car without losing my mind — or my sense of humour — in the process. Between fake add-ons, hidden dealer fees, and salespeople who can’t stop lying, car shopping in Florida has become a full-time trust exercise. In this episode, I share what it’s really like for someone w...

It’s one thing to be a degree removed from a celebrity—it’s another to almost, possibly, maybe know how Bruce Lee died (except for the super weird turn of events that resemble a case for Mulder and Scully!) But that’s exactly where we find ourselves in this episode: one step away from unraveling a mystery that’s tiptoed through dinner parties, rumbled around old Hong Kong restaurants, and left one...

So, picture this: I’m having lunch with my dad, we’re mid-bite, chatting about David Carradine, and out of nowhere he says, “You don’t usually die that way.” My dad’s a psychiatrist, by the way — which somehow makes that line both better and worse. That comment sent me down a totally unexpected rabbit hole into his past life as a medical researcher… and, apparently, a minor expert on autoerotic as...

Ever find yourself carrying earplugs in every bag and pocket, just in case the world gets a little too… loud? Or maybe you’ve written letters to your doctor, explaining that “no, you don’t look autistic” is not the hot take they think it is? This is the episode for you. I had the absolute privilege of sitting down with Natalie Diggins, technologist, deep tech investor, and—most importantly—the aut...

Something's shifted in my podcast journey while recording "Different, not Broken" for half a year now. I didn't see it coming. Question is, did YOU? Mentioned in this episode: Wanna sponsor this podcast http://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsors Sponsor Different Not Broken

When my dad — a doctor — started losing the ability to walk, I thought we’d find answers quickly. Instead, we ran straight into a wall of hospital red tape, conflicting protocols, and doctors too afraid to take a risk. This is a true story about how I fought the healthcare system to save my father’s life. It’s about standing up to bureaucracy, finding the right information when no one else would,...

When a bad headline blames Tylenol for autism, L2’s had enough. This is her blistering, hilarious takedown of pseudo-science, mom-shaming, and the politicians who thrive on both. It starts with keyboards, ends with capitalism, and somehow makes perfect sense in between. Click play, have a listen, and then check out her Stan Store. https://stan.store/elletwo Mentioned in this episode: Build Your Be...

My Brain Short-Circuits for This I have a confession. For someone who claims to be a relatively smart, responsible human and someone who can calculate numbers, analyze situations, run a business, and (at least sometimes) do 'The Adult Things', I have one irredeemable weakness. We’re talking a 'lose the thread of reality, babble in vowel sounds, and forget my own name because, oh my gooood' kind of...

What if everything you think you know about occupational therapy (OT) is… not quite right? Here’s a confession: until recently, I thought OT was just glorified PT for your arms. Someone stands you up, hands you a toothbrush, checks a box, and off you go back to life, hopefully less miserable. Turns out, that’s not even close. In this episode of Different, not Broken, I, Lauren Howard (aka L2), sit...

Infertility isn’t just a medical diagnosis — it’s a daily ache that reshapes how you see yourself, your relationships, and even good news from people you love. In this raw, unfiltered episode, I'm opening the hell up about four years of unexplained infertility, pregnancy loss, the jealousy nobody admits out loud, and why asking “When are you having kids?” can quietly devastate someone. If you’ve b...