{"podcast":{"title":"Different, Not Broken","slug":"different-not-broken-7281363","podcast_index_feed_id":7281363,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/different-not-broken/","website_url":"https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/0387d1ce-6b9b-4cca-b6e8-776de97c3f11/6XCIStyYqXIWc3Zw6GTqXkf1.jpg","author":"Lauren \"L2\" Howard","episode_count":69,"summary":"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.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/different-not-broken-7281363"},"episode":{"title":"I recognized him instantly. (My Reality TV → Real Life Nightmare)","slug":"i-recognized-him-instantly-my-reality-tv-real-life-nightmare","published_at":"2026-01-28T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/different-not-broken-7281363/i-recognized-him-instantly-my-reality-tv-real-life-nightmare","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/different-not-broken-7281363","url":"https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/episode/i-recognized-him-instantly-id-never-met-him-before","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/27a0c2fd-823e-45ad-a130-240d31409922.mp3","summary":"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 neurodivergent brain make for a very specific kind of social experience. This episode is about what it’s like to hold a straight face while your brain is doing cartwheels, why masking often looks like politeness, and how much effort goes into pretending you don’t know what you know. You’ll hear: Why recognition doesn’t always come from real relationships What masking actually looks like in everyday social situations Why being “polite” is often a survival skill How neurodivergent brains process people and patterns differently Why explaining yourself gets exhausting fast Once you’ve been inspired to brag, here’s where you can do it! https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemail Useful stuff Stuff that helps you become awesome even if you’re different: https://stan.store/elletwo My grown up job: https://lbeehealth.com/ Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – I recognized him instantly 01:12 – Reality TV, hate watching, and accidental expertise 04:06 – Going to an event alone (never again) 06:48 – Sitting down next to someone I shouldn’t know 09:02 – Knowing too much and saying nothing 12:31 – Masking as politeness 15:18 – Why pretending not to know is exhausting 18:44 – Listener brag: feeling hopeful about 2026 20:02 – A very important question for sleep scientists 23:10 – Small Talk Listener Question: communicating needs without feeling difficult Mentioned in this episode: Brag on yourself…","meta_description":"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…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1315,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/different-not-broken-7281363/episodes/i-recognized-him-instantly-my-reality-tv-real-life-nightmare/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/different-not-broken-7281363/i-recognized-him-instantly-my-reality-tv-real-life-nightmare.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}