Born Different - The Unpolished Podcast is a space for honest conversations with people whose lives have given them something to understand — about themselves, other people, and the world around them.
Some conversations begin with visible difference. Others begin somewhere entirely different.
What matters isn't what makes us different. It's what living with it has taught us.
Latest Episodes
The Hidden Weight of Looking Different | Elizabeth Robinson
Born Different Ep.12
Some experiences change the way you see yourself overnight.
In this episode of Born Different, I sit down with facial paralysis and facial difference advocate Elizabeth Robinson to explore what happens after life changes unexpectedly—and what it really takes to rebuild your identity.
Together, we talk about grief, acceptance, confidence, kindness, and the invisible emotional weight that comes from living with a visible difference.
Whether you were born different, acquired a visible difference later in life, or have ever felt judged because of something you couldn't control, I hope this conversation reminds you that you're not alone.
When Being Right Stopped Working
Born Different Ep. 11
For years, I believed that being right would make people respect me.
Growing up with a visible difference, becoming knowledgeable and logical became one of my ways of coping. It helped me find my place in the world. It helped me feel valuable.
Until it didn't.
As I got older, I realised something important: people weren't looking for someone who could win every argument. They were looking for someone who could understand them.
In this episode, I share one of the biggest mindset shifts of my life—why being right isn't always the goal, and why kindness often matters far more.
If you've ever struggled to let go of an argument, or felt the need to prove yourself, I hope this conversation resonates.
She Never Went Out Without Makeup... Until Today | Mandi's Story
Born Different Ep. 10
Like me, Mandi was born with a facial birthmark. Unlike me, she spent most of her life covering it with makeup before leaving the house. When we met in Ubud, Bali, we planned to have a conversation about our experiences growing up visibly different.
What happened next wasn't planned.
After talking for an hour, Mandi made the decision to remove her makeup in public for the first time and allow herself to be fully seen.
This episode isn't really about makeup.
It's about trust, vulnerability, confidence, and what happens when we stop protecting ourselves from a world that may not be trying to hurt us.
I hope you enjoy Mandi's story.
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