Lauren Shippen of Seattle on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Lauren Shippen shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Lauren, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I really love baking – it’s something I’ve been doing to relax since I was a teenager and I’ve been trying out some new techniques and recipes, which has been really fun. I made filled donuts for the first time the other week, and I was so pleased with how they came out!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a fiction podcast writer and author – I’ve got my own audio drama studio, Atypical Artists, where I make my own original shows and produce shows from other storytellers that I believe in! I’ve been working in audio drama for ten years, and it continues to be a medium that surprises and delights me. Fiction podcasts are still pretty niche, so the fact that I’ve been doing this since 2015 makes me an old-timer in the field.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I was a very anxious kid. I started having panic attacks when I was 9 or 10, and it’s still something I struggle with today. But pouring that anxiety into my art, especially with The Bright Sessions, really helped me process. I’ve learned how to let go more, how to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, which was never something I could do as a kid. I no longer feel the need to hold as tightly to control as I did when I was a child.

I was also bullied pretty constantly in my youth and it made me believe I was really strange. But now I recognize that everyone is strange in their own way and that that’s a wonderful thing!

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell her that it’s not that deep. That sounds glib, but for so long I panicked and ruminated over everything – what someone thought about me, if I would fail if I tried something new, my grades, my abilities, so on and so forth. Now in my thirties I’ve realized that so much of life is about trying and failing and that, for the most part, people aren’t thinking about you! You might remember that embarrassing interaction with perfect clarity, but they don’t. I’d want the younger me to let go a little.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
It both is and it isn’t. Shippen actually isn’t even my last name – it’s my middle name. And I do like thinking of Lauren Shippen as somewhat of a separate person at times. It helps all the online noise and disappointments from cutting too deeply. And my personal life – my family, my relationships – is very private. But at the same time, I share a lot of my true, vulnerable self with the public. So much of my art is me baring my soul to the world, as art often is. But if you don’t know me personally, you’re not going to know which bits are directly from me and which are from my imagination. And, honestly, even some people I’m close to guess wrong about that sometimes!

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days. 
Yes! Some days are harder than others – some months, or even years, are harder than others – but I really do love what I do. I think the moments in which I really feel that tap dancing feeling is when I’m digging into a new idea and all the story possibilities are open to me. That development stage is always so fun. Similarly, getting to work with actors on a new show is such a joy. That kind of creative collaboration always gets me really excited.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than