Meet Lauren Maleski

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lauren Maleski. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lauren below.

Lauren, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I have always felt different. But not in a good way. Different in a damaged way, like something was amiss or perhaps I was created wrong with some innate flaw that would never be reconciled or healed. Why did I love the things I did? Why was I drawn to stories and the woods? Why did being in large crowds make me nervous? Why was I at home on the stage but never within myself? How do I use words to help others find their own voices? These questions plagued me for much of my life until I began to understand that these questions make me beautiful. I am a seeker and a storyteller.

My questions are part of my design. My seeking nature is my superpower. My desire to tell stories is because of my love for connection. All the effort I put into trying to become like everyone else only dampened who I was created to be.

I wish I could say I reached this resolution early in life, but I did not. After years of trying to be someone else and lots of therapy, I finally realized that my effectiveness comes from my differences, not in spite of them. I’m my own kind of different, just as we all are. When I began to understand this truth, I found that I could carve my own path. I get to choose, and what a gift choice it is.

To anyone out there who feels singularly alone, perhaps it is that feeling that is meant to guide you to discover your own way. When we are honest about who we are, what we love, what fuels us, and what does not, we are on our way to fulfilling our purpose in this life. Let your questions serve as the light you need to continue on. Being the only one like you in a room does not mean that you are alone. It means that you are the one to do the things you are called to do, and only you can fulfill that purpose.

One of the ways I discovered this truth was during my career as an actor. While my work now focuses on storytelling and the field of arts in medicine, my journey began as a theater and commercial actor, and I learned very early on that I am not made for every role. The most powerful thing I can bring to the room is myself. I had to accept there were parts I would never be able to play, no matter my talent or skill level. And that’s okay! Accepting myself and what I can bring to the table brought so much freedom. Now, I carry that same insight into my writing career and how I interact with my clients and those I serve. I can always learn a new skill, but I can never be something I’m not.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am so many things at the moment. I am a mom to two crazy boys and a woefully lacking gardener who never quits trying to grow things. I spend a lot of time in the woods trail running and adoring the shifting seasons. Professionally, I am a writer for small businesses and a literary artist in the arts in health space. I contract with hospitals and clinics to use the arts to help enhance the well-being of patients and healthcare providers.

My favorite thing to do is listen to the stories of patients and practitioners and then write poetry for them based on what I’ve heard. I have a certification in listening poetry from an incredible organization called The Good Listening Project, which has brought me so much joy over the last few years. I just accepted a position with the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Arts in Medicine program as a literary artist, and I’m excited to see where this new venture will take me. It is exciting to be a part of a team that recognizes the value of the arts in healing the entire person. I can’t change a diagnosis, but through the arts, I can help someone navigate their new reality.

My professional mission is to help others tell their own stories. I do this in various ways through various writing workshops. I spend a good deal of my time listening and creating, which is lovely. With my new partnership, I hope to venture into bedside story collection. Stories are so incredibly important, and collecting oral histories has become a new passion for me as well.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Find your people.
Surround yourself with people who are supportive and who will speak the truth in love into your life. It’s easy to assume you can do this life all on your own, and independence and individuality are crucial skills, but it is vital that you find your people and love them well. Relationships are s

Simplify.
As a creative, I am drawn to so many things and have so much I want to accomplish. I have a few books in the works and a play I want to write. I want to get better at photography and grow a massive flower garden. I want to partner with all the folks to help bring light to the power of the arts for healing. However, I’ve learned that not everything I dream of doing needs to be done right now. I have to actively seek out simplicity; otherwise, I get overwhelmed, which leads to shutting down. Focus on the task at hand, learn all you can, but don’t put the pressure on yourself to do it all right now.

It’s hard to believe there is enough time to do all you want to do, but the hard truth is that what is meant for you will come at the right time. You don’t have to put out all the feelers and commit to every project that comes your way.

Listen.
Listening is perhaps the singular most important thing you can do on your journey toward finding and fulfilling your purpose. And it isn’t easy.

Listening without the need to respond in the moment is so hard. But it is powerful. Take the time to sit still with yourself. Take the time to listen to what lights you up. Find people you respect and who value you as a person, and listen to their words. Above all else, listen to yourself.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

Wow, what a great question. I am so incredibly fortunate to have so many people in my life who believed in me and showed me the way when I couldn’t see it for myself. I don’t take that for granted.

My parents didn’t always understand me, but they never questioned my passions. They were guiding lights from the beginning. My parents allowed me to be fully myself even when they had no idea where it would lead. They didn’t try to change me, rather, they encouraged my passions. When my father had a stroke in 2019, my arts in health journey began. It was watching my mother care for him that showed me the intricates of caregiving and the necessity to care for those who care for others that got me started on my graduate work in arts in health.

My husband has been my constant for more than 20 years. I like to say he holds my kite strings so I can fly. He grounds me when I need quiet and he lets me soar and explore. To have a partner in life who sees me, loves me, speaks truth to me, and lets me be myself is the greatest gift.

My great friend, Valerie Hanks, showed me the field of arts in medicine years ago. We’ve walked a long road together, and through her, I learned resilience and how to overcome hardships.
Daria Hammond, an incredible visual artist and arts in health practitioner, is another person who has helped guide me. She and I work together on her project, Be Hue, which focuses on mental health and well-being in the artistic community. She’s been my constant champion and truth-teller for the past few years, and I would not be here today without her.

There are so many other deep and lasting friendships that led me to where I am today. Joy, Colleen, Meagan, Anne, these ladies all poured into me and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. It is for this reason that I will always preach relationships: depth, honesty, and truth.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmaleski/

Image Credits

none