Beyond Words with Najwa Zebian

Send us a textWe often believe that happiness lives in a different version of our life — a new job, a new relationship, a new body, or a new place. But real transformation doesn’t start from the outside in. It starts from the inside out.In this deeply reflective episode of Beyond Words, Najwa reminds us that the most important glow up isn’t about what the world sees, but who we become within. She explores the illusion of external validation, the beauty of integrity, and what it truly means to embody the person you say you are.Najwa reads from her first book Mind Platter and shares insights from The Only Constant, guiding you to shift your focus from changing your circumstances to strengthening your character.You’ll learn:Why external success can never heal internal emptinessHow to stop chasing validation and start embodying wholenessWhat it means to have a “soul’s glow up”How to rebuild your self-worth from the inside outYour job isn’t to create a new life that looks better. It’s to become a new you that feels better.#BeyondWords #NajwaZebian #Healing #PersonalGrowth #GlowUp #SelfWorth #Podcast

Letting go is a gradual and sacred journey. It’s not a weakness to hold on; it’s a testament to our loyalty and love. Najwa encourages us to listen to our pain as a teacher and embrace a slow, intentional healing process. She reassures that setbacks are part of progress, normalizing the struggle while offering practical tools like journaling and community support. Using powerful analogies like the mountain climb, she illustrates that healing happens in layers, helping us to grieve and eventually release what was once dear.

Send us a textWe all have habits that feel harmless but quietly drain our energy and self-worth. In this episode of Beyond Words, Najwa Zebian breaks down how habits born from pain (people-pleasing, shrinking, over-explaining) keep us stuck in survival mode.Learn how to stop punishing yourself through your routines and start creating habits that honor your healing, growth, and peace.✨ “Some of your habits aren’t neutral. They’re teaching you to abandon yourself.”🕒 Timestamps00:00 — Opening hook: The habits that betray your peace 02:14 — How childhood wounds shape your patterns 05:32 — Habits that look “good” but are rooted in fear 09:00 — Why discipline without compassion becomes self-punishment 12:45 — Replacing self-betrayal with self-respect 16:08 — The question that changes everything: Is this habit building me or breaking me? 19:40 — How to make healing a daily habit 22:10 — Closing reflection: becoming who your habits believe in🧭 Show NotesYou’ll learn: • The emotional roots of destructive habits • How “good habits” can still come from self-rejection • Ways to replace punishing routines with nurturing ones • How to make peace a daily practiceReflective prompts: • Which habit feels like a quiet betrayal of myself? • Which new habit would help me feel more at home in my own life?Mentioned: 📖 Welcome Home — learning to build emotional safety 📚 The Only Constant — on conscious transformationConnect: Follow @najwazebian for more reflections, and leave a 5-star review if this episode helped you build habits that honor who you’re becoming.

Send us a textIn this episode of Beyond Words, we’re diving deep into one of the most exhausting, identity-shaping patterns so many of us carry: people pleasing.If you've spent your life monitoring everyone’s emotions…If you jump at the first sign of someone being upset…If your peace depends on whether everyone around you is okay…This episode is going to hit home.Together, we explore:Why people pleasers often give the most to those who value them the leastHow childhood conditioning trains you to carry emotions that were never yoursWhy avoidant people make you feel like the villain when you express your needsHow “fixing” others becomes a form of abandoning yourselfWhy you feel guilty when someone rejects your helpHow to stop shrinking, over-explaining, and trying to earn love through effortThis is not a conversation about becoming hard or cold.It’s a conversation about returning to yourself... the self you left behind while saving everyone else.Words That Found Me: “The only people who get upset when you set boundaries are the ones who benefited from you having none.” — UnknownWords That Held Me (from The Book of Healing): Because You Are a Good HeartIf this episode resonates with you, please leave a rating or review. Your support helps this podcast reach the people who need it most.

Send us a textWhen someone stops choosing you, it can feel like being thrown away. In this heartfelt episode, Najwa explores the pain of being discarded, the illusion of lost worth, and the deep healing that begins when you finally choose yourself.Timestamps / Chapters00:00 – The Voice That Says “Choose Yourself” The inner conflict between fear and truth — the voice that tells you to stay vs. the one that calls you home to yourself.01:14 – The Pain of Being Discarded The shock, confusion, and humiliation of feeling unwanted — and why it doesn’t define your worth.04:18 – Stop Trying to Make Sense of It Let go of trying to understand why someone stopped loving you. Some things aren’t meant to make sense.05:24 – They Never Saw Your True Value If their love vanishes overnight, they never truly saw you — only what they could gain from you.08:59 – What Love Really Is True love isn’t games or indifference — it’s safety, vulnerability, and care.14:27 – When They Change Their Mind Their change of heart isn’t your fault. Your integrity and truth remain untouched.17:42 – The Fear of Being Alone How fear convinces us to hold on — and how to replace it with self-compassion.19:59 – Reclaiming Your Voice Stop silencing yourself to be loved. Speak your truth, even if it costs you someone’s presence.27:23 – Shifting the Question From “How can I make them choose me?” to “How can I choose myself today?”32:54 – Don’t Let Someone’s Trash Define You When someone treats you like garbage, it reveals them — not you.39:01 – Words That Found Me Najwa reads from The Book of Healing:“If I am not worth your apology, you are not worth me carrying the pain you caused.”43:00 – Closing Reflection The first person who owes you to choose you — is you.💬 Key TakeawaysBeing discarded doesn’t erase your value.Stop explaining what they’ve already decided not to see.Healing begins the moment you choose yourself.

Send us a textWhen you’re so used to overexplaining, overgiving, and overextending yourself — choosing silence can feel impossible. But what if silence is where your real power begins?In this episode, Najwa explores what it means to stop trying to change people, to stop rescuing them from who they’ve chosen to be, and to finally let your peace speak louder than your pain.Through powerful storytelling, gentle truth, and poetic reflection, Najwa helps you understand:Why you struggle to accept the truth about othersHow overexplaining becomes a form of self-betrayalWhy fawning and people-pleasing are trauma responsesThe difference between compassion and self-abandonmentHow to stand in quiet integrity and let others face their own consequencesIf you’ve ever been told you’re “too sensitive,” or if you’ve loved people who constantly hurt you, this episode will remind you: You never have to explain to someone what they already know they did.Timestamps00:00 — When you stop overexerting yourself and choose silence 01:28 — Letting go of control and seeing people for who they really are 04:26 — Why we excuse others’ hurtful behavior 05:31 — The guilt and consequences of setting boundaries 07:51 — Recognizing intentional harm and emotional maturity 10:23 — On jealousy, comparison, and emotional growth 15:53 — “Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ” — the company you keep 20:49 — When helping turns into self-sacrifice 26:02 — Healthy vs. unhealthy responses to mistreatment 30:13 — Stop trying to change people; let them reveal themselves 31:18 — The scorpion and the frog: understanding character 35:02 — Staying kind without betraying yourself 36:11 — “Let Them F*** Around and Find Out” — strength in self-respect 40:34 — Integrity, boundaries, and the quiet storm of peace 41:41 — Final reflections: let them be who they are, and protect who you are

Delve into the complexities of judgment and self-image as personal stories illuminate the journey from seeking approval to embracing authenticity. Discover how conditioning fosters people-pleasing and the importance of setting boundaries to reclaim your energy. Najwa's reflections on kindness versus enabling challenge you to protect your well-being while fostering genuine relationships. Embrace the power of choosing your tribe and learn to prioritize your truth over external judgments, ultimately finding peace within yourself.

Send us a textYou’re not crazy — you were conditioned to believe you are. In this powerful episode of Beyond Words, Najwa Zebian breaks down one of the most insidious forms of emotional abuse: gaslighting. From subtle lies to complete distortion of your reality, Najwa helps you understand what’s really happening when someone tries to make you doubt your truth.She unpacks how gaslighters erase your perception of reality, why they do it, and what makes empaths, nurturers, and people-pleasers especially vulnerable. Through stories, examples, and deeply reflective insights, Najwa helps you see clearly through the fog, validate your experience, and reclaim your power.💛 If you’ve ever been told you’re “too sensitive,” “crazy,” or “imagining things,” this episode will help you find clarity, compassion, and strength.Timestamps / Show Notes:00:00 – You’re not crazy. You were gaslit.01:10 – What gaslighting really is (and isn’t).04:34 – The story of Betty Broderick: A real-life case of gaslighting.07:41 – Why gaslighters do it.10:01 – Why you were “chosen.”13:20 – The DARVO tactic: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender.17:24 – The hook: mirroring and emotional bonding.20:42 – The 5-course meal metaphor.23:41 – From breadcrumbs to confusion.27:10 – The “fog” strategy.29:43 – Words That Found Me: Alan Watts quote.32:54 – Stop stirring the mud.33:55 – You don’t deserve mistreatment — even in your vulnerability.38:42 – Words That Held Me: ‘Delusion’ excerpt from Welcome Home.43:57 – You are not weak. You survived erasure.Key Takeaways:Gaslighting is not confusion — it’s calculated manipulation.Empaths and nurturers are often targeted because of their deep capacity for love.Stop trying to make sense of the senseless — clarity comes when the fog settles.Healing begins when you stop labeling yourself as what they tried to make you.Education and awareness are your power.If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who still blames themselves for being gaslit.Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps others find healing Beyond Words.

Send us a textWe’re taught to keep the peace, rise above, and “be the bigger person.” But what if constantly being “bigger” is quietly breaking you? In this episode, Najwa shares a bold reframe: if you must choose between crashing out and crashing in, don’t let the crash happen inside you. Suppressed truths corrode self-esteem, confidence, and your ability to choose the right people.Through vivid metaphors (arrows, tightropes, and the crash-out vs. crash-in analogy), Najwa names the double standards that keep you policing your reactions while others never examine their behavior. You’ll learn how to spot environments that force you out of character, why integrity eventually says “no more,” and a gentle way to expand your time with people who regulate your nervous system instead of dysregulating it.If you’re exhausted from always holding it together while others keep pulling you down, this conversation will help you speak your truth and protect your energy—without abandoning your goodness.Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. If this helped you, please leave a rating and review.Show Notes & Timestamps00:00 – Crash Out vs. Crash In Why internalizing harm destroys voice, dignity, confidence, and faith in humanity.01:12 – Stop Being the “Bigger Person” How environments that require constant composure pump you full of unsaid truths.02:12 – The Cost of Holding It In What “crashing in” does to your self-esteem and how shame keeps you silent.03:11 – Keep Harm Outside You Arrow metaphor: either remove it (express) or bleed silently (suppress).04:25 – Double Standards & Selective Honesty When others never self-reflect but demand perfection from you.06:36 – The Trap of “Unbothered” How you were taught that your reaction—not their behavior—is the shameful thing.07:41 – Having to Teach Basic Decency The sadness of explaining respect to people who won’t extend it.08:57 – The Tightrope Being forced to balance while others push and provoke (and why you eventually snap).11:02 – The Aftermath: Exhaustion & Isolation Why being “bigger” leaves you drained for the people who actually love you.12:29 – “Good Person” Cage How quiet kindness becomes something manipulators bank on.13:38 – A Gentle First Step Spend one hour with someone who regulates your nervous system; body check-in practice.16:44 – Subtle Humbling How silence after your good news is a tell.18:47 – Energy Economics One draining hour vs. one nourishing hour—and the 23-hour ripple effect.20:17 – Manufactured Overreaction They push until you break, then call it “too much.”21:16 – When Integrity Says “No More” The moment you stop self-abandoning and speak.24:10 – Journal Prompt “If my integrity spoke freely today, what would it say and do?”25:14 – The Ceiling They Create Why constant “bigger person” mode keeps you stuck at survival level.26:34 – Mind Platter, p. 6: “Stay True to Yourself” On not chasing people’s views; confidence in your intentions.27:34 – Real Change Comes From Within Affirmation of self-led transformation.27:58 – Words That Found Me (Unknown Author) “This is not being the bigger person… it’s suppression.”28:48 – Final Reframe If you must choose, crash out—not in. Speaking truth is not being “smaller”; it’s honoring your worth.

Send us a textThere’s a quiet kind of exhaustion that comes from constantly trying to make yourself understood by people who are committed to misunderstanding you. You explain, clarify, defend, and prove — not because you’re weak, but because you ache to be heard.In this episode of Beyond Words, Najwa unpacks why explaining yourself to the wrong people erodes your dignity, pulls you out of character, and keeps you anchored in environments that dim your light. She explores the difference between explaining to connect vs. explaining to be validated by people whose minds are already made up.Through vivid metaphors and raw truth, Najwa offers a way out: to stop over-explaining, reclaim your energy, and redirect it toward spaces, people, and pursuits that see you without a fight.If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation thinking, “That’s not even me… why did I go there?”—this episode will feel like a mirror and a hand reaching out to pull you back home to yourself.📝 Show Notes & Timestamps (for Buzzsprout “Show Notes” section)00:00 – The Cost of Staying Around the Wrong People Opening truth: the more you surround yourself with the wrong people, the more your dignity erodes.01:12 – Why We Explain Ourselves (It’s Not Low Self-Esteem) Exploring the human ache to be heard and why we shouldn’t shame ourselves for it.02:10 – The Problem: People Committed to Misunderstanding You How ego dynamics twist your explanations into proof against you.03:21 – The Cardinal Truth About Good Hearts Why kind people expect to be heard — and why that backfires in the wrong dynamics.04:20 – Living Through Your Truth Without Explaining The consequence: losing the people who need you to over-explain to stay connected.05:43 – Why Your Growth Scares the Wrong People How your evolution triggers ego and false superiority in others.08:00 – Recognizing When You’re Out of Character A sign you’re in the wrong place, not that you’ve failed.09:40 – The Futility of Explaining to People Who Already Know Reflective journaling prompt: “What is explaining yourself to someone who knows they’ve hurt you going to do?”11:52 – The Contagion of Environments A vivid metaphor about sickness and influence.13:09 – The Psychological Toll of Staying Around Liars How dishonesty around you causes chronic doubt.14:05 – A Gentle Wake-Up Call Najwa’s reminder of our shared humanity and inner voice.16:02 – Sitting With Pain Instead of Explaining It Away Recognizing when others’ choices reflect their character, not your worth.17:07 – Why Your Clarity Intimidates the Uncomfortable How purpose triggers avoidance.19:27 – There Are People Who Will Understand Without a Fight Flat-ground vs. uphill-battle relationships.22:49 – You Don’t Need to Earn Basic Human Respect Respect and dignity are inherent, not transactional.24:57 – The Sunny vs. Rainy Metaphor Proving your truth to people who already see it — and want to drain you.26:17 – Letting Bonds Break When Over-Explaining Stops Why guilt surfaces and how to reframe it.27:00 – Reclaiming Your Energy Redirecting everything you’ve poured into the wrong places.28:26 – 🌿 Words That Found Me Ali Ibn Abi Talib’s quote on never explaining yourself.29:32 – 📖 Words That Held Me From Sparks of Phoenix, p.130 — on gossip, silence, and standing in truth.30:47 – Final Reflection A powerful visualization of reclaiming your energy and protecting yourse