Beyond Words with Najwa Zebian

Send us a text“If they wanted to, they would” is missing one word — and that word changes everything.In this episode of Beyond Words, Najwa unpacks the difference between wanting and trying, and why intention without effort doesn’t protect your heart, your time, or your dignity. Wanting is easy to say. Trying is what shows priority, care, and commitment.You’ll be invited to look at the people in your life (and yourself) through one simple lens: Behavior over intention. Actions over words. Effort over excuses. Because when nothing is being done, “they want to” and “they don’t want to” lead to the same outcome.Najwa also explores how mixed signals keep you stuck on hope, how breadcrumbs train you to survive on scraps of love, and why waiting for someone’s actions to match their words isn’t patience — it’s self-abandonment.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why “If they wanted to, they would” isn’t the full truthThe difference between being unable… and being unwillingHow effort reveals your place in someone’s lifeWhy mixed signals are a signal — and what to do with themHow to become a “person of choice” in your own lifeA simple self-check: “This is me trying.”Segments:Words That Found Me — Maya Angelou: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”Words From Me To You — an excerpt from The Only Constant (page 205) on scarcity, breadcrumbs, and why we hold on.If this episode supported you, it would mean the world if you left a rating or review wherever you listen or watch.

Send us a textWhat do you do when your partner says they’re uncomfortable with a “friendship” you have with someone else?In this soul-nourishing conversation, I’m joined by one of my dearest friends—IN-Q (you may know him as @inq.life)—for a deep dive into love, boundaries, trust, and the quiet ways we betray ourselves when we try to be “easygoing” at the cost of emotional safety.We talk about the difference between secure love and detached love, why “unconditional” doesn’t mean “anything goes,” and how your non-negotiables aren’t demands—they’re clarity. We explore the nuance behind opposite-sex friendships, the idea of “leaky energy,” and what it actually means to honor your relationship without policing each other.We also go inward: why expression heals, why the right words can become medicine, and why the most powerful relationship you’ll ever build is the one where you learn to speak to yourself with respect.This episode is for anyone who’s ever asked:Am I allowed to have needs in love?When is compromise healthy—and when is it self-abandonment?How do I walk away from someone I still love?What does trust actually require?And it ends with something you might not know you needed to hear: I don’t need to know you to be proud of you.Guest: IN-Q (@inq.life) Find IN-Q: in-q.com | Inquire Within | Never-Ending Now Poetry Journal | retreats + tour dates via his newsletterIf this conversation held you, share it with someone who needs permission to choose themselves—without guilt.

David Kessler, a renowned grief expert and bestselling author, dives deep into the nuances of grief, emphasizing it as a change we never wanted. He discusses denial as a protective grace and how grief mirrors the love we’ve experienced. Kessler reveals that true healing comes from witnessing our grief rather than fixing it, and he shares insights on managing relationships with grieving individuals. They highlight the importance of community support, cultural rituals, and the vital role of self-compassion in navigating this journey of loss.

Najwa Zebian dives into the complexities of taking things personally, challenging the idea that it equates to self-blame. She emphasizes that recognizing our pain can empower us to set boundaries and revoke access to those who hurt us. By viewing betrayal as a reflection of character, listeners learn to protect their self-worth and redefine love beyond manipulation. The discussion highlights how feeling hurt can drive necessary changes and offers insights on using emotional experiences as data for healthier relationships.

Send us a textWe often wait for the person who broke us to bring us the medicine that will heal what they broke.Their apology.Their acknowledgment.Their guilt.Their suffering.But when you give someone the power to heal you in the same way you gave them the power to break you, you place yourself in a dangerous position, because the source you’re waiting on has already proven to be a source of pain.In this episode of Beyond Words, Najwa Zebian explores what it truly means to be your own medicine. Not as a way of becoming cold, detached, or self-sufficient in isolation — but as a way of reclaiming your power, your compassion, and your wholeness.This episode is for anyone who:Is waiting for closure that may never comeGives endlessly to others but neglects themselvesConfuses love with self-depletionHas been conditioned to believe they are last on their own priority listNajwa speaks about:Why the person who caused the wound cannot be the source of the cureHow people-pleasing trains us to abandon ourselvesThe difference between survival safety and expansive safetyHow to give yourself the empathy, validation, and care you give so freely to othersWhy revenge is a distortion of your medicine, and self-return is its true powerThis episode includes a reading from Mind Platter and reflections from The Only Constant on healing, self-worth, and becoming the person you’ve been waiting for.🎧 Listen when you’re ready to stop begging for crumbs,  and start giving yourself the whole meal.

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.

Explore the habits that subtly drain your energy and self-worth. Discover how childhood wounds shape your patterns and how supposed 'good habits' can stem from self-rejection. Learn to replace punishing routines with nurturing ones, and challenge the fear that makes you shrink. Najwa emphasizes trusting yourself as the antidote to fear and distinguishes between being busy and being productive. With reflective prompts and practical exercises, she guides you toward daily habits that foster healing and self-acceptance.

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.