Beyond Words with Najwa Zebian

Words hold incredible power, shaping our identity and influencing our emotional state. They can elevate us or drag us into darkness, acting as either mirrors that validate our experiences or walls that deepen our pain. Najwa highlights the destructive potential of repeated hurtful words and the importance of empathetic responses. Choosing the right words can nurture growth and create safe spaces, while surrounding ourselves with positivity is crucial. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the need for intentional communication that heals rather than harms.

Send us a textIn this deeply reflective episode of Beyond Words, Najwa explores the longing so many of us feel when someone we love starts slipping away. What do we do when our instinct is to try harder only to lose ourselves in the process? Najwa unpacks the myths about “being the prize,” why begging for recognition only hurts us more, and how true courage sometimes looks like letting go, step by step.Through personal reflections, hard truths, and poetic wisdom, she reminds us: your value doesn’t depend on whether someone else sees it.Show Notes & Timestamps0:00 – Introduction: What it means when someone begins to slip away 1:45 – The exhausting responsibility of trying harder than 100% 3:09 – Breaking yourself to fix what you didn’t break 4:26 – Relationships that require you to disappear are not for you 5:00 – The wrong belief that “relationships are supposed to be hard” 6:15 – Don’t audition for love: they are not the prize, your quality of life is 7:23 – Mila’s sweet cameo during recording 🐾 8:00 – Vulnerability isn’t desperation—it’s courage 9:32 – “Let them lose you” — stop forcing recognition of your worth 11:13 – Why attention after you pull away is ego, not love 12:08 – The truth of being a giver and what happens when you’re told to shrink 14:38 – Love Island reflection: when openness is unfairly labeled “too much” 16:06 – Shallow vs. deep love: why only going “in the shallow end” will never fulfill you 18:01 – If you’re only offered a tiny corner of their life, it’s not enough 23:52 – Courage isn’t always a leap—it’s the daily steps away 25:17 – Stop trying to make them regret losing you. Their choice is theirs, not yours. 26:07 – A poem from The Nectar of Pain: I will not wait for you to regret losing me 27:55 – Your worth is like gold: it remains whether or not others see it 29:11 – The right person will see all of you and feel lucky they found you 31:09 – Closing: Come home to yourself—your value is not up for negotiation.Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a rating or review if Najwa’s words resonated with you.

Send us a textSo many of us carry the belief that we have to earn love. That if we change who we are, give more of ourselves, or abandon our own needs, then maybe, just maybe, someone will finally choose us. But true love isn’t an audition.In this powerful episode of Beyond Words, we explore what it means to stop chasing after the bare minimum. Together, we’ll look at why we cling to those who only offer us crumbs of attention, and how to shift toward a love that meets us where we are: whole, worthy, and enough.If you’ve ever found yourself asking: Why don’t they love me the way I love them? Why do I have to prove myself just to be seen? this conversation is for you.You’ll be reminded:Why abandoning yourself for love is never true love.How to recognize when you’re living on crumbs instead of the feast you deserve.That you don’t need to beg for love that was promised. The right person will see your worth without conditions.Stop auditioning for people’s lives. Stop surviving on scraps. You are worthy of a love that stays, grows, and lets you rest safely in it.Timestamps & Show Notes:0:00 – Introduction Why so many of us grow up believing love must be earned, and how that belief drives us to self-abandonment.2:45 – The Illusion of Earning Love The cycle of chasing crumbs of affection and mistaking them for a feast.6:30 – The Cost of Auditioning The exhaustion and heartache of performing to be chosen, and why it never leads to real security.10:15 – What Real Love Is (and Isn’t) A reflection on conditional love versus love that sees your essence without demands.15:00 – Reclaiming Your Worth Steps to move away from scarcity and toward embodying worthiness.19:20 – Closing Reflections An affirmation to stop auditioning for people’s lives — and rest in the truth that you are already enough.

What happens when the life you envisioned crumbles in an instant? Betrayal deeply shakes your trust and self-worth, leaving you in a whirlwind of pain and self-blame. Discover how avoidance often follows this heartache and the importance of real support during the healing process. Learn to view betrayal as a form of protection from those who can't be true to themselves. Embrace your worth by reframing your narrative and setting higher standards for future relationships.

Send us a textWhat happens when you're seen through a lens that distorts your truth? When you're cast as the villain in someone else's story despite showing up with honesty, loyalty, and love? In this episode, Najwa explores the emotional weight of being misunderstood and offers a liberating framework for letting go of the need to correct how others perceive you.This is for the people who’ve spent too long defending themselves, explaining their intentions, and begging to be seen accurately. It's time to stop proving. It's time to start living.Timestamps & Show Notes:00:00 – The danger of defining yourself through someone else's eyes 01:00 – When they see you as the worst version of yourself 02:00 – Acknowledging the pain of being misunderstood 03:20 – The trap of trying to prove your worth to someone committed to misunderstanding you 04:50 – "I am who I think you think I am": the identity distortion 06:00 – Reclaiming your power by prioritizing your own opinion of yourself 07:00 – Your responsibility is to be, not to convince 08:30 – Why people-pleasing leads to emotional emptiness 09:40 – The cost of carrying emotional baggage that was never yours 10:50 – The guilt of saying “no” and rewriting the belief that self-protection is selfish 12:00 – Self-sacrifice as a disguised cry for validation 14:00 – Being seen vs. truly being known 16:00 – When people need you to be the villain so they can feel like the hero 18:20 – The ego’s need to distort your image to avoid accountability 20:00 – Letting go of what their circle thinks too: your truth is not up for debate 21:30 – Why trying to correct every lie drains your power 23:00 – One person who truly sees you is worth more than a thousand who only know your name 24:30 – The toxicity of living a life just to be seen a certain way 25:50 – Before you share, ask: Is this real, or am I seeking validation? 27:10 – The freedom that comes from detachment 28:00 – Let your truth speak louder than the lies 29:10 – You don’t need to warn others: rotten fruit falls on its own 30:00 – Final recap: 5 strategies to let them think what they want5 Strategies to Let Them Think What They Want:Acknowledge the pain of being misunderstoodRelease the responsibility to change their opinionsStop trying to rewrite the role they’ve assigned you in their storyFocus on living your life—not proving your worthLet your truth speak louder than the narratives they pushIf this episode spoke to you, share it with someone who needs the reminder to stop chasing validation and start standing in their truth. Subscribe, leave a rating or a review—it means the world and helps others find Beyond Words.Until next time, may you continue to find healing… beyond words.

Send us a textIf you’ve ever blamed yourself for how someone mistreated you, this episode is for you.Najwa dives deep into the emotional aftermath of narcissistic abuse: how it distorts your reality, erodes your self-trust, and leaves you questioning your worth. She explains why gaslighting, love bombing, triangulation, and emotional confusion are tools of control, not love. And she reminds you of the most important truth:You were never hard to love. You were simply hard to control.This episode offers three powerful healing strategies to help you stop blaming yourself, find closure without their apology, and reclaim your power, your clarity, and your peace.Timestamps & Show Notes:00:00 – “It wasn’t that bad” – how we gaslight ourselves after narcissistic abuse 01:00 – Why naming the harm matters more than labeling the person 03:10 – Love bombing is not love - it’s control wrapped in affection 04:50 – The slow emotional erosion: how you ended up in a drought 06:00 – Why narcissists teach you to minimize your own pain 07:10 – What gaslighting really is - and why it leaves you doubting your reality 09:00 – When you start gaslighting yourself to keep the peace 10:00 – The invisible contract: love offered, control delivered 13:00 – Word salad, deflection, and emotional confusion as tools of manipulation 17:00 – You weren’t too attached - you were attached to the wrong person 18:50 – The marionette effect: how narcissists condition and control you 20:00 – Stop blaming yourself for their decision to hurt you 22:00 – Closure doesn’t come from them -it comes from truth 25:40 – Triangulation: when they gave others what you yearned for 27:00 – Clarity is your healing. Confusion was their goal. 28:00 – You were never hard to love. You were hard to control. 30:00 – Reclaim your reflection, your voice, your power 33:50 – This is your closure. You didn’t deserve any of it.

Send us a textWe often believe we need to speak to be heard. But sometimes, silence is the most powerful voice we have.In this episode, Najwa explores five moments where choosing not to speak is not weakness, but self-respect. Whether you're being dismissed, unfairly accused, or stuck in spaces where your words are used against you, this episode teaches you how to reclaim your power without saying a word.You don’t owe everyone a response. You owe yourself peace.Timestamps & Show Notes:00:00 – When dismissal becomes normal: how silence protects you 01:07 – Why responding isn’t always empowering 03:09 – 5 times when silence speaks louder than words 04:47 – #1: When you're being devalued, dismissed, or insulted 07:20 – The emotional cost of tolerating the silent treatment 10:19 – What happens when words are used to chip away at you 12:01 – The moment you stop defending yourself 14:48 – “If it’s not your poop, don’t clean it up” (therapy wisdom) 17:05 – Why you don’t need to defend your goodness anymore 18:04 – #2: When you're accused of something you didn’t do 22:13 – #3: When your words don’t have a safe space to land 25:12 – How to protect yourself in unsafe emotional environments 27:39 – #4: When you don’t know what to say, pause instead of proving 30:19 – Don’t confuse people by staying in confusion 31:27 – #5: When it’s not your story to share, walk away from gossip 34:52 – Hold yourself to the same standard you want from others 37:12 – Recap of the 5 moments when silence is the answer

Forgiveness can feel impossible, especially when no apology is offered. The discussion reveals five strategies to navigate this journey, encouraging listeners to process their pain without self-blame. By facing emotions rather than running from them, individuals can reclaim their freedom. Understanding another's pain without excusing behavior, and releasing the need for revenge, are pivotal. Ultimately, the focus lies on personal healing and self-forgiveness—reminding us that moving on doesn’t always require forgiving others.

Send us a textLet's use the power of words to heal.