Najwa changed the format of this episode. We are answering your direct questions -- and today we dive into the topic of dealing and handling infidelity.  Listen to see what Najwa has to say.  Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook Najwa’s Soul Academy Najwa’s YouTube Channel Stories of the Soul Podcast

In today's powerful episode, Najwa is going off-script.  We dive into 3 things that you can do today...and will show you how to get through all the hard times.  Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook Najwa’s Soul Academy Najwa’s YouTube Channel Stories of the Soul Podcast

In today’s impactful solo, Najwa reflects back on the first season of “The Stories of the Soul” podcast, and shares some powerful takeaways. The main theme that we touch upon is the difference between love and attachment. Often, our emotions prevail over our judgements and we fail to realize the difference between true love and toxic attachment. Why do women fail to let go off unfaithful partners who are the cause of emotional trauma? Is it because of societal pressures? Or, maybe it is just the fear of re-starting your life all alone? Najwa urges her listeners to be courageous and do what is hard but necessary. If you are suffering silently in a tumultuous relationship, this show will be particularly interesting to you.  Tune in this special show now!   Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook Najwa’s Soul Academy Najwa’s YouTube Channel Stories of the Soul Podcast

We have a special show today as good friend and business partner, Corey interviews Najwa who shares her how her take on forgiveness has evolved over the years. This show is a deeply personal one as Najwa shares some heart-wrenching details about how her near and dear ones caused her immense hurt and pain that changed the course of her life. Her struggle to forgive and forget affected Najwa’s mental and physical health. Sounds familiar? Has a refusal to forgive someone affected your well-being as well? Forgiveness is a common theme that most of us grapple with on a regular basis. When we are not treated properly, our first instinct is often that of vengeance. There are yet others who refuse to forgive unless tendered a formal apology. Both these approaches are inherently flawed and end up hurting the person that matters the most – YOU. Najwa reveals how she eventually reached out to her wrongdoer in their hour of need. Would you have done the same if you were in her place? Are you better off isolating yourself completely in such situations? And, was Najwa finally at peace when her wrongdoer apologized to her?    In today’s show, listeners are reminded of the immense power of forgiveness. Listeners will learn how cultivating a forgiving attitude can help them retain the faith required to build new and healthy relationships.  The gist of today’s show is beautifully surmised in this poem: Today, I decide to forgive you  Not because you apologized, not because you deserved my forgiveness But because my soul deserves peace Tune in now for some wonderful nuggets!   Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook Najwa’s Soul Academy Najwa’s YouTube Channel

In today’s show, Najwa interviews Corey who discusses the challenges of being raised by a single parent. In line with the theme of our show, listeners will learn how Corey eventually managed to forgive both his parents and then move on with his life. In the first segment of the show, Corey, Najwa’s business partner jogs his memory to share some of the first recollections of his childhood. One of his first memories is that of his mom crying after getting abruptly laid off. Is this when Corey realized that he did not have a dad? And, once this realization hit him, what defense mechanism did he adopt to deal with this pain? As a teenager, Corey expressed his desire to connect with his dad. However, his mom put her foot down and prevented him from doing so. Did Corey hold a grudge against his mom for inflicting her opinions on him? Finally, as a 21-year old, Corey had his first-ever conversation with his dad. How did this pan out? Was he nervous? Unsure about how to handle the years of pent up feelings, Corey’s defense mechanism kicked in, and he chose to have a “super casual” conversation instead. Should you mask your pain and refrain from discussing your most arduous feelings? Towards the end of the show, Corey reveals that his relationship with his father has achieved some semblance of normalcy. Has he managed to let go off his emotional baggage, and finally move on with this life? Has Corey managed to forgive his parents? If you are struggling to bridge the emotional distance with your parents or children, listening to this show will give you some excellent insights. Tune in now! Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook Najwa’s Soul Academy

In today’s show, our interviewee Alana shares her heart-wrenching and unbelievable tale of emotional manipulation.  Our interviewee, an admirable young lady started struggling with postpartum anxiety in her thirties, met a charismatic and successful woman, a leader of a popular personal development company whom she thought would help her deal with this anxiety. Alana’s yearning for a powerful figure to lean on meant that she instantly started idolizing her “mentor”.  However, the mentor had ulterior and self-serving motives. Alana shares how she lost herself in the torrent of emotional abuse that followed. Because this emotional abuse was sugar-coated with false compliments, our interviewee explained away her poor treatment, and in the process lost herself and her own identity. A year later, Alana hit her lowest lows. She shares how she resorted to therapy to regain her mental health and emotional well-being.  So, how did Alana go from being fiercely independent to being servile and dependent? Why did she fail to see through this false façade of love? Should you avoid believing that people have your best interests in mind? In this segment of the show, you will learn why it is important to always keep your guard up, and recognize toxic and abusive people for who they truly are. Alana shares how a vengeful attitude will boomerang to hurt the person that matters most – you. The latter segment of the show is particularly interesting as our interviewee shares how she managed to forgive the wrongdoings of her “mentor”.  Listeners will learn how creating boundaries and maintaining communication can help you achieve closure.  Tune in for some excellent insights! Resources:  Najwa Zebian Najwa Zebian Instagram Sparks of Phoenix Mind Platter Nectar of Pain 10 Steps to Let Go of Them

In today’s show, our interviewee Jenan recalls her move to Canada from war-stricken Lebanon and reveals the immense struggles she faced as she attempted to start a new life in a foreign country. This show starts with Jenan remembering how 30 years back, in 1989, her family fled Lebanon to escape war and find a better, secure life. As a 17-year-old who barely spoke English, Jenan found this move difficult to stomach. Failing to recognize her parent’s wisdom, she blamed them for taking her away from her friends and culture. In this segment of the show, listeners will get a first-hand account of the trauma and inner turmoil that war has inflicted on thousands of innocent civilians. Did Canadians accept Jenan for who she was? In the initial years, were her poor communication skills a huge hindrance for her? And, did people take advantage of her as she yearned for acceptance and love? Here, Jenan reminds us how a state of inner turmoil causes us to internalize reactions and become over-sensitive to people’s comments and reactions. Listeners will also learn the importance of standing up to people who treat you poorly and take you for granted. This struggle for acceptance pushed Jenan into an early relationship and marriage. Today, she leads a secure and happy life with her daughter. How did Jenan finally achieve closure, forgive the war, the people who triggered it, and finally move on with her life? Wanting to say a “proper goodbye”, she shares how she went back to Lebanon with her 18-month daughter. In this extremely personal recollection, our interviewee reveals how she had an emotional breakdown as she visited her childhood home. This heart-wrenching story is a jarring reminder about the devastating impact that war has on innocent civilians. Towards the end, we discuss President Trump’s inhumane immigrant policies which have separated children from their families.  Tune in to this thought-provoking show now! Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook 10 Steps to Let Go of Them

In today’s show, our interviewee Yoda, a chef and author by profession, recalls a traumatic and deeply personal experience from her teenage years. This show starts with Yoda recalling her life as a 17-year old adventurous teen. Her story revolves mainly around Louis, her childhood friend. As is common in formative years, Louis developed feelings for our interviewee. However, Yoda was dismissive of these affections. To escape the monotony of small-town life, Yoda shares that she took to underage drinking and drugs. On finding herself alone on a Thanksgiving weekend, she decided to throw a big party where alcohol and drugs were freely available. Unfortunately, this evening of “harmless fun” had a tragic and unexpected twist. At the party, Louis was shocked to see her with another guy. When Louis tried to express his feelings and Yoda, high on drugs, failed to acknowledge those feelings. Deep in emotional turmoil, Louis walked to a friend’s place, found access to a firearm and shot himself in the head. The next morning, Yoda got a call from Louis’s mother, who was understandably quivering with rage.  Yoda rushed to the hospital where she met Louis. Still, in ICU and under psychiatric supervision, Louis was not willing to talk about what had transpired. Fortunately, the bullet had missed Louis’s brain, and he had survived. While Yoda tried to reestablish connection with Louis after this incident, eventually they drifted apart with Louis starting a new life in another town. Yoda shares the guilt and shame that she experienced after this incident. Moreover, as her reputation took a hit, many of her friends started to avoid her. We are forced to contemplate several questions after hearing this rather tragic story of teenage emotions. For instance, should Yoda blame herself for Louis’s failure to take rejection in his stride? Should teenagers deal with their peers and friends more sensitively? And, is it possible to recognize beforehand such depressive tendencies among children? Towards the end, Yoda shares how after years of personal turmoil, she has finally managed to forgive herself and move on with her life.   Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook 10 Steps to Let Go of Them

This show starts with our interviewee, Phillip sharing his background information. A lawyer by profession, he also served in the military in Yugoslavia back in 1992. Phillip shares how war perpetrated a lack of forgiveness among the Yugoslavian people. This experience of his resulted in a keen desire to help people on a mass scale. How do you stop people from killing one another? How can you do your bit to get individuals, cultures, and groups to forget their animosity and forgive one another? While skeptics may deem this impossible, our interviewee’s story certainly proves otherwise. Phillip then shares various client anecdotes which show how he is propagating forgiveness on a mass scale through his legal profession. While the law is meant to empower the wronged, often it is used as a tool to exact vengeance. Listeners will be reminded that such a toxic attitude tends to affect not only the wrongdoer but also you. For instance, Phillip informs us that in divorce cases, the law is sometimes used as a weapon to satiate spite and hurt. But will stripping your partner off his/her assets make you feel better? Phillip also talks about the many heart-breaking cases of rape that he deals with. What sort of legal compensation can you expect in such cases? Does the law award damages for counseling/therapeutic expenses? Listeners will get a “peek” into the judicial system in this segment of the show. Next, you will learn about young boys and Phillip reminds us that, more often than not, these “criminals” are victims themselves. Can you judge boys and men with a broken childhood? Would you have found your way through the maze of life without the presence of any positive role model? To further buttress his point, Phillip cites the example of the legal system in Scandinavia – a country with the lowest jail sentences AND the lowest crime rates in the world. In this segment, listeners will be reminded why understanding is the first step towards forgiveness. If you are consumed by vengeance and/or struggling to forgive, this is a show you do not want to miss. Tune in now!   Resources:  Najwa Zebian Najwa Zebian Instagram Sparks of Phoenix Mind Platter Nectar of Pain 10 Steps to Let Go of Them

In today’s show, our interviewee Sarah, a teacher by profession shares how adopting a rational attitude has allowed her to forgive and forget. As a bonus, listeners will get a peek into the teaching profession as our interviewee discusses the many challenges that she routinely faces. This show starts with Sarah sharing her background information. As an older person with rich and varied experiences, she has a refreshing approach to teaching. Listeners will learn how Sarah goes above and beyond her call of duty by attempting to connect with her students, and understand their problems on a personal level. Sarah shares her experience with a difficult child who was facing umpteen challenges at school as well as home. Unhappy with the negative and somewhat outdated approach, she patiently managed to build up a deep personal connection with not only the child but also the child’s family. But, how did her colleagues react to her radical teaching method? And, eventually why did this approach lead to friction at her workplace? In this segment of the show, listeners are reminded how your colleagues are prone to making quick and unfair judgments without any underlying rationale. We are also reminded that, sadly, most of us have an extremely hard time accepting change.  Sarah goes on to share how she managed to forgive her colleague for her rather ungracious behavior. What is the key to forgiving people who have treated you badly and caused you to hurt? Should you distance yourself completely from these people? Or, should you forget the past, and attempt to build a new relationship? Next, listeners will learn how Sarah handles difficult and challenging children. She admits that her students often make remarks that are hurtful and uncalled for. In such stressful situations, how do you maintain an impersonal attitude and keep your eyes firmly on your long term goal? Further, as a mother of three children, our interviewee also shares her parenting approach. How do you make a child or a teenager realize the gravity of their actions? Listeners will learn why having an open and rational communication channel is key to dealing with childhood issues. Towards the end, our interviewee has some excellent advice for teenagers who are struggling with forgiveness. Tune in for some excellent pearls of wisdom! Resources:  Najwa’s Twitter Najwa’s Instagram Najwa’s Facebook 10 Steps to Let Go of Them