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What 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 want

5 Strategies to Let Them Think What They Want:

1. Acknowledge the pain of being misunderstood
2. Release the responsibility to change their opinions
3. Stop trying to rewrite the role they’ve assigned you in their story
4. Focus on living your life—not proving your worth
5. Let your truth speak louder than the narratives they push

If 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.