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What do you do when the life you were building with someone turns out to be an illusion? When the love you believed in crumbles in an instant. And all that’s left is dust?

This episode is for the moments after the betrayal.
 For when your heart is shattered but you're being told to "just move on."
 For when you’re still carrying the weight of dreams that will never happen. And wondering why you're the one left with all the pain.

Najwa walks you through the reality of betrayal. Not just the event, but the after. The instability. The shame. The self-blame. The hiding. And most importantly… the healing.

If you’ve ever questioned your worth because someone lied to you, cheated on you, or shattered your trust, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

Timestamps & Show Notes:

0:00 — She thought she built a castle with someone. In one moment, it turned to dust.
1:00 — What betrayal really takes from you — and why pretending you’re fine won’t help
3:00 — Why we become avoidant after betrayal (and why it makes sense)
5:00 — The story of Jana and Kenny: When everything you believed crumbles
8:00 — You’re not weak for feeling the pain. You’re human.
10:00 — Stop surrounding yourself with people who shame you for still hurting
13:00 — Walking on unstable ground and blaming yourself for not being steady
17:00 — What true friendship and support looks like after betrayal
20:00 — You were saved by their inability to be who they claimed they were
22:00 — Stop blaming yourself for being “too much.” You were just too much for the wrong person.
27:00 — Betrayal isn’t your responsibility to fix — even if it shattered everything
31:00 — Why love without visibility isn’t love — it’s invisibility
36:00 — Stop trying to fix what was never yours to fix
40:00 — The real way through: feel it, honor it, and reclaim your worth
42:00 — A final reflection: write down 3 things you now know to be true about yourself

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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.

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If 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.

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We 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

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Welcome to the very first episode of Beyond Words, with Najwa Zebian.

This episode explores one of the hardest things we’re asked to do: forgive someone who never apologized. Najwa gently walks you through five powerful strategies to process pain without internalizing blame, to stop seeking closure from those who won’t give it, and to choose yourself in the aftermath of betrayal. This is a conversation for the empath, the over-giver, the person who’s been stuck waiting for an explanation that may never come.

Forgiveness doesn’t always mean peace with the past, but it can mean freedom for your future.

Timestamps & Show Notes:

00:00 – Why forgiveness can feel impossible
01:07 – The core question: how do you forgive what you can’t forget?
02:05 – Strategy 1: Forgive without an apology
04:24 – Strategy 2: Feel the pain without blaming yourself
08:23 – Strategy 3: Stop running from the storm of emotion. Face it
11:20 – Strategy 4: See their pain, but don’t excuse their behavior
13:18 – The trap of revenge and needing others to “see your side”
15:04 – Their karma is who they are—not your responsibility
17:29 – Strategy 5: Set yourself free—don’t wait for them to do it
21:25 – Begin by forgiving yourself
24:06 – Choose people who see your light, not dim it
26:55 – You don’t need to confront them—they know what they did
28:58 – Why authentic people make liars uncomfortable
30:17 – Focus on your healing, not their actions
32:59 – You can move on without offering forgiveness
34:54 – Holding people accountable without hate
36:53 – Reflect: What’s one word that means forgiveness to you?

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Let's use the power of words to heal.