“The mistake most of us make is building our homes in other people. When we do that, we give them the power to make us homeless.” Poet, activist, and author Najwa Zebian joins Forrest on this episode of the Being Well Podcast for a conversation focused on discovering what truly matters to us.
They use Najwa’s personal story as a way to explore how we can break out of the roles others place us in, create healthy boundaries, and feel worthy from the inside-out. Topics include balancing intimacy and autonomy, self-compassion and self-love, and finding the courage to act authentically.
About Our Guest: Najwa Zebian is an activist, poet, educator, and the author of six books including her recent works Welcome Home, Conversations on Letting Go, and The Only Constant, which will be coming out March 2024. She was raised in Lebanon and moved to Canada at 16 where she later earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Western Ontario.
Key Topics:
- 0:00: Introduction
- 1:05: Najwa’s personal background
- 6:10: Humility, asking for the things you need, and comparing your pain to others
- 11:15: Loving your current self into becoming your authentic self
- 17:10: Navigating change in the face of social pressure
- 20:45: Intrinsic self-worth, and the beauty of being undefined
- 32:00: Intimacy and autonomy
- 40:05: Choosing vulnerability, and paying attention to surrounding influences
- 50:45: Healthy shared expectations in relationships
- 53:45: Forgiving others as a gift we give to ourselves
- 58:30: Recap
