I am SO excited to introduce you all to, Najwa Zebian, the Lebanese-Canadian author, poet, speaker, and educator. You may recognize her two self-published books, Mind Platter and The Nectar of Pain…and if you haven’t read them yet, you are missing out big time!

Truthfully, this is a bit of a selfish episode because I just wanted to become closer to this woman! And what better way to do that than hear her story in an hour-long episode?!  After hearing her speak at an event last month, I instantly knew her voice needed to reach my listeners the way they reached me.

This episode is one of the most inspiring, uplifting, genuine sessions yet, and I cannot wait for you to hear her story, advice, and life experiences– and how you use them for in the parallels to your own life…

FEELING LOST

Even though Najwa is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met, she wasn’t always this way. As she dug into her past, she revealed that “for most of my life I felt invisible and silenced, and felt like I didn’t matter…and what I did or said didn’t matter.”

How did she overcome this feeling of invisibility to become an absolute breath of fresh air in the writing community and beyond? After the personal experience of being silenced, she has made the decision to start stringing her words together in her journal. She realized that small decision was exactly what she craved and she ran with it.

The result? Beautifully written poetry and speeches that resonate with every soul at a deep level. Once feeling alone and invisible, her newfound mission is to give a voice to anyone who feels silenced. Her decision to start writing resulted in others feeling inspired to live in a courageously daring, yet beautifully liberating way.

HOW DO WE LEARN TO VALUE OURSELVES?

Najwa told us early in her interview that she “Felt unworthy of love, belonging, being understood, being unworthy of being listened to at earlier times in my life”

But then she started prioritizing herself and self-reflection, her hobbies and curiosities, and life started to feel brighter. So she kept following her internal compass, and her spirits and life events followed suit!

She mentions that society and our world tell us to live by our five-year plan… she says instead to guide your life by asking yourself “What makes me feel nurtured? Alive? And thirsty for more?”

Goal Diggers, if there is anything you take away from today’s episode, I hope it is that.

HOW TO MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF EVERY DAY:

Self-care is made to be selfish by our society. But when you really boil it down, “Your making money doesn’t have to be separate from self-care; you can change the world with your work.” She mentioned that if you only view your work as a job and not in a way that benefits your soul, you’re fighting a losing battle.  Guys, we have to be honest with ourselves about what is truly worthy of your time and what isn’t?

A few golden rules to follow in putting yourself first: be selfish (follow what YOU want), look at yourself through your own eyes, make your self-worth independent of your circumstances, and make a home within yourself.

This lady is the real deal. Just this one episode will leave you feeling empowered, strong, and ready to put yourself first. You can. not. miss it.

BONUS! A SNIPPET OF POETRY TO CLOSE THIS SHOWNOTES:

“These Mountains that you are carrying, you are only supposed to climb.” -From Najwa’s “The Nectar of Pain”

Up Your Insta With These Easy Steps! // Najwa’s Books (Pssst: They’re Amazing!) // Goal Digger FB Group!