Stop Begging to Be Chosen: The Real Reason You Can’t Move On—And How to Walk Away | Najwa Zebian (Fan Fav)

On this deeply moving episode of Women of Impact, host Lisa Bilyeu welcomes back the extraordinary poet and author Najwa Zebian for a conversation that goes right to the heart of healing and self-worth. If you’ve ever felt weighed down by emotional scars, struggled with people pleasing, or found yourself aching for validation from the wrong places, this episode is for you. Lisa and Najwa dive into the difficult, yet transformative process of acknowledging your pain, accepting your past without shame, and learning to speak to yourself with radical compassion. Najwa shares her hard-won wisdom on how to stop picking at old wounds and instead become the loving support you needed back when you were hurting most. With vulnerable stories, honest reflections, and actionable advice, Najwa shows us how to break free from cycles of self-blame and emotional debt. Whether you’re working on setting boundaries, letting go of past hurts, or learning to prioritize your own needs, this conversation is packed with “aha” moments. Grab your notebook—this is one of those episodes you’ll want to come back to again and again. And if it touches you, don’t forget to share it and leave a review to keep the impact going. Now, let’s dive into this powerful episode with the incomparable Najwa Zebian. SHOWNOTES 00:00 Transforming Scars into Motivation 09:39 Embracing Scars as Lessons 14:28 Overcoming People-Pleasing Tendencies 18:57 Empowering Your Healing Environment 25:01 Breaking Free from Self-Imposed Limits 28:33 Choosing Authenticity Over Approval 35:06 "Be Yourself, Not Their Perception" 41:54 The Cost of Toxic Love 44:41 Self-Validation and Independence 48:22 "This Too Shall Pass" 56:04 Healing Through Compassion and Clarity 01:02:26 Accumulated Unresolved Conflicts 01:08:28 From Reaction to Reflection 01:11:53 Healing Emotional Wounds 01:18:08 Self-Validation and Childhood Pain 01:24:00 Breaking Patterns, Embracing Self-Sufficiency 01:28:40 "Recognizing Unseen Patterns Without Judgment" 01:34:04 Rebuilding Self-Connection and Awareness 01:39:01 "Holistic Psychology's Core Beliefs" 01:43:56 "Practice Mindfulness with Phone Reminders" 01:48:25 "Inherited Suppression of Self-Expression" CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to ⁠https://www.vitalproteins.com⁠ and entering promo code WOI at check out.  SleepMe: Visit ⁠https://sleep.me/woi⁠ to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code WOI. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping! OneSkin: Get 15% off with code LISA at ⁠https://oneskin.co ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ****************************************************************** LISTEN TO WOMEN OF IMPACT AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠apple.co/womenofimpact⁠⁠⁠ ****************************************************************** FOLLOW LISA: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lisabilyeu/⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/lisabilyeu⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/womenofimpact⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@lisa_bilyeu?lang=en⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices