Beyond Words with Najwa Zebian

028- Stop Being Nice to People Who Aren’t Nice to You

Najwa Season 1 Episode 28

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You’ve been taught that being nice is the safest way to survive conflict—especially with people who are cruel, dishonest, or inconsiderate. But niceness can become a way of abandoning yourself.

In this episode, I’m talking about why you keep meeting mistreatment with more kindness, more patience, more understanding—while forgetting the most important person in your life: you.

We’ll unpack:

  • Why “being nice” can be a trauma response (fawning)
  • The difference between niceness and kindness
  • Why self-respect starts with accepting what just happened
  • How boundaries aren’t punishment—they’re protection
  • Why you don’t have to endure someone’s hell to “earn” their heaven

Words That Found Me: Brené Brown — “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”
Words From Me to You: Welcome Home — “Give Yourself Validation”

If someone’s approval requires your self-abandonment, let them keep it.