Being Human with Leana Deeb

In this episode, Leana sits down with Brenda Antón — content creator, entrepreneur, and someone whose story is as real as it gets. Brenda opens up about growing up as one of the only Hispanic girls in a small, predominantly white town in New York, spending years shrinking her identity just to fit in, and the long journey back to herself. From her garage workouts during Covid, to moving to Florida alone at 22 with no friends and no guarantee it would work out, to now stepping into her faith and figuring out who she is outside of work — this conversation covers it all. This one is for every woman who has ever felt like she had to be someone else to be accepted, and is slowly finding her way back to who she actually is. Leana and Brenda get into: → Growing up as one of the only Hispanic girls in a privileged, predominantly white town — and spending years wanting to be anyone but herself → Going to college and finally feeling seen — but still searching for validation in all the wrong places → How Covid shut out all the noise and gave her the first real look at herself she had ever had → Starting with two 10-pound dumbbells in her garage and why that moment changed everything → The isolation period in junior year — protecting her momentum, losing her friend group, and trusting herself anyway → Starting social media as a fitness diary and getting addicted to building something real → Her life coach of five years and why having even one person believe in you is enough → Moving to Florida alone at 22 against her family’s wishes — and the tears, anxiety and self-trust it took to do it → Accomplishing everything on her vision board and still feeling empty — and how that led her to faith → What her relationship with God looks like now versus growing up Catholic going to church out of obligation → Journaling as her first way of communicating with God — and why she thinks everyone should be doing it → Where limiting beliefs actually come from — family, relationships, and the ones we create ourselves → The victim mindset, self-pity, and how to stop seeing your life from only one lens → Rejection as redirection — and why every job that turned her down was actually doing her a favour → Her breakup before the Florida move and why heartbreak is one of the most powerful catalysts for self-growth → Navigating friendships in the creator space — finding people with pure intentions and letting go of the ones without them → Jealousy and comparison as a mirror — what they are really telling you about yourself → Leaning back into her feminine energy after years of go, go, go hustle mode → What she learned at a women’s entrepreneurship conference — and why “make it exist, then make it perfect” stuck with her → The pivot she is stepping into now: owning her story, speaking more, and showing up in a whole new way → What it means to be human — and why her answer comes back to love, impact, and using your voice “Our stories aren’t just for us. They are meant to be told, to be shared, and to serve other people.” — Brenda Antón TOPICS DISCUSSED 00:00 Intro & Welcome — Brenda’s First Ever Podcast 01:09 Growing Up in Briarcliff Manor — Comparison, Fitting In & Shrinking Her Identity 10:14 Covid, the Garage Gym & Falling in Love with Movement 30:25 Journaling, Limiting Beliefs & Turning to Faith 01:15:09 The Waiting Period — What She Wanted in Her Next Relationship & Stepping Into Feminine Energy 01:15:09 The Women’s Conference, Entrepreneurship & The Pivot She Is Making Now 01:28:25 What It Means to Be Human Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Brenda Antón: Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @brendaanton Thank you to our sponsors! Go to Aurahouse.com for 10% off your order using code LEANA Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at Tumbleliving.com/LEANA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Leana sits down with Jun Yuh — creator, entrepreneur, and founder of Creator College, one of the most impactful content creation communities in the world. Jun built his entire following from a college dorm room in Philadelphia with no support system, a biomedical engineering degree, and a shattered iPhone 12. He was doubted by everyone around him, posted into the void for years, and still kept going. This conversation is part content masterclass, part deeply personal story — and it does not hold back. This one is for anyone who has ever wanted to put themselves out there but talked themselves out of it before they even started. Leana and Jun get into: → How he started posting fitness and fashion content in his parents' basement during quarantine — wearing his brother's clothes → The zoom call moment where his classmates posted his TikTok link to 300 people and made fun of him → Why being judged is a sign you are doing something right — and how he finally started to believe that → Six years of building in loneliness with no one in his corner who actually understood what he was doing → How an engineering mindset helped him reverse engineer content — studying formats, hooks, pacing and story arcs → Why your first 200 views matter more than you think and how one person in your DMs can change everything → The moment he discovered Creator College and why he almost did not do it → What it actually takes to build an audience — and why packaging what you already know is the whole strategy → The difference between chasing virality and building a community that lasts → His daily routine and why his entire life has become the business → The over-optimisation trap — sleep scores, routines, and why he thinks we are doing too much → Growing up watching his dad work construction with no choice in his sacrifices — and how that shaped everything → Becoming the financial provider for his family at 24 and the complicated emotions that come with it → How money changes relationships — and the ongoing tension between generosity and boundaries → Reconnecting with his mom after 14 years apart and what that taught him about assumptions and perspective → Why he believes life is not fair — and why he stopped resenting it → What it means to be human — and why his answer is empathy "Perspective drives performance. The way that you view what you do affects how you do what you do." — Jun Yuh TOPICS DISCUSSED 02:34 Joon’s Start in Content Creation06:52 Overcoming the Fear of Judgment10:27 Loneliness, Doubt & Finding Support13:27 Sharing Your Struggles & Building Your Story18:50 Believing in Yourself Before Anyone Else Does20:32 Faith, God & Finding Contentment25:57 Consistency, Systems & Using AI for Content31:07 The “Younger You” Principle for Finding Your Niche39:49 Money, Success & Choosing Impact Over Metrics45:09 Finding Purpose, Phone Addiction & Burnout Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Jun Yuh: Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @jun_yuh Podcast: Creator Unplugged Community: Creator College Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Leana sits down with Iskra Lawrence, model, mental health advocate, and founder of Saltair, one of the fastest-growing body care brands in the country. Iskra takes it back to growing up in a small town in England, entering a modeling competition at 12, and being watched by agencies through puberty while her changing body was treated like a problem. She opens up about developing an eating disorder, being told she was too curvy for straight-size modeling and too small for plus-size modeling, and the breaking point when she realized she was never the problem. The industry was. She shares how she rebuilt her sense of self through affirmations, began pitching herself directly to brands at 19, and eventually created a career on her own terms. Iskra also gets candid about losing herself postpartum during the pandemic, unexpectedly losing her Aerie contract, and how a five-minute shower became the inspiration for Saltair. She breaks down why she still does not take a salary from the company, why she prioritizes long-term financial security over a luxurious lifestyle, and what it means to build generational wealth. Leana and Iskra also talk about motherhood, ambition, being the breadwinner in a marriage, finding a partner without ego, and why having a successful career does not mean having everything perfectly together. Leana and Iskra get into: → Entering the modeling industry at 12 years old → Being told she was too curvy, too commercial, and too womanly at 14 → Developing an eating disorder while trying to control her body → Being rejected by plus-size agencies for being too small → Realizing she was never the problem, the industry was → Cattle calls, rejection, comparison, and body dysmorphia → Using mirror affirmations to rebuild her self-worth → Why women are taught to view attractiveness as currency → Pitching herself directly to brands at 19 → Her dad eventually quitting his job to work alongside her → Loving pregnancy but completely losing herself postpartum → Losing her milk supply during the formula shortage → The five-minute shower that inspired Saltair → Losing her Aerie contract and feeling disposable again → Why owning her own company gave her control over her future → Faith, ambition, and her “why not me?” mindset → Why she does not take a salary from Saltair → Moving to New York with $15,000 and living with five models in a one-bedroom apartment → Choosing future financial security over luxury today → Why women need to talk more openly about money → Her goal of retiring her parents and creating generational wealth → Redefining what success actually looks like → Motherhood, dishes in the sink, missed workouts, and giving herself grace → Being the breadwinner in her marriage → Finding a partner without ego → Writing letters about things that felt too difficult to say out loud “At that breaking point, I realized I was never the problem. The industry was the problem.” — Iskra Lawrence TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Preview + Intro(01:22) Starting Modeling at 12 Years Old(03:20) Developing an Eating Disorder in the Modeling Industry(08:02) Body Dysmorphia, Mental Health & Rebuilding Self-Worth(12:33) Postpartum Identity Loss & Finding Herself Again(14:32) How Saltair Was Born(17:24) Moving to Austin & Stepping Away From Her Old Life(18:56) Losing Her Aerie Contract & Feeling Disposable Again(23:13) Faith, God & the “Why Not Me?” Mindset(26:31) Building Saltair Without Taking a Founder Salary(30:35) Money, Sacrifice & Building Long-Term Financial Security(34:27) Redefining What Success Actually Means(37:42) The Reality of “Doing It All” as a Working Mom(41:31) Being the Breadwinner in Her Marriage(43:43) Communication, Partnership & Writing Each Other Letters(47:45) What Does It Mean to Be Human? Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Iskra Lawrence: Instagram: @iskra / @saltair TikTok: @iskra / @saltairbody Thank you to our sponsors! Go to curehydration.com/Leana and get 20% off your first order with promo code LEANA. Take control of your health with Superpower. For a limited time, listeners get $50 off their Superpower membership. Head to Superpower.com and use code LEANA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Leana sits down with Roxie Nafousi, bestselling author, manifestation coach, and founder of the Manifest app, for one of the most honest and wide-ranging conversations on the show yet. Roxie opens up about a decade of addiction, crippling body dysmorphia, losing her father, and how hitting rock bottom at 28 led her to build a global community of millions of women. She and Leana connect deeply over growing up as Arab Muslim women in the West, navigating identity, faith, culture, and the relentless pressure to fit in. This episode is equal parts raw, healing, and deeply practical. A reminder that your past does not define your ceiling, and that the work you do on yourself is never wasted. Leana and Roxie get into: Growing up Iraqi and Muslim in 1990s Oxford and hiding her Iraqi heritage after 9/11 How manifestation and Islam are more aligned than people think, and what the Quran says about gratitude, purpose, and mindset Manifesting her partner Wade, an Islamic marriage seven weeks in, a baby a year later, and what co-parenting looks like now Dating as a successful, independent woman: why what she's attracted to has completely changed Why making love your entire goal is exactly what blocks it from coming in Vision boarding your whole life across six categories, not just the relationship box High-vibe vs. low-vibe emotions and how your frequency is pulling things toward you or pushing them away Body Dysmorphic Disorder: what it actually is, why external validation never fixes it, and the panic attacks she had before every camera appearance Cosmetic procedures that changed everything on the outside and nothing on the inside What finally worked: medication, CBT, journaling, affirmations, and why she's sharing it publicly Losing her father in October 2024: the last words he said to her, the signs she still receives, and how grief has drawn her family closer Why discipline is not about being hard on yourself and knowing the difference between giving yourself grace and indulging in your sadness Her daily non-negotiables and how she built them all into the Manifest app "To be human is to evolve, grow, and unlock all the potential within you." — Roxie Nafousi TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro — Meet Roxy Nafisi01:32 Growing Up Arab in the UK + Identity Crisis (05:30) Manifestation, Faith & How They Coexist (08:00) Depression, Addiction & Hitting Rock Bottom (14:43) Manifesting Love — Meeting Wade & Starting a Family20:38 Dating as a Successful Woman & What Changes (32:00) Removing Fear, Doubt & Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone (38:39) Sacrificing Your Social Life to Build Your Purpose (43:18) Losing Her Father & Finding Signs from the Universe (46:41) Grief, Letting Go & Overcoming Tests from the Universe (56:00) Body Dysmorphia, BDD & Learning to Heal from the Inside Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcastTikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Roxie Nafousi: Instagram: @roxienafousi _____ Thank you to our sponsors! Head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code LEANA at checkout for a FREE full sized Mascara on their first purchase For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code LEANA at oneskin.co/LEANA Head to truenutrition.com/LEANA and use code LEANA for 20% off your first custom protein blend _____See Roxie Live in NYC here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Leana sits down with Leo Skepi, TikTok's most unapologetically real creator, host of the Aware and Aggravated podcast, and someone whose depth goes far beyond what most people see on their FYP. Leo opens up about being bullied as a kid, coming out as gay, a year of daily cocaine use, giving away over half a million dollars for the wrong reasons, and how he ended up reading the Bible trying to figure out how Jesus loved people who wanted him dead. This conversation goes places you will not expect. If you think you already know Leo, you don't. Leana and Leo get into: Growing up Albanian, coming out nearly dead at birth, and being bullied relentlessly in school and how fighting back forged the protector side of Leo that still shows up today Coming out as gay, being disowned by his grandmother, and navigating faith in a community that was not always welcoming Why Leo started reading the Bible, not for religion, but to understand how Jesus loved people who hated him to death, and what that restraint actually looks like Looking at God as a verb and the mindset shift that changed how he handles conflict, rage, and misalignment in real time Giving away over $500,000 in a single year and why God had to jolt him out of it - the difference between giving from love and giving to feel worthy The real weight of having a massive platform, the feelings no one can understand but you, and how Leo holds that privately His evolving relationship with fitness and discipline - why stoicism and grinding yourself into the ground is over, and what actually lasts Why you do not need a religious community to have a relationship with God, and how he navigates backlash for sharing his faith journey publicly His Houston pop up where 5,000 people showed up, his new merch drop, and what he is quietly plotting next "I used to scream at God. Like, actually, just like how I would cuss out somebody I don't like." — Leo Skepi TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:46) Welcome & Guest Introduction (02:38) The Pop-Up Store: 5,000 People Showed Up (03:48) Who Was Leo as a Kid? (06:32) The Duality: "Little Leo" & the Protector (07:53) Albanian Culture & Where His Personality Comes From (09:54) Before Social Media: Nursing School & a Toxic Ex (10:53) Suicidal Thoughts & What Kept Him Going (15:16) Turning Inward: Journaling & Self-Knowledge (18:33) Prayer as an Open Dialogue (26:38) Faith Background: Finding His Own Path (27:46) Why He Started Reading the Bible (28:50) "God Is a Verb" (33:27) Navigating Scripture Without Gatekeepers (38:49) Giving $500K Away & Learning the Hard Lesson (44:16) Relationships & What Money Can't Buy (46:48) Cutting People Off & Communicating First (52:04) Loneliness, Solitude & Finding Himself (54:32) The Isolating Side of Fame Nobody Talks About (57:41) Thick Skin, Hate & Online Critics (1:01:16) Weight Loss & Dropping the Grind Mentality (1:14:58) Sharing His Bible Journey Online (1:16:37) Coming Out: Resisting His Sexuality & Finding Peace (1:19:33) Celibacy, Scripture & Homosexuality in the Bible (1:23:37) Coming Out to Family (1:25:18) Why He Thinks Souls Choose Their Parents (1:28:22) Jesus Loved the Outcasts (1:30:35) What's Next & Where to Find Leo _____ Stay connected with Leo Skepi: Instagram: @leoskepi TikTok: @leoskepi Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod _____ Thank you to our sponsors! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code LEANA at https://www.oneskin.co/LEANA #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this solo episode, Leana gets real about the season she's currently in: one of realignment, protecting her energy, and learning to trust what God removes just as much as what He brings. She opens up about the dangers of the wrong circle, over-sharing your goals, and how people-pleasing quietly keeps you out of alignment with yourself. She also responds to a listener DM about navigating the desire for a partner while staying rooted in faith, and shares why loneliness is often a sign you're not pouring enough into your purpose. This episode is a reminder to lock in, guard your energy, and trust that God knows exactly what He's doing with your life. Leana gets into: Why Leana chooses to have only one close friend and what that cost her to get to The danger of oversharing your goals, even with people who seem to have good intentions Evil eye, prayer, and why she kept an exciting podcast guest completely private until it happened A real situation: being leveraged by someone she thought was a genuine friend People-pleasing on the podcast and in daily life and how she's working to stop it Love shouldn't feel hard: what healthy relationships actually look like Men who feel threatened by ambitious women and recognising that pattern The concept of naseeb (what's meant for you will find you) and how it applies to relationships Responding to a listener DM: how to handle the desire for a partner while staying in faith Why filling the void with the wrong person makes loneliness worse, not better Loneliness is a selfish feeling and how pouring into others dissolves it Locking into one thing instead of chasing every opportunity Gary Breck's insight on isolation and craft The nafs in Islam: battling your desires and impulses and how discipline wins that fight Why gratitude needs to be practised at the same level in highs and lows Curating what you consume: why scrolling politics first thing destroys your energyBeing grateful for what you have as a prerequisite for receiving more "God is not going to bring you this far just to leave you this far." — Leana Deeb _____TOPICS DISCUSSED(00:00) Intro (01:45) Your Circle & Who You Surround Yourself With (05:10) The Danger of Oversharing Your Goals (08:30) Not Everyone Is Meant to Stay (11:20) People Pleasing & Losing Yourself (14:18) Not Every Person That Comes Into Your Life Is From God (17:00) You Attract a Reflection of Yourself (20:30) Loneliness Is a Selfish Feeling (23:15) Answering a DM: How Do You Deal With Not Having a Partner? (27:00) Naseeb — What's Meant for You Will Find You (30:45) Lock Into One Thing (34:00) Faith, Gratitude & Giving 100% Every Day _____ Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Leana sits down with Devon Levesque, Everest summiteer, entrepreneur, man of faith, and one of the most quietly influential people living life at full volume. Devon opens up about staring death in the face on the Hillary Step, losing his father at 16, building one of the cleanest supplement brands on the market, and why your values, not your goals, are what set you free. This conversation is raw, real, and deeply human. If you walk away wanting to do more with your life, that is exactly the point. Leana and Devon get into: What it actually took to summit Mount Everest 47 days, avalanches, and a near-death moment on a six-inch ledge at 28,000ft How losing his dad at 16 became the defining turning point that shaped everything about how he lives today Why therapy, mental performance coaching, and seven-day phone detoxes are non-negotiables in his life The five core values that run his entire schedule and how to find yours The riverbank tool he uses to instantly disarm negative people without losing his peace Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 fun, and why Type 2 is the one that actually changes your life His 90/10 nutrition approach, the supplements he takes every single day, and why he goes directly to the source for every ingredient Why faith, prayer, and leading others in gratitude are woven into everything he does Sweet Honey Farm, Monroe Austin, and the Running Man Festival; the community-first projects he is building right now "If you don't control your time, someone else will." — Devon Levesque TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Introduction to Devon Levesque (01:39) Climbing Mount Everest: The Journey Begins (11:51) Near-Death on the Hillary Step (20:24) Faith, God & the Afterlife (34:12) Daily Rules for a Fuller Life & Type 2 Fun (39:33) Core Values: The Framework That Changed Everything (39:51) Living by Your Values & Owning Your Time (56:25) Promix Origins: Finding the Baobab Seed in Africa _____ Stay connected with Devon Levesque Instagram: @devonlevesque TikTok: @devonlevesque Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Leana sits down with entrepreneur, dancer, and former reality TV star Raven Ross for a conversation that is raw, real, and completely unfiltered. They go deep on what it means to stay true to yourself when the world is watching, why we stop shrinking for men, and how pouring into your purpose is the ultimate cure for loneliness. Raven and Leana get into: What it was really like filming Love Is Blind — the mental prep, the villain arc, and coming out the other side Why Raven tried the 50/50 relationship model and why she will never do it again The trap independent women fall into when they start compromising piece by piece for a man Growing up mixed in New Orleans and what it taught Raven about identity and belonging How a single-parent household shaped the way both women think about money, relationships, and men Why Raven started making free Pilates on YouTube — and how she set out to diversify a space that wasn't built for women like her The difference between Pilates, sculpt, Lagree, and what actually works for longevity vs aesthetics How to build a life so full you stop obsessing over romantic love Why women feel guilty about wanting money — and why that has to stop What success actually means: habits, discipline, and keeping the promises you make to yourself "The more that you just pour into yourself and go above and beyond to be the best you can be — that is what is going to attract the right things into your life." — Raven Ross _____ Topics Discussed (00:00) Intro — Becoming the Best Version of Yourself (00:30) Welcome to Being Human with Raven (01:03) Love Is Blind + Rebranding After Reality TV (04:35) Independence + Not Making Yourself Smaller for Men (05:35) Evolving Views on Relationships + The 50/50 Trap (08:03) Faith, Prayer + Building Your Spiritual Practice (27:14) Growing Up in a Single Parent Household (32:08) Living in Barbie's Dreamhouse + Nighttime Routines (35:11) Friendship, Community + Putting Yourself Out There (19:23) Making Pilates Accessible + Breaking Down Barriers (44:46) Pilates vs Lagree vs Sculpt — What's the Difference? (43:15) Movement for Longevity, Not Just Aesthetics (48:04) Body Image, Pressure + The Dance Body Standard (51:37) Money, Ambition + Overcoming Guilt as a Woman (58:05) Success, Discipline + Keeping Promises to Yourself _____ Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Raven Tracy: Instagram / TikTok / YouTube: @PilatesBodyRaven Website: pilatesbodyraven.com _____ Thank you to our Sponsors! Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BEINGHUMAN for an exclusive 20% off Visit Carawayhome.com/LEANA to take an additional 10% off your next purchase or use code LEANA at checkout. _____ Leana Deeb, Being Human podcast, Being Human with Leana Deeb, lonely chapter, lowering your standards, societal pressure on women, hijab journey, trusting God's timing, finding your purpose, women and relationships Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices