Being Human with Leana Deeb

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 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

I’ve been holding this in for a long time. This is the first time I’m truly speaking without filters, without pressure to be perfect, and without trying to fit my thoughts into 60 seconds. In this first episode of Being Human, I’m sharing why I started this podcast, what I’ve been struggling with behind the scenes, and what this space really means to me. For a long time, I felt like I couldn’t fully express myself on social media. Everything felt polished, shortened, and incomplete. But that’s not who I am. I’m someone who wants to go deeper, ask real questions, and have honest conversations about life, faith, purpose, and growth. This podcast is that space. I talk about what “being human” actually means to me. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real. It’s about embracing differences, having conversations with people from completely different walks of life, and still finding connection. I also open up about fear, imposter syndrome, and what it feels like to step into something new when you don’t feel ready. This episode is for the version of me who felt lost, unsupported, and unsure of who she was becoming. And if that’s you right now, I hope this reminds you that you’re not alone. We’re going to grow together. Learn together. And figure this out together. Welcome to Being Human. _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED (0:00) Introduction — Why This Show Exists (4:20) Welcome to the Being Human Podcast (5:10) Why Long-Form Over Short-Form Content (6:05) What "Being Human" Means (7:00) Who This Podcast Is For (7:55) Guest Format & Topics We'll Cover (8:30) Pivoting to the Next Chapter (9:00) Main Takeaways & What to Expect _____ Stay connected with Leana and follow along on her journey: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leanadeeb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Being Human, I’m Leana Deeb and I am so happy you’re here. I built this podcast because I myself was looking for a space where people of all walks of life can connect, let down their guards and be their most authentic selves and find their similarities even when the world tells you you’re different. I couldn’t find that space, so I built it. I hope you are able to join this journey with me where we can grow together, have open minds and dive into all the topics that we are sometimes scared to …. Faith, identity, discipline and so much more. _____ Stay connected with Leana and follow along on her journey: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leanadeeb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices