Being Human with Leana Deeb – Details, episodes & analysis

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

I used to think longevity was about biohacking, supplements, and expensive technology. But after this conversation, I see it differently. In this episode, I sit down with Gary Brecka—human biologist, longevity expert, and founder of The Ultimate Human. Gary spent 20 years in the mortality research space predicting life expectancy for insurance companies. He could tell to the month how long someone had left to live. What he saw changed everything. We get into: - Why contentment, purpose, and passion don't happen to you—they happen within you - How disconnection from yourself is one of the biggest threats to your health span - The role of faith, silence, and radical responsibility in actually living longer - What "being human" really means and why most of us are living far below that "Satisfaction and contentment don't come from outside of you. They happen within you. When you learn to be comfortable with silence, you can start an inner monologue that really uncovers what your purpose here is on Earth." - Gary Brecka _____ TOPICS DISCUSSED (0:00) Intro (1:40) The Truth About Longevity (6:20) Why Isolation Is Shortening Our Lives (10:05) How Pain Becomes Purpose (11:03) Finding Purpose Through Pain (18:05) Gary's Life Pivot and Career Shift (34:05) Gary's Morning Routine for Longevity (43:40) Dopamine, Addiction and Social Media (49:15) Gut Health and Depression (57:20) Pregnancy, Folic Acid and Supplements (1:05:35) Blood Sugar and Hunger Explained (1:10:30) Fasting and Addiction (1:14:30) Staying Calm and Perspective _____ Gary Brecka is a human biologist and founder of The Ultimate Human. After two decades predicting life expectancy for insurance institutions, he shifted his mission to helping people extend their health span through practical, science-backed lifestyle changes–focused on whole foods, sleep, mobility, faith, and radical responsibility. Follow Gary Brecka: Instagram: @garybrecka Website: theultimatehuman.com Podcast: The Ultimate Human _____ Stay connected with Leana: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod YouTube: youtube.com/@leanadeeb _____ 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. 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

In this episode I am being more open than I have ever been. I am talking about the lonely chapter I am currently in, why I stopped looking for love, what happened when I did, and the real reason so many of us feel lonely that has nothing to do with not having a partner. Leana gets into: Why she was lowering her standards and talking to people she knew were wrong for her The moment she realized she was using relationships to escape things she had not dealt with herself Why you can feel completely alone sleeping next to someone you love What Gary Brecka told her about isolation that changed how she thinks about loneliness The connection between loneliness and not living your purpose yet Why she went against her parents to pursue social media and what that cost her Her three-year hijab journey and why she still does not feel fully confident in it Why she stopped needing to explain herself to people who will never understand "If I feel lonely, I am not locking into my purpose enough." - Leana Deeb TOPICS DISCUSSED (0:00) Intro + Why I’m Sharing This Now (3:12) Pressure to Get Married + Have Kids (5:07) Forcing Love + Ignoring Red Flags (8:04) Escaping Yourself vs Building Yourself (11:21) Self-Respect + Not Settling (15:30) Money, Power + Relationship Dynamics (19:56) The “Lonely Chapter” + Attraction Shift (24:30) Family, Culture + Expectations on Women (28:45) Love, Validation + Empty Relationships (32:39) Struggling with Modesty + Faith (35:42) Hijab Journey + Online Criticism (37:58) Austin vs Dallas Energy + Identity (39:19) Going Against Family + Choosing Your Path (40:00) Final Thoughts + Trusting Timing _____ Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Thank you to our Sponsors! Use code BEINGHUMAN for 20% off at curehydration.com — or find it on Amazon.  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

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

In this episode, Leana gets vulnerable about the chapter she is currently in — one full of new opportunities, real overwhelm, and the uncomfortable work of becoming who you are meant to be. She opens up about what it actually feels like when a blessing is also a challenge, why realignment is never a clean process, and the daily habits and mindset shifts that are helping her stay the course. Leana gets into: Why stepping into a new blessing can feel just as hard as it feels exciting How she navigated her own realignment — from removing her content to putting on the hijab — and why it had to happen in phases, not all at once The difference between being aligned and just going through the motions Why you cannot pour yourself into multiple things at once and expect results Self-doubt, overthinking, and the daily practices — journaling, prayer, talking to God — that help her fight back How to know when your environment is the problem, not you Letting go of her old identity and the worldly success she was once attached to What she learned about conditional love — and why nobody is coming to save you Her current health struggles: inflammation, mood swings, painful cycles, and why she is finally getting her blood tested How she structures her entire day around the five daily prayers — and how anyone, regardless of faith, can use that same framework A full practical reset: routines, phone habits, morning practices, and how to audit your good and bad habits right now "Whatever is meant for you in life will never miss you." — Leana Deeb TOPICS DISCUSSED (0:00) Intro + Why Leana Is Sharing This Now (3:48) New Blessings Come with New Challenges (5:30) Focus on One Thing: Why Splitting Your Energy Keeps You Stuck (7:00) How Realignment Actually Works — Leana's Hijab Journey & Doing It in Phases (9:00) Self-Doubt, Overthinking & Using Prayer and Journaling to Fight Back (11:14) Whatever Is Meant for You Will Never Miss You (13:00) Letting Go of the Old Identity & Worldly Success (16:00) Conditional Love vs. Real Love — Nobody Is Coming to Save You (19:00) Discipline Is the Foundation: Sleep, Food, Training & Taking Care of Your Health (21:00) Inflammation, Mood Swings & Getting Her Blood Tested — A Real Health Update (23:00) Training for a Marathon + Why She Is Exploring Pilates and Yoga (24:30) The Habit Audit: Write Down Your Good Habits, Your Bad Habits, and Be Honest (25:30) Morning Routine Breakdown: Water, Electrolytes, No Phone, Prayer First (26:00) Using the Five Daily Prayers as Time Blocks for Your Whole Day (27:02) Night Routine: When to Eat Dinner, When to Wind Down, How to Actually Rest (28:30) Protecting Your Energy — Boundaries, Ego, and Responding with Calm (30:56) Your Environment Is Either Helping You Flourish or Draining You Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpod TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Thank you to our Sponsors! Head to cozyearth.com and use my code LEANA for an exclusive 20% off 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 debut episode of Being Human, Leana sits down with Mila Magnani, founder of Milamend, for a vulnerable conversation about PCOS and hormone imbalance. Mila opens up about spending years living in a body nobody took seriously. From stealing her dad's razor blades before school to manage facial hair, to passing out in SoulCycle at 16, to a Paris doctor telling her to simply "eat less and move more" after years of suffering. She shares how she took her healing into her own hands, built her own supplement protocol from scratch, and accidentally built a business that reached $250,000 in sales in a single week. This one is for every woman who has ever been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told that what she is feeling is normal. Leana gets into: What PCOS actually is and why it is so hard to diagnose  Growing up as a Mexican immigrant in Dallas with undiagnosed hormonal issues  Stealing her dad's razor blades at school to manage facial hair as a teenager  Severe childhood allergies and weekly immunotherapy at the children's hospital  POTS, spironolactone, and passing out in a SoulCycle class at 16  A six month long period that no doctor could explain  30 pounds of weight gain, moon face, and hypothyroidism developing during Covid  Panic attacks, night sweats, and irrational fears taking over her relationship  The Paris endocrinologist who told her to "eat less and move more" and lit a fire in her Lucas, her husband, finally understanding what women go through with doctors  Building her own supplement protocol from scratch with her pharmacist  Why most hormone balance supplements on the market are underdosed and ineffective  The guide that went viral and led to $250,000 in a single week  The hospital stay that changed everything and made her decide to share her story  A shaman who told her she was put on this earth to help women heal  The Paris woman with a wrinkle-lined smile who changed how Mila sees beauty  Body image, moon face before and after, and beauty standards across cultures  A singing talent she was never allowed to share, and why it still sits with her  Her grandmother's connection to Hollywood and Vincente Minnelli  Protecting independence as a founder and why she never wanted to raise VC  Evil eye, superstition and why she waits to share things she is working on  What it means to be human, through the lens of Aristotle, philosophy, and the soul "She lit a fire in me and I said, oh my God, I am going to prove you wrong." — Mila Magnani TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:08:30) Growing Up Different: Early Symptoms & Body Hair (00:08:59) The Doctor Who Said "You're Just Mexican" (00:14:11) Birth Control, Painful Cycles & No Real Answers (00:55:19) The Endocrinologist Who Told Her to Accept It (00:58:54) Building Her Supplement Stack with a Pharmacist (01:02:10) Going Viral on TikTok After a Life-Changing Surgery (01:05:06) The Supplement PDF That Changed Everything (01:07:59) From Guide to Product: Founding Mila (01:46:39) Beauty, Aging & the Woman in Paris (01:51:19) The Music Career She Was Never Allowed to Have (01:57:13) What It Means to Be Human_____ Stay connected to Mila: Instagram: @milamagnaniTikTok: @mila.magnani Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod _____ More about Milamend: Milamend is a supplement company that specializes in Hormone Balance Supplements for PCOS Management. With only 16 ingredients, Milamend was created by a woman who found a supplement stack that finally helped her PCOS symptoms and turned it into a solution all women can try. Try Milamend at Milamend.com 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 solo episode, Leana comes back from the London Marathon and gets radically honest about where she is right now. She talks about breaking through the wall at mile 17, her complicated history with music and why she gave it up, and the faith dip she has never spoken about publicly until now. This one is less of a structured episode and more of a venting session, and that is exactly what makes it worth listening to. Leana gets into: Running the London Marathon, going numb at mile 17, and why pushing through 26 miles is more of a mental battle than a physical one How setting physical goals trains you to handle the pressure and pain that shows up in real life Her history with music as emotional numbing, the withdrawals she went through when she gave it up, and why she no longer trains with it The honest question she is sitting with: are we filling our lives with noise to avoid the feelings we actually need to face Why she feels distant from faith right now and what it feels like to know the sweetness of closeness to God and then lose it The moment she sat on her prayer mat and just started ranting to God out loud, and why she thinks you should try it too The pressure of growing an audience online while still figuring out who you are as a creator and a host How toxic environments can make you lose yourself without realising it, and why setting boundaries is how you find your way back Why blaming the world for your circumstances keeps you powerless, and how taking ownership hands the control back to you The verse she returns to every time life feels impossible, and what it actually means to find ease inside of hardship "God is not going to put me through something I cannot handle." — Leana Deb TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:46) London Marathon Recap (02:11) Marathon Is More Mental Than Physical (04:49) Running for a Purpose Bigger Than Yourself (06:01) My Relationship With Music (08:28) When Music Dependency Becomes a Problem (09:02) Music, Faith & What Religions Say (14:53) Turning to the Quran Instead (18:01) You Can't Have Both in Your Heart (20:36) Finding Balance, Not Extremism (22:15) Feeling Far from Faith Right Now (24:37) Platform Pressure & Locking Back In (27:35) Practical Steps When Struggling with Faith (30:29) When Staying Feels Scarier Than Leaving (31:12) Misalignment & Taking Back Control (34:17) Don't Numb the Pain, Sit in It (36:40) Closing _____ Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod _____ Thank you to our sponsors!  Visit Carawayhome.com/LEANA to take an additional 10% off using code LEANA on your next purchase Head to cozyearth.com and use my code LEANA for an exclusive 20% off Use code BEINGHUMAN for 20% off at curehydration.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices