In a region where the self-development industry often feels heavy, prescriptive, or unreachable, three women came together with a different vision: what if conscious living could feel lighter? What if the path to growth was joyful, playful, and deeply human?
That question gave birth to nafsuna — the Arab world’s first bilingual conscious-living brand, creating games and tools designed not just to entertain, but to reconnect.
At the heart of nafsuna lies a philosophy rooted in three simple words: Play. Evolve. Connect.
Play softens the mind and opens the heart. Evolve acknowledges that every one of us is a work in progress. Connect reminds us that true healing often happens in community.
It’s a philosophy that feels as refreshing as it is necessary — especially in an era of burnout, endless scrolling, and the weight of political unrest. Many of us are living through collective trauma. And in times like these, the temptation is often to shut down, to disconnect from ourselves and from each other. Yet what we need most is the opposite:
spaces that bring us closer, tools that help us stay present, and reminders that joy is still possible.
The brand’s debut product, In All Honesty, looks like a card game — but those who play quickly discover it’s much more.
The idea is simple: break through small talk, and step into real talk. With prompts that invite openness without pressure, the game helps honesty flow naturally. Whether with friends, family, or partners, it creates safe spaces for connection— the kind that anchors us during uncertain times. Play and connection aren’t just distractions.
They are essential for resilience. Science shows us that: Play releases dopamine, the feel- good chemical that boosts motivation. Connection produces oxytocin, the hormone that builds trust and softens fear.
Reflection activates the part of the brain that supports clarity, focus, and balance. In other words, play makes us feel safe. Connection makes us feel seen. Reflection helps us return to ourselves — without numbing or escaping.
This is why nafsuna’s tools are more than just games. They’re invitations to remember our humanity, even in the hardest of times.
The three founders — Dareen Kotob, Sara Abiqwa, and Mary Nazzal — came together because they shared a sense that the way many of us approach self-development felt too heavy, too serious, even overwhelming.
“Personal growth is beautiful, but it can also feel like just another task,” says Dareen, an emotional fitness coach and three-time TEDx speaker. “We wanted to bring back the joy, the play, the sense of being fully alive.”
For Sara, a self-empowerment coach who has guided hundreds of clients around the world, the vision was about creating practical yet soulful spaces for people to reconnect with themselves. “Sometimes, all people need is a gentle nudge, a question, or a playful space where they can show up as themselves,” she explains.
And, as she adds with a smile: “For me, it always comes back to keeping it real. Growth doesn’t have to be complicated or dressed up — it can be simple, honest, and human. That’s what we wanted nafsuna to feel like.”
For Mary — a social entrepreneur, barrister, and activist recognized by Forbes — nafsuna is as much about collective healing as it is about personal growth. “When people are hurting, when communities are under pressure, the instinct can be to withdraw. But the deeper truth is that we need each other. We need to come together.”
And for her, rooting the brand locally matters just as much: “It was important to us that the brand be rooted here. What we’re creating comes from our context, our challenges, and our hopes.”
Though In All Honesty is the flagship, it’s just the beginning. The team is preparing to launch:
Sawa, a couples game designed to deepen intimacy and spark real conversations.
Inner Journey Cards, a deck of 52 prompts to gently guide reflection and help people reconnect with themselves without the pressure of perfection or the numbness of avoidance.
Every product is designed and printed in Jordan, in collaboration with local businesses.
In a world marked by unease, disconnection, and trauma, nafsuna offers a different way forward. Its message is simple but radical: joy matters. Connection matters. Presence matters. As Dareen puts it, “We’re not just creating games. We’re creating spaces where people can
rediscover themselves and each other.”
Conscious living, made simple. Made playful. Made real. Visit www.nafsuna.com for more information.
