Not Alone
Not Alone
Valeria Lipovetsky
From Bullied Teen to Bestseller: Aija Mayrock’s Incredible Comeback Story
1 hour Posted Apr 22, 2025 at 7:00 am.
Aija Mayrock: Writing a book at 16 after years of bullying
Valeria on invisibility, insecurity, and showing up
Selling a TV show and choosing to get an MBA
Rediscovering Jewish identity and heritage
Performing spoken poetry at Madison Square Garden
Choosing life and finding strength after trauma
How parents can help kids open up
Traveling the world to document Jewish communities
Women vs. women—why the real divide isn’t gender
Falling in love after October 7th and facing backlash
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In this week’s episode, Valeria sits down with poet, author, and activist Aija Mayrock for a powerful conversation about healing, identity, and how we reclaim our voice after trauma. Aija opens up about being bullied for eight years, living with speech impediments, and how writing a book as a teenager saved her life. She shares her journey from self-publishing to becoming a bestselling author, performing spoken word at Madison Square Garden, and ultimately finding empowerment through creative expression. Valeria and Aija also unpack the pressures of growing up in immigrant families, what it means to choose life after darkness, and how reconnecting with Jewish identity transformed Aija’s mission. They speak candidly about confidence, judgment, legacy, and the complex dynamic between women in today’s world.  Plus, Valeria exclusively chats with Aija about her romance with Nuseir from Nas Daily.
Follow Aija: https://www.instagram.com/aijamayrock/ 
Aija’s books: https://www.aijamayrock.com/books  
Items mentioned: 
The Shvestsers: https://www.instagram.com/theshvesters/ (Yiddish singing sisters)
The Choice by Edith Eger: https://a.co/d/4rl6bSP 
New Earth by Eckhart Tolle: https://a.co/d/9odFZs9 
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl: https://a.co/d/aMFPumw
Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/ 
Shop my look from this episode: https://shopmy.us/collections/1437523 
What we talked about:
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