Courage to redefine strength.
Every week I ask my Brave New Girls podcast guest how they define courage.
This is how Dr. Nicole Fleischmann, a pioneering urologist, pelvic floor surgeon, and author of The Second Mouth, thinks of it:
"Courage is authenticity- choosing not to give it up for anything."
In a world that asks women to hold it in- literally and metaphorically, this definition is radical. True courage, Nicole says, is choosing to be in your body and to speak the truth of your experience, even when no one else is talking about it. Especially when no one else is.
Nicole spent decades working in the conventional medical system, prescribing Kegels and doing surgeries. But after watching women suffer pelvic dysfunction, she had the courage to question everything she'd been taught. She listened to her patients and to their bodies.
What she discovered was that healing isn’t about tightening, clenching, or doing more. It’s about redefining strength and letting go.
“We are taught to suck in our stomachs, clench our butts, and hide our needs. That’s not strength. That’s disconnection.”
The real act of bravery? Learning to breathe deeply. Feeling your pelvic floor. Listening to your bladder. Allowing softness instead of striving. Nicole teaches that this shift is not just physical- it’s emotional, neurological, and deeply feminine.
To embody this courage means facing long-held patterns, societal conditioning, and internalised shame- and choosing to rewrite the story.
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Dare to do things differently, for a happier, healthier, impactful life.
Here are practical ways to embrace courage & support well beings on a well planet:
10 Actionable Steps to Build Courage:
Connect with your body
Place a hand on your belly and take one slow sniff. Feel where your breath goes.Own your experience
Leaking, urgency, pain—none of it is "just part of being a woman." Name it.Unclench your reflexes
Jaw, belly, butt—notice where you're holding. Then soften.Reframe resistance
If you’ve tried everything, this isn't just another method. It’s a mindset shift.Ask new questions
Not "How do I tighten?" but "How do I open?" Not "What’s wrong with me?" but "What is my body telling me?"Ground yourself in breath
The sniff is the gateway. Let it lead your nervous system to calm.Educate yourself and others
Read The Second Mouth. Share it. Talk about it. Break the silence.Observe your posture
Sit tall. Tilt your hips forward slightly. Let your diaphragm move.Understand the second stage of toilet training
It’s never too late to relearn how to pee properly—with breath, not push.Speak your truth
With your doctor, your partner, your friends. Courage is contagious.
Courage is not clenching through the pain- it’s opening to your truth, your breath, and your body's wisdom.
PS. As your Wellbeing Coach, I give you the tools to heal, grow & create the life you want.
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