Courage to take action.

Every week I ask my Brave New Girls podcast guest how they define courage. This is how Starre Vartan, science journalist, environmental writer, sustainable living expert, essayist and author of The Stronger Sex, thinks of it:

“I think courage is really about feeling scared, intimidated, and frustrated, and all the like icky feelings — and doing the thing anyway.”

Starre reminds us that courage isn’t about feeling fearless. It’s about acting anyway, in full awareness of the discomfort, doubt, and vulnerability that accompany anything worth doing.

Courage is sweaty-palmed, heart-racing, imperfectly human action. It’s speaking up when you feel unworthy. It’s lifting weights in a room full of strangers. It’s asking for help when you’ve been conditioned to do it all alone. It’s facing your pain instead of ignoring it.

Starre’s own courage shines through in her writing and research. The Stronger Sex challenges a deeply embedded cultural narrative- that male bodies are the norm, and female bodies are the lesser version. To flip that assumption, to gather data, consult scientists, and present the female body not as fragile but as enduring, regenerative, and incredibly strong, took guts. And yet, as she says, the courage didn’t come from not feeling afraid- it came from taking the next right step, even when she did.

So how do we grow that kind of courage in our own lives?

We stop waiting for the fear to disappear and start acting with it. We remember that courage builds in action, not before it. We make space for discomfort. We show up. We mess up. We get back up. 

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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:

1.     Challenge cultural myths
Unlearn outdated beliefs about your worth, body, and place in the world. Courage begins when you rewrite the script.

2.     Own your story
Share your truth, especially the parts you’ve hidden. Owning your experiences gives others permission to do the same.

3.     Use your voice
Speak up, even if your voice shakes. Ask questions, set boundaries, advocate for yourself and others.

4.     Reclaim your body
Move in ways that feel strong, joyful, or free, not because you “should,” but because you can.

5.     Accept imperfection
Let it be messy. Bravery isn’t about being flawless, it’s about taking the step anyway.

6.     Ground yourself
Use breathwork, nature, movement, or stillness to return to the present moment and calm your nervous system.

7.     Expand your edges
Stretch gently beyond your comfort zone- a new class, a bold ask, a small risk- and build trust in yourself.

8.     Open to connection
Share your courageous goals with others. Join a group or buddy up- bravery is contagious.

9.     Undo the freeze
When fear strikes, act. Even one small move can melt paralysis and build momentum.

10.  Stay with it
Discomfort is temporary. Courage comes from staying present through the hard part- and witnessing your own strength.

Courage isn’t about confidence, it’s about showing up anyway.

PS. As your Wellbeing Coach, I give you the tools to heal, grow & create the life you want. 

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