69. "I Googled My Own Symptoms Because I Thought Something Was Wrong With My Brain" episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 18, 2026 · 44 MIN

69. "I Googled My Own Symptoms Because I Thought Something Was Wrong With My Brain"

from Courageously Expressed | Post-Traumatic Purpose Reclamation · host Chelsea Bartell-Smith

Nicole had done everything right. Spiritual work. Energy clearing. Limiting belief reprogramming. She had the vision, the coaching certification, and a clear picture of the stage she wanted to stand on. She was also googling her own symptoms a week before we started working together — convinced something was neurologically wrong with her brain.It wasn't her mindset. It was her nervous system treating her dreams like a threat. In this episode, she walks us through what that actually felt like in her body, the two childhood memories that were quietly running her business decisions decades later, and what shifted when we finally worked with her body instead of around it.Three months later — she's giving a keynote talk as an international speaker. That was the dream she had stopped believing in.In this episode:The five-year-old alarm story — a moment Nicole laughed off for years that was secretly dictating her relationship with productivity and worthWhat 15 racing thoughts at once actually feels like in the body (and why calling it "Type A" kept her stuck)How regulation — not more strategy — became the foundation that let her finally buildThe concussion at 18 that locked her in a dark room and wired "useless = danger" into her nervous systemWhat it feels like when your nervous system finally believes the dream is safe — in her words: "It now feels inevitable. I know I'm going to soar."Ready to do this work?→ Work with me 1:1 — for the woman ready to get her brain and body on board with the vision she's been carrying.→ Join Confidence Mastery— for the woman who's wobbly as a newborn deer on a skateboard when it comes to owning her value & gifts.→ Join the Courage Container— for the woman who knows she desires more from herself & her life and wants the clarity, support, and growth to go all in.→ Join the Courage Portal — tools & support that build the Courageous ASF infrastructure to sustain your brilliance, authenticity, and emotional mastery.→ Connect with Nicole — find her on Instagram @wellnesswithnicole

Nicole had done everything right. Spiritual work. Energy clearing. Limiting belief reprogramming. She had the vision, the coaching certification, and a clear picture of the stage she wanted to stand on. She was also googling her own symptoms a week before we started working together — convinced something was neurologically wrong with her brain.It wasn't her mindset. It was her nervous system treating her dreams like a threat. In this episode, she walks us through what that actually felt like in her body, the two childhood memories that were quietly running her business decisions decades later, and what shifted when we finally worked with her body instead of around it.Three months later — she's giving a keynote talk as an international speaker. That was the dream she had stopped believing in.In this episode:The five-year-old alarm story — a moment Nicole laughed off for years that was secretly dictating her relationship with productivity and worthWhat 15 racing thoughts at once actually feels like in the body (and why calling it "Type A" kept her stuck)How regulation — not more strategy — became the foundation that let her finally buildThe concussion at 18 that locked her in a dark room and wired "useless = danger" into her nervous systemWhat it feels like when your nervous system finally believes the dream is safe — in her words: "It now feels inevitable. I know I'm going to soar."Ready to do this work?→ Work with me 1:1 — for the woman ready to get her brain and body on board with the vision she's been carrying.→ Join Confidence Mastery— for the woman who's wobbly as a newborn deer on a skateboard when it comes to owning her value & gifts.→ Join the Courage Container— for the woman who knows she desires more from herself & her life and wants the clarity, support, and growth to go all in.→ Join the Courage Portal — tools & support that build the Courageous ASF infrastructure to sustain your brilliance, authenticity, and emotional mastery.→ Connect with Nicole — find her on Instagram @wellnesswithnicole

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69. "I Googled My Own Symptoms Because I Thought Something Was Wrong With My Brain"

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Courageously Expressed | Post-Traumatic Purpose Reclamation?

This episode is 44 minutes long.

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This episode was published on March 18, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Nicole had done everything right. Spiritual work. Energy clearing. Limiting belief reprogramming. She had the vision, the coaching certification, and a clear picture of the stage she wanted to stand on. She was also googling her own symptoms a week...

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