In dieser Folge spreche ich mit Leonie, einer starken, inspirierenden Bodybuilderin, und Pole Dancerin – doch ihr Weg geht weit über den Sport hinaus. Leonie steht nicht nur für körperliche Kraft, sondern vor allem für mentale Stärke, Disziplin und einen Glauben an sich selbst.

Wir tauchen gemeinsam in die Frage ein: Was bedeutet es, sich selbst wirklich herauszufordern? Was passiert, wenn man Grenzen nicht nur spürt, sondern bewusst überschreitet? Leonie erzählt offen von ihrem Mindset, den inneren Kämpfen und warum es so wichtig ist, Dinge im Leben mindestens einmal ausprobiert zu haben – selbst (oder gerade dann), wenn sie unbequem sind. Deswegen hat Sie es schon zwei mal auf die Bodybuilding Bühne geschafft und es werden noch mehr.

Diese Folge ist nicht nur für Sportbegeisterte. Sie ist für alle, die spüren, dass sie mehr aus sich herausholen wollen. Eine ehrliche, tiefgehende Reise über Mut, Selbstüberwindung und die mentale Power, die in uns allen steckt.

What happens when your own life becomes the research for the book that changes everything?

In this episode of Stories Behind Strength, I sit down with Susan Winter bestselling author, relationship expert, and one of the most sought-after voices on love, identity, and self-discovery. Susan's career took a defining turn with her breakout book on older women and younger men relationships, a project that began not as a marketing strategy, but as an honest excavation of her own lived experience. Every insight, every hard-won lesson, came directly from her own relationships, which is exactly what makes her work resonate so deeply with readers around the world.

This conversation goes far beyond relationship advice. It's a story about the courage it takes to examine your own life honestly, to turn personal experience into wisdom, and to build a body of work rooted in truth rather than convention. Susan opens up about what it really means to know yourself — not the polished, curated version, but the version that emerges only after you've sat with your own choices, your own heartbreak, and your own growth.

We talk about:

• How Susan's personal relationships became the foundation for her bestselling book
• The difference between conventional relationship "rules" and lived truth
• What self-discovery actually looks like when it's uncomfortable
• How vulnerability, not certainty became her greatest source of authority
• Why understanding yourself is the real prerequisite for understanding love
• The confidence it takes to publish your own story for the world to judge

Whether you're navigating your own relationships, rebuilding your sense of self, or simply curious what it takes to turn personal truth into public impact, this episode is a reminder that our deepest challenges often become our most powerful contributions.

This is a conversation about resilience in its quietest form the kind that shows up in self-honesty, not just in triumph.

This conversation isn’t just about trophies or titles—it’s about the individual Bethanie,, the relationships, and the love that make an athlete’s journey truly meaningful.

Because when we think of sport, we often see the wins, the medals, the highlight reels. But what we don’t always see are the relationships behind it all—the partners, the teammates, the coaches, the loved ones—those who share the struggles, the comebacks, and the joy.

And that’s where Bethanie Mattek-Sands shines. She’s not only a Grand Slam champion and Olympic gold medalist—she’s someone who has built her life with connection. Whether it’s the chemistry of doubles, the support of her husband Justin, or the way she brings fans into her world with authenticity and fun, Bethanie reminds us that the game is bigger than the scoreline.

This conversation is about what it really means to compete—not just for yourself, but with and for the people you love. It’s about resilience, joy, and finding a reason to be out there that’s bigger than tennis itself.