We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jackie Birch. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jackie below.

Jackie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression at age 13. I remember asking my therapist at the time, “Ok, so how do I cure this?” She looked at me with soft eyes and said, “There is no cure, but medication can help.”

I felt frozen in time at that moment, thinking, “Am I going to be sick forever?” I could not accept that there would be no cure or solution and that medication was going to be something I HAD to take every day. I was determined to find an outlet to let my mind rest and my body release all the tension and frustration I had accumulated thus far.

Fast forward to seven years later, at the beginning of 2020 right before COVID-19, I tried to take my own life. I stopped running as much from 2019 to 2020 due to moving out of my childhood home at 19 years old and embarking on a new life in Florida, trying to support myself and make ends meet. Let’s just say it did not take me long to realize why it wasn’t typical to sign a lease for your apartment at 19 years old. Life got overwhelming quickly, to say the least, and it felt like I was the 13-year-old sitting in a therapist’s chair again being told, “There is no cure for your anxiety.”

This experience made me realize I am here for a higher purpose. I am meant to help people who have been in my shoes. I became determined to make a better life for myself.

I began running again, taking control and responsibility for my actions and the way my life was. I stopped feeling like a victim and became the CEO of my life. I found pride in myself when I would reach new milestones in running distances I never imagined I could. I defied my doubts when I signed up for my first half marathon and conquered my mind so I could let my body do the work it was craving.

My story has led me to be who I am today, and I aim to help others confront the aspects of themselves that they wish to avoid, enhance their self-awareness by connecting their mind and body, and learn to work on the two together simultaneously. Ultimately, I want to help people be able to use their mind and body in coherence to step into their most powerful and authentic self.

Jackie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I began my coaching practice as a Soul Purpose Coach in 2021 with the intention of helping others discover their purpose in life. I found that the most helpful advice I offered my clients was to move their bodies for at least 30 minutes a day to help them see the connection between the mind and the body. This helped me explain how their bodies are constantly relaying messages to them and that sometimes shutting off their minds and stepping into their bodies is how they find the answers to their questions. This led to a specialization in helping clients trust their gut and follow their heart.

I noticed the results in my clients when I introduced movement into their daily routines, and I remembered how much running had helped me. This realization led me to narrow my practice down to being a Mindset and Running Coach.

Before I coach a client, create a program, or deliver messages to others, I make sure I walk the talk of my advice. My first half marathon was the perfect opportunity to combine mental and physical training and to step into the role of my own coach. I trained my mind to believe in myself so profoundly that the fatigue that would inevitably fill my legs throughout the race, along with other distractions in my day-to-day life, would stand no chance of taking me down. Giving up on either part of myself was not an option.

I began creating a new program for my coaching business during my training in 2023 and finished it after my first half marathon in 2024. The program is called Run To Not From. This name stemmed from my training, where I felt like I had been “running to” what I wanted to “run from.” I was confronting my shadows and using them to help me grow rather than trying to lose them altogether.

I realized that all the training programs for marathons, half marathons, 10Ks, etc., focused only on body training, but for me, my mind was the biggest obstacle I encountered during my training. Through talking with other runners, I realized they also needed a mind training program where they could view their minds as muscles and learn how to train them to develop a strong foundation and maintain it. I refer to going to the gym and doing squats as the same as working on your mental health—if you don’t keep up with the training, you will lose your progress.

My coaching practice is unique in helping runners of all stages. Whether it’s runners participating in their first race or their hundredth race, I teach them how to conquer their minds along with their bodies during the training program. I lead with integrity and authenticity while striving to hold my clients accountable without judgment. I provide a space where they are free to feel any and all emotions that come to the surface, all while having FUN—because I believe that if you aren’t having fun while training, then it isn’t worth it.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There have been multiple times in my life where, despite my hardest efforts, things did not work out. In relation to running, there was a period when it felt like I just kept getting injured.

I continued to set different goals—running longer distances, running more than four days a week, waking up every morning at 5 AM to run before work—only to experience setback after setback. Some of the challenges I faced included painful and unattractive blisters on my feet, shin splints, pulled muscles, and even, in my opinion, the grossest, losing toenails.

I felt like something I knew I was good at (running) was being met with obstacle after obstacle, making it impossible to even come close to hitting a new milestone. I felt defeated and knocked down time and time again, which made me lose confidence in my ability to do what I loved.

This is where I learned to listen to my body. It became evident that something was not working anymore with the way I was doing things. I realized I was not paying attention to what I call my body’s warning signs. I found I was not stretching nearly enough before or after a run, I was wearing the wrong socks and sneakers while running and knew it, but I felt as if I could just “suck it up” and push through. Additionally, I was burning myself out with 5 AM wake-ups every single day, which was nearly impossible and unhealthy.

The obstacles and challenges actually became my greatest teacher in my running career. I learned from them that you can do absolutely anything you put your mind to if you listen to your body, nurture yourself, realize that rest is productive, and hold yourself in a space of love, compassion, and non-judgment. When you try to control and rush the timing of something happening, rather than moving with the motions and being patient with yourself and the day’s circumstances, you will be met with friction.

I believe this translates to everything in life. The more you try to force an outcome, the less likely it is to happen. Taking a step back and going back to the basics (e.g., stretching, substituting a long walk for a long run if your body is in pain, resting) will help propel you forward when your body is ready to get back out there. Remember, you are not a victim, and nothing is happening to you; it is all happening for your greater good.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe reputation is not only constructed on being authentic, consistent, kind, and having integrity but also on the way you make others feel. I treat my clients as if they are strategic partners, and even though they may come to me for advice, I am learning just as much from them as they are from me. I am mindful that every person is different and that one client’s program might not work perfectly for another. So, I take the time to get to know my clients as people so I can best learn and understand how they receive constructive guidance, how much support they need, how and when to encourage them, etc., all to make each person feel safe, excited, and happy when working with me.

I feel that my purpose is much bigger than I am, allowing me to put my ego aside and show my vulnerability with my clients. I also do this through social media by posting everything—including my runs that are not good—and explaining how and where my struggles stemmed from that day.

Running is a community sport—there truly is no competition other than who you were yesterday, who you are today, and who you want to be tomorrow. We are all in this life to grow; the best part about growth is when you can do it with others. I encourage everyone, not just clients, to ask for help and know it is a sign of strength.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tonotfrom.net
• Instagram: @lifesabirch__

Image Credits

Lizzie Mulvaney