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

Magpie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

I feel one of the major defining moments of my career is actually the catalyst behind my focus, Courage Through Fear™. I truly believe that most great things start with an act of bravery. And as a coach I want to help people find that swell of courage to take the first scary step, no matter how shaky they may feel. However, as someone who has suffered the effects of an anxiety disorder for most of my life, I understand how impossible basic tasks can come to feel. Let alone larger, goal-oriented tasks. I haven’t always chosen bravery; it wasn’t something I viewed as an option during most panic attacks or cortisol-flooded anxiety spirals. I lived my life by the whim of my faulty adrenal glands more often than I didn’t and it sucked. I felt that I missed a lot of opportunities and strained a lot of my relationships. But what was I supposed to do? I was scared and frozen and felt the world was crumbling around me. I did my best to cope and mitigate potentially triggering situations, but it wasn’t until 2019, when I missed my flight back home and was told I would have to wait till early morning to get on a new one, that a different understanding started to click into place. I called my dad, sobbing, saying that I was too overwhelmed to figure this out. Finding a hotel and a ride to take me there and making sure I made it back in time for my flight the next day was TOO MUCH. I can’t do it. And he just calmly said “Well, kiddo… you don’t really have a choice.”. It was like an ugly lightbulb illuminated dark corners of my brain. He was right. What were my options? Panic hopelessly in the airport for hours? Or suck it up and figure it out. It didn’t stop me from being scared and uncomfortable, but it briefly gave me enough perspective to realize that I’m still in control even if my emotions aren’t. So I handled it, and I made it home the next day. Heart pounding and hands shaking, I did it. I wish I could say that it cured me and I’ve been perfect at practice courage ever since, but that’s just untrue. Because in 2021 I was on a Leave of Absence from my retail job. My mental health had declined again and I was having panic attacks in store on the clock. I felt defeated and stupid for not being able to handle a basic part-time job. I knew something had to change or I would be stuck in this vicious cycle of my anxiety dictating what I can and can’t do forever. I am not against medication, but I personally wanted to try to find a solution without it first. So I started talk therapy. I figured having neutral ground to vent all my feelings and thought-spirals to could be helpful. It was there, again, that that ugly lightbulb clicked back on. After several sessions of me talking about all the things I wanted to do and feel and all the steps that I wanted to take that felt too hard, my therapist finally and plainly said to me “Be scared and do it anyway.”. It stuck. My focus of Courage Through Fear™ was born. I realized that, as much as it was kind of a bummer to hear, there was no solution to never feeling afraid again. I had been faced with the truth that the solution a lot of the time is just to do it. It’s an annoying truth that has been incredibly hard to practice, but the reward of conquering that fear is so worth the discomfort you feel in the moment. It continues to prove to you over and over that problems aren’t as unsolvable as they may seem. That change is going to happen and it can be manageable. Sometimes things are just hard. Sometimes you are just afraid. But more often than not, if you attempt to take the step that feels impossible, you’ll find out you’re a lot more capable than you think, and that things rarely end in utter catastrophe like you may feel. This personal realization was part of the reason I wanted to go into coaching. I know firsthand what it’s like to spend a lot of your time frozen or just trying to keep your footing. I want to be that emotional blacksmith for people that encourages them to pick up their metaphorical sword and shield and venture forward. I am still affected by anxiety and sometimes it takes me longer to get out of that cloud than I would like, but the practice of courage has changed how I view the world more than I anticipated. I’ve gained more than I’ve lost by choosing bravery when I’m able.

Magpie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Magpie (like the bird!), and I am a certified Personal Development Coach. I have had the privilege of being mentored and certified in Rescue Your Dreams™ coaching by my dad, Adam Mock. I am passionate about creating a safe space where people understand that they are allowed to express what they’re thinking and feeling without fear of judgment. Everybody wants to be seen, heard and valued. And I strive to foster that environment for people as often as I can. As someone who’s dealt with the effects of an anxiety disorder for most of my life, I am also incredibly passionate about teaching and practicing bravery. There is a healthy balance to strike between knowing when to rest, and knowing when to hold your sword up high and venture forward. Often times the latter is easier said than done. My goal with my clients is to help them uncover their intrinsic motivation so they can summon their Courage Through Fear™ when the situation calls for it.

I offer 1 hour one-on-one confidential coaching sessions dedicated to helping you better understand what you want, what’s preventing you from having it, and what some strong steps you can take may be. It’s easier and easier in this era to get tangled up in a web of opinions and perspectives and all-or-nothing thinking. With all the information we’re taking in daily it’s not uncommon for our own thoughts and feelings to get buried. As a coach I offer guided conversation, encourage honest introspection, and will be a voice to hold you accountable so you can begin to strengthen your own voice and live your life more authentically.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Empathy! Empathy is everything. To truly understand what someone is going through from THEIR perspective, not yours. As a coach I cannot begin to be helpful if I can’t comprehend where my client stands. If I were to insert all of my own thoughts and perspectives into their situation we would get nowhere. If I were to approach anything with the stance of “Well that’s not how I would handle it.” I instantly block myself off from being capable of knowing the person I’m talking to, and they’re left feeling isolated and unheard. Empathy does not equal agreement, I don’t have to align myself with any of my clients values or agree with any of their actions. But I HAVE to understand. I have to know why they did what they did, why they think what they think, why they feel what they feel. And I have to let them know I understand. A great tip I was taught on how to be a better listener (and to help yourself see other people’s perspectives) is to paraphrase back to them what they just said. Don’t parrot, paraphrase. Find new words to use to prove you have comprehension of the topic.

Example:

“I loved living out in Vegas. There was always something going on and always something to do.”
“That makes a lot of sense! You could never be bored with how fast-paced everything is.”
“Yes, exactly!”

I like this example because:
A. I don’t personally like Vegas. But empathy does not equal agreement! Just understanding. I can understand why this particular person would like it out there.
B. They now feel heard and understood and will probably be more open to sharing memories and stories surrounding the topic, which allows me to know them better.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

Absolutely. Besides having the tools I need to help the people on their journey, coaching has majorly impacted my life personally. The ability to empathetically understand people has strengthened my relationships and given them more depth. The ability to know what my strengths are and where I have opportunities to grow has given me a different and healthy perspective on failure (and how it’s a natural part of success. It teaches you what doesn’t work!). The drive to be at least 1% better in practicing Courage Through Fear™ each time it’s an option has helped me be braver than I have been before. The ability to assess what I want, what’s stopping me and what steps to take next has nurtured a progressive mindset that allows me to keep moving. Coaching is just such a fascinating, nuanced thing. It’s about discovery, rediscovery, and uncovering. It shows you just how capable you are and helps you to feel more authentically yourself. It also teaches you to stay curious and be open to growth and change.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.magpiemock.com/
• Instagram: @magpiemock