In this empowering episode of The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel welcome a very special guest: leadership, confidence and mindset coach Fiona Spence. With a background that spans corporate burnout, martial arts, deep mindset work and years of helping people transform their lives, Fiona brings a powerful mix of wisdom, humour and no-nonsense clarity.

Together, the trio unpack why so many of us — especially women in our 40s and 50s — feel stuck, lose confidence or procrastinate even when we know exactly what we want. Fiona explains how our “hindbrain” is wired for survival (not success), why familiar patterns feel safe even when they keep us small, and how procrastination is often your brain’s misguided attempt to ‘protect’ you from change.

Using fascinating stories, simple analogies (including washing-up mindfulness!), and deeply practical strategies, Fiona shows how mindset blocks form, how to recognise them, and the small actions that trigger huge shifts. She also dives into how deeper coaching works — from conversational hypnosis to uncovering root causes hidden in our unconscious minds.

This episode is equal parts insight, laughter, vulnerability and lightbulb moments. Whether you're rebuilding confidence, exploring new dreams, navigating midlife changes, or simply wanting to understand your mind better, this conversation is full of “aha” moments and gentle but powerful truth bombs.

A beautifully human reminder that growth starts with recognising the issue, owning it, and taking the smallest next step — and that sometimes, we all need a little bit of Fiona in our lives.