We recently connected with Marrielle Monte and have shared our conversation below.
Marrielle, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Overcoming imposter syndrome is definitely a journey with a lot of layers. Our brains are wired to keep us safe, so it’s totally normal for negative thoughts to pop up and sometimes hold us back.
I remember when I was writing my first children’s book—I was so excited to create something that would inspire kids to see their own potential. As a mom and a creator, I wanted to help children realize they could talk to themselves in a positive way, something I saw so many elementary-aged students struggling with. But even with all that passion, imposter syndrome crept in. That little voice in my head kept whispering, Who are you to do this? Are you really the right person for this message? It was ironic—here I was, writing a book to teach kids about self-belief, while I was wrestling with my own doubts. As the saying goes, we often teach what we need to learn the most.
Then something happened that changed everything. My book wasn’t just published—it got amazing feedback from parents, and I saw firsthand how it was making a difference for kids. That moment was a wake-up call. I realized that even though doubt had been there, so had my intuition. And my intuition was right—I did have something valuable to offer. That experience taught me one of the biggest lessons of all: trust yourself, because your unique voice matters.
And honestly, I think this struggle is so common. Whether it’s starting a new job, parenting, or chasing a dream, self-doubt can feel like a huge barrier. But I’ve learned that we can move past it. The trick is to challenge those negative thoughts. When I catch myself thinking, What if I’m not good enough? I ask, Do I have proof that this fear is real? Most of the time, I don’t. Our minds tend to cling to negative experiences while brushing off the positive ones.
Another thing that helps is flipping the script. Instead of focusing on fear, I ask, What if I don’t go for it? Who won’t I help? What will their life be like? Where will I be a year from now if I let this fear stop me? And then I go even further—What if I push past this? What could my life look like on the other side of this challenge? How would it feel to succeed? Who could I help by showing up fully? I still come back to these questions whenever new doubts show up.
Your questions might be different, but the goal is the same—to shift focus from fear to possibility. As Suzy Kassem so powerfully put it, “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” The truth is, that every successful person has faced self-doubt. The difference is, they didn’t let it win. They learned to get comfortable with discomfort and leap anyway. That’s when amazing things happen.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
What if the words we tell ourselves as children shape the way we see the world forever? That question led me to write Magic Thinking for Kids and develop The Happiness Flip workshop, both focused on helping children build positive self-talk and emotional resilience. Through my children’s book and interactive workshops, I teach kids how to turn negative thoughts into empowering ones, helping them build confidence and emotional well-being at an early age.
However, I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I hadn’t grown up in the performing arts. I grew up as a singer, dancer and actor, dreaming of the day I would perform on Broadway. Keeping that focus in mind through college, I did land on Broadway and enjoyed performing around the world in many productions, commercials, videos and films. I took a break from the arts to raise my son. This story is how I got to where I am today.
When I discovered the International Day of Happiness in 2015, I felt compelled to share the joy it represents. I approached my son’s elementary school principal with the idea of teaching the kids a “happy dance” and inspiring them to create happiness in their lives. After an exhilarating day of teaching, I shared an important message with the students: I’m not always happy, but in those moments, I look into the mirror and speak to myself. I affirm, “I am POWERFUL!” “I am SMART!” and “I am STRONG!” Their initial giggles turned into a lively wave of participation as they joined in, shouting out affirmations of empowerment. By the day’s end, all the students were beaming with excitement and joy, jumping and shrieking with delight.
One curious child asked, “We can talk to ourselves that way?” and another exclaimed, “This was the best day of my life!” I left the school with a heavy heart, realizing that many children were unaware of their potential to uplift themselves with positive self-talk. I knew I had to act. My research revealed a need for more resources dedicated to empowering children in this way, and I was compelled to fill that gap by writing *Magic Thinking for Kids* in 2018. I am proud to share that the book has received three distinguished awards. Additionally, I created a coloring book titled Magic Thinking Affirmations: Coloring Book to complement the picture book.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I could not visit schools, so I created the Happiness Flip Workshop to teach children the principles of my book virtually. It’s not just about reciting affirmations; it’s about envisioning and feeling those emotions as if the positive thoughts have already come true. As Napoleon Hill wrote, Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Feeling the emotion of that belief is the key.
Seeing the transformation in kids’ eyes as they light up with newfound power and confidence brings me such joy. I teach them that while negative thoughts are natural, we can shift our perspective, practice gratitude, and use simple tools to flip those thoughts. One such tool is grounded in the idea, as explained by Zig Ziglar, that our minds cannot distinguish between reality and imagination. By feeding our minds with images of ourselves already achieving and embodying our desired emotions and states, our minds align with those visions.
Since my son is busy in high school now, I have returned to my first love…performing. I am back to acting and am making films too. It’s exciting to allow my mind to experience a fictitious circumstance in my head and watch the behavior that unfolds. People ask what is it about acting that I love? I can “live” in situations I would never be able to experience because I live a rather “normal” life. I am married, with a child and a pet, and live in the quiet suburbs of Denver. However, when I get to act, I get to live in heightened circumstances that emotionally take me all over the map, experiences that I may not encounter in real life. Some situations may be outrageously funny, sad, or tragic. It’s exciting to experience emotions that I don’t usually get to embody. It makes me feel alive.
Since writing a children’s book, I have found that I enjoy working directly with kids, too. I love visiting schools, and community centers for book readings and workshops. Empowering young minds is so fulfilling! When not filming, I enjoy visiting in person or virtually!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, there are a few things that have really shaped my journey—skills and mindsets that I keep coming back to, again and again:
✨ Creativity & Vision
For me, everything starts with imagination. I’ve always been someone who loves exploring new ideas and seeing what’s possible. I honestly believe that curiosity is where the magic begins—just being willing to try things, play, experiment, and think differently. Some of my best ideas have come from just letting myself follow a spark and see where it leads.
💪 Perseverance & Resilience
There have definitely been highs and lows along the way. But what I’ve learned is that resilience isn’t about having it all figured out—it’s about learning from the messy parts. I’ve failed plenty of times, but those moments always taught me something. The key is to stay flexible, keep showing up, and trust both the process and your own gut.
🤝 Connection & Communication
People have been such an important part of my journey. From creative collaborations to meaningful conversations, it’s often the relationships that have opened the biggest doors. If I could give one piece of advice here, it would be: stay open. Be yourself, be curious, and take the time to build real connections—you never know where they might lead.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Ooh, great question! Yes! I love partnering with teachers, librarians, and administrators at schools, community centers, and churches to empower children. Hearing stories of kids identifying their negative thoughts and reshaping them using my strategies brings me so much joy. I’d be thrilled to visit elementary-aged children around the world! You may reach me at [email protected].
On the filmmaking side, collaborating with investors is key to sharing goodness with the world. Their support brings these uplifting stories to life! Now more than ever, we need feel-good stories. I’m passionate about writing and producing films and would love to partner with investors who want to impact the world. You may reach me at [email protected].
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marriellemonte.com www.chestnuttreefilms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marrielle_monte/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marrielle.monte
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marriellemonte/
Image Credits
Stacy Firkus, April Thompson, Kelly Collier, Lyle “Pookie”, Johnathan Aguero
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