We recently connected with Melanie Young and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Melanie, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I was an only child with parents who believed in me and put me on a pedestal. My parents encouraged me to embrace my individuality, creativity and potential. At age 18, I read Dr. Wayne Dwyer’s book, “Your Erroneous Zones.” Dr Dwyer’s message was that your Self Worth in your True Worth and “No One Person’s Opinion of You is Half as Important as the One You Hold of Your Own Self.” I ended up writing my senior chapel talk based on my inspiration from this book. What I learned from both this books and from my parents is this: “Why be a copy of other people when you can be Your Own Original You?”
Even now when I have moments of self-doubt- and everyone does in life- I remind myself that Self Worth is the Greatest Value You Have. I write in a diary and remind myself this every day.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I wear a few hats based on my interests, talents and background. I am a motivational coach-consultant for independent entrepreneurs and creatives. I help them develop their communications skills and identify ways to market and promote their brands/services/books, etc. through strategic collaborations and content creation. I am also a Certified Specialist of Wine with a purpose to people about wine, and I write on wine topics.
Finally, I host two national podcasts, Fearless Fabulous You, which focuses on building your confidence, self-care and reinventing your life (for women). My second podcast is The Connected Table, which I co-host with my husband, David Ransom, also a wine writer. We travel the world to interview thought leaders in wine, food, spirits and hospitality and wine destinations. I am a natural storyteller and enjoy helping tell the stories of the fascinating people I meet around the world.
You can hear my shows on move than 40 podcast channels on demand including iHeart, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Abd you can find them (and more on me) as www.theconnectedtable.com and www.melanieyoung.com Instagram@melaniefabulous @theconnectedtable
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Having strong communications skills is important. This includes verbal and written skills as well as understanding body language. My mother taught public speaking at a local university and was writer. She inspired me to develop my communications skills.
Another is learning to rework a setback into a steppingstone. As a business owner, I have had to sell my services and many times faced the word “No.” Clients come and go. I never take things personally and I always used the experience to be and build better. I call it “reframing” a situation in a fresh new light. Every experience, good or bad, is a learning experience. Whether you are starting out or starting over, keep your mind open, curiosity intact and listen to both your intuition and your “gut instinct.”
Be both tenacious and gracious. Manners matter as does being a good listener and thoughtful speaker. People may not remember everything you said, but they will remember how you made them feel. I have also learned that making a positive and lingering lasting impression is as important (if not more) so than making that first impression.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I grew up with multi-tasking parents, so multi-tasking is in my DNA. Still, even the most adept multi-tasking can load too much on her plate. Over the years I have put myself on a multi-tasking diet to conserve my health and energy. Undergoing breast cancer treatment 15 years ago really changed my attitude on “overwork” because I attributed the stress from my “get it all done” work habits to impacting my health. Bottom line: before my breast cancer diagnosis my business came first. After my diagnosis. I put my self-care first.
I set both priorities and boundaries on my time and workload. Half the time a client says “I need it ASAP” they really don’t. Usually, I set a maximum of 5 key goals a day on my checklist and I have a “start and end” time to my day. Learning to say “no” or “not now” is important as is listening to your body’s needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.theconnectedtable.com and http://www.melanieyoung.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram/melaniefabulous and http://www.instagram.com/theconnectedtable.com
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fearlessfabulousmelanie and http://www.facebook.com/connectedtable
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/mightymelanie
Image Credits
Bobby Ryan Photography
