Meet Melody Faith Dunlap

We recently connected with Melody Faith Dunlap and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Melody Faith, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I overcome it consistently by returning to the foundational truth that I am a flawed human who was made in the image of an immaculate Creator. I’ve been blessed, so I want to be a blessing to others — whether it’s through giving my time, talents or treasures. It’s perfectly okay for me to unapologetically operate in all my gifts and talents and to be grateful when someone is inspired or encouraged by them, as long as I humbly remember where I came from. Imposter syndrome seeks to throw on this hypocritical cloak of false humility, acting undeserving of honor in an effort to not appear arrogant. The truth is, if you did a good job, people should be allowed to tell you without being gaslit into thinking they weren’t as impacted as they were, and it feeds your soul to hear their words of encouragement.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My husband and I founded a marketing and media consulting company called JMD Productions, and I also work in ministry as a worship leader and team trainer. As a creative + administrative person, I’m very unique. Most people are either visionaries with lots of big ideas or strategists with lots of analytical skills, but God made me both, and I’m grateful. I’ve often been told to choose one side or pick a lane, but I relish in defying the odds and bringing my whole self to the industries I’m called to impact. I thrive on project management and bringing order to chaos by helping people analyze the effectiveness of their systems and develop strategies for sustainability. Overall, I love helping people discover, embrace, and share new aspects of their purpose on this earth. It’s what led me to write a book and start a podcast (both set to launch very soon!) about overcoming insecurity — the number one thief of creative innovation. I passionately teach people how to live in Security instead of allowing low self-esteem and a poor self-image to control their thoughts and toss their emotions out of control.
My personal journey to embracing all of who God made me to be has been a roller coaster ride that I wouldn’t trade for the world. For the longest time, I thought I was either insufficient or far too much to be loved, accepted, and valued. But through this beautiful self-discovery journey, my perception has changed and expanded to see how I both stand out in my spheres of influence and fit into God’s amazing plan.
Every person is valuable to this world, and I believe each of us has received a unique, divine investment of giftings, dreams, talents, and passions. My mission is to help others give God an exponential return on His investment.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I would have to say my top 3 necessary character qualities would be self-awareness, vulnerability, and courage. It’s vitally important for us to be honest about where we are, or we’ll never get to where we’re going. How can you expect a GPS to give you accurate directions without knowing your current location? That’s what self-awareness does for you. It takes a long, healthy look in the mirror to make you acknowledge how far you’ve come while also realizing your opportunities for growth without the burden of comparison. Introspection is necessary for growing, because growth on the outside actually starts on the inside. I’ve also learned—often the hard way—the importance of vulnerability. Contrary to popular belief, it takes much more strength to be honest, humble, and vulnerable than it does to put up a strong front. It’s so important to have an inner circle of people you can be vulnerable with and accountable to. I’m extremely grateful for mine, and I do my best to provide safe spaces for others as well.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned about courage is that it’s often developed from nothing, but grows exponentially when demonstrated. Life is full of risks and can only truly be lived if you exercise your faith with action. Take the leap! Try something new! Even if it looks like you’ve failed, you’re learning and expanding your capacity, and that is most definitely a win.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My husband, Josh, is definitely my biggest supporter, often shifting between playing the role of street team, fan, coach, or cheerleader. He encourages me to bring my best self without pressuring me to give a perfect performance. He challenges me to dig deeper and think bigger, and he patiently puts up with all my anxious overthinking and analyzing like a champ! Together, we have weathered some hard storms of life and entrepreneurship — managing limited resources and debating different ways to better serve our clients while simultaneously investing in our own mental health. Though we haven’t always made the bottom line figure we desire, we continuously work to gain more in skill and knowledge that we can apply to the next season, and we always push each other to try again. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s always proven to be worth it. Having someone who can listen and seek to understand the heart behind your actions is an invaluable trait in a partner. I’m extremely blessed to be in business with my best friend.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Mental Health
Mental Health: Inspiring Stories of Perseverance and Resilience

As the prevalence of mental health issues increases and affects an ever larger number of

Leadership Development
Finding & Living with Purpose

Over the years we’ve had the good fortunate of speaking with thousands of successful entrepreneurs,