We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa C. Mark, MD. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.
Melissa, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
I think my optimism is directly inherited from my father, Merle; he always looked at the world from a glass-is-half-full perspective. Like many parents, Dad had a set of well worn phrases he would offer in times of sadness, stress, or difficulty. My favorite? “Every day is a good day, Peanut. Some are just good-er than others.” Over the years I realized that when he’d say this, it wasn’t because he was trying to downplay whatever it was that made me feel low. Instead, he wanted me to recognize and acknowledge the importance of expressing gratitude everyday, even when things felt tough or weren’t going how I wanted them to.
EVERY day you get to live is a good day; be grateful for each one.
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?
Hi! My name is Melissa and I’ve always been drawn to endeavors that help others through healing. I knew I wanted to be a family medicine doctor when I was four years old, and I realized this goal in my later twenties. Once I settled into clinical practice, I became increasingly aware of how often limiting beliefs got in the way of my patients’ overall levels of health and wellness. I wanted to help my patients overcome these roadblocks and feel empowered in their health care decisions and realized that what I was looking for was not within the confines of a standard, western medical paradigm.
Enter my idea for the I AMulet®, an intention necklace that helps you address the limiting beliefs preventing you from realizing and embracing the power you have over your own life path.
What makes the I AMulet design special is how I draw from my knowledge and experiences as a healer to compose affirmations and intention statements directed toward the limiting beliefs people hold close. I pair these writings with the harmonizing energy of gemstones to create meaningful pendants for I AMulet necklaces. With an interchangeable pendant design, each person can style their I AMulet to best address their unique situation; it’s a piece that can change over time and grow with each person. Currently the I AMulet has over 25 different affirmation/pendant options, and I continue to expand the collection.
I find great joy in helping people overcome their limiting beliefs and take charge of their lives. When wearing an I AMulet, they take an active role in that process.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Only three? That’s tough.
One – Be present and truly listen when people share themselves with you. It’s not always easy to do this because it requires you to put your own concerns aside and focus on another person with more than just your ears. True listening uses your eyes, your mind, and your heart. When you are able to do this, it’s amazing what you will learn from another person. If I hadn’t been listening to my patients, I wouldn’t ever have thought to create the I AMulet®.
Two – Self Compassion – The enemy of good is better. This is a phrase from medical school, and I repeat it to myself almost daily. Basically, it means that when you are focused only on perfection, you lose sight of the larger picture and risk losing an already amazing outcome. Think that project/paper/product/presentation/item that you’ve been working on for way too long needs another revision or edit? It doesn’t. It’s amazing as it stands – turn the work in. If you always second guess yourself and your work, you’ll never be able to move forward and grow.
Three – Collaboration – We all do better when we ALL do better. This phrase is from the late Paul Wellstone, a professor from my college alma mater and our former MN Senator. I interpret this sentence to mean that the collaboration with, and celebration of others is the key to everyone’s success and satisfaction. Senator Wellstone’s perspective has been incredibly insightful as I’ve grown my business, and I’ve made some solid connections that I wouldn’t ever have found if I hadn’t been open to collaborative endeavors.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Yes – how can I expand the reach of I AMulets® beyond local live events?
People can see and purchase my work in my online shop (www.melissacmark.com), but I haven’t figured out how best to present the spirit and purpose of I AMulet necklaces through words and photos alone. I think this is because the actual building of an I AMulet is a large and meaningful part of the overall purchasing decision, plus it’s an emotionally satisfying process to sift through different gemstone pendants while considering the paired affirmations in person. I’m sure there’s a way to recreate this experience online, but I haven’t been able to locate the person who can help to make this happen… yet. Suggestions are always welcome! After all, we all do better when we ALL do better!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.melissacmark.com
- Instagram: @melissacmark
- Facebook: @melissacmarkllc
- Linkedin: melissa-c-mark-md
- Other: email – [email protected]
Image Credits
Belu Photography
