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Hello Friends, Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving Day and it reminds me of how my daily practice of appreciation has significantly improved my life experience. Merriam Webster definitions: appreciate transitive verb 1a :to grasp the nature, worth, quality, or significance of; 1b :to value or admire highly; 1c :to judge with heightened perception or understanding :be fully aware of; 1d :to recognize with gratitude 2 :to increase the value of intransitive verb :to increase in number or value When you decide to focus on what's good in your life and express appreciation by simply noticing it, writing it down in a [...]

Hello Friends, I was recently asked by a colleague: How did you do it - how did you get to where you are now? And where is that you may be asking? Well, here I am: I finally decided to come out of the closet of my comfortable life and start my personal business. I went live with my website and blog recently, I am opening my office in South Brunswick, NJ this week and I am in the process of publishing my poetry book. I am loving every exhilarating moment of it, feeling like a little kid on Christmas [...]

Hello Friends, In my humble opinion, encouragement is an absolute must for success. No IFs, ANDs or BUTs about it. Merriam Webster definitions: encouragement 1 :the act of encouraging :the state of being encouraged 2 :something that encourages encourage 1a :to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope :hearten 1b :to attempt to persuade :urge 2 :to spur on :stimulate  3 :to give help or patronage to :foster courage :mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty But Mel, What if I don’t have anyone to encourage me? What if I feel like I’m surrounded by a [...]

Hello Friends, I was recently asked “how can I encourage a manager to 'step up to the plate' and take on a more leadership role?” Mel's Two Cents: Schedule a meeting early in the day while everyone’s mind is still fresh and energy is high. Begin by expressing appreciation for talents (what they bring to the table that’s of value) and what’s working. Continue by making your “ask” – request what you would like from them, be encouraging and express your confidence in their abilities, and that you are willing to provide support and guidance to ensure success. Then [...]

Hello Friends, Recently I awoke in an "off" mood - feeling a bit tired and cranky. As I prepared for the day I tried to ignore it but couldn't shake it. As I got in my car, still feeling moody, I decided to do something about so it wouldn't spiral into an even bigger mood and ruin my day. I asked myself, if this feeling were a place, what would it look like? In my imagination I saw a sleeping grizzly bear in an open cave and a kid came over, poked it and ran. So when he awoke frustrated and ready to pounce, [...]

Hello Friends, Thank you for sharing a few minutes of your valuable time with me! Why would she call her blog “Mel’s 2¢”? you ask. Well, it’s a simple story. First, Mel is my nickname. Second, I’d been receiving the intuitive nudge for some time to start a blog where I can share leadership tips and anecdotes on how to cultivate a relationship with your intuition. And of course, the “naysayer/doubting Thomas” part of me immediately jumped up to say “What could you possibly have to share with people? Who made you an expert? Who would even read it and take you [...]