Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Smith.
Hi Melissa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
If You Were Known by something in life and that was defined by one word this is how I would describe myself-
One who has a “GOOD HEART.”
I always lived by three guiding principles: faith, family, and purpose. Despite all the noise in the world, at the end of the day, I want to be known as someone who loved deeply, lifted others, and lived in alignment with her divine mission. Titles, achievements, or even struggles come and go — but the legacy of who we are and how we love is what remains.
That truth became real to me through seasons of trial and grief. I’ve walked through moments where I felt unseen, unheard, and broken. There were times when the weight of raising a large family, battling personal hardships, and carrying silent struggles left me wondering if I could keep going. But it was in those darkest places that I discovered resilience — and learned how to turn pain into purpose. I began journaling through the grief, finding small ways to heal, and out of those pages came the very tools I now teach to others.
Alongside, being a mom of nine and homeschooling for over 20 years, I became a certified health and life coach, earned my massage therapy certificate, and practiced myofascial release for over a decade. These experiences showed me how the body holds trauma and how healing requires us to address both the physical and the emotional.
I’ve also served in my church as a youth leader and speaker for women’s organizations, where I witnessed the power of community, connection, and shared faith.
Today, I write for Medium magazine, I am finishing my degree in Family and Marriage Studies with the goal of becoming a social worker, Motivational speaker, and family inspired Mentor.
I created a Academy named “Soul Notes Academy” To bring tools, purpose and education to those who are seeking further knowledge into the voice inside their soul. We have created a 13-week course, along with planners and journals, that help women and families reset, realign, and reclaim their inner worth. These resources are more than products — they are lifelines, born from my story of trial, healing, and transformation and the intuition from above.
I’ve learned: you are not defined by your trials, but by how you rise from them. My passion is to help others find peace, happiness, and clarity as they walk into the life they were created to live.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey has been shaped as much by trials as by triumphs-
During the recession, I had small children at home and a husband who became ill. I went back to school, ran a practice, and for the first time had to put my kids in school — even though it went against my philosophy — just to keep us afloat.
My husband and I have experiened dads suffering from strokes, and one of them passed away. On top of that, I lost my home twice. Each setback could have broken me, but I chose instead to listen to what the universe was trying to teach me.
I remember standing in the middle of one of those storms and realizing I had two choices: I could get angry, or I could lean into the storm, feel the rain on my face, and trust that the sun would shine again. That moment became a turning point for me
— Learning to make lemonade out of lemons and to see trials as teachers.
Those experiences pushed me to grow. I became a certified health and life coach, earned my massage license, and built a myofascial practice for over a decade.
I served in my church as a youth leader and women’s speaker, and I began creating courses, journals, and a 13-week program to help others through their own battles.
I also write for Medium magazine and am finishing a degree in Family and Marriage Studies with the goal of serving as a social worker.
All of these threads came together in Soul Notes Academy, where I help others do what I had to learn myself:
You are not defined by your losses or struggles, but by how you rise from them. My passion is to help people live peacefully, joyfully, and in alignment with their divine mission — because I know firsthand that even the hardest storms can grow into the brightest sunshine.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is centered around helping people reset, realign, and reclaim their inner worth. I’m the founder of Soul Notes Academy, where I create courses, journals, planners, and programs designed to help women and families live more peacefully and with a greater sense of purpose. I specialize in guiding people to look at their life stories — the narratives and old beliefs they carry — and then teaching them how to rewrite those stories so they can step into their true identity and divine mission.
I’m known for combining practical tools with deep healing.
My background as a certified health and life coach, a massage therapist, and a practitioner of myofascial release for over a decade has given me a strong understanding of how trauma and stress live in the body. I blend that with journaling, storytelling, and my Identity Code System — a framework I developed that helps people IDENTIFY what holds them back, CLARIFY their vision, and become more SELF-AWARE to live in alignment.
I’m most proud of the 13-week course I wrote and the planners and journals that go with it. They’re not just paper tools — they’re lifelines for people in transition, whether navigating grief, searching for peace, or simply trying to rediscover who they are.
I’m also proud of the women and families who have taken these tools and told me, “This changed my life. I finally feel seen and heard.
What sets me apart is that I don’t just teach from theory — I teach from lived experience. I know what it feels like to face hardship, grief, and setbacks and how to rise from them. My faith, family life as a mom of nine, and personal journey all pour into how I coach and create.
I believe healing should be holistic — body, mind, and spirit — and that when people feel safe and empowered to rewrite their story, they enter a peace and purpose that no one can take away.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My best advice for anyone just starting is not to wait until everything is perfect.
Start with what you have, right where you are, and trust that clarity will come as you move forward.
When I first began, I thought I needed the perfect plan, timing, and tools. I learned that growth doesn’t come from perfection It comes from persistence.
I also wish I had known sooner how important it is to clear space in your mind and nervous system.
It’s almost impossible to step fully into our purpose when we’re carrying old beliefs, stress, or self-doubt. Learning how to reset through journaling, breathwork, and simple practices of alignment: became the foundation of my success and is now what I teach others.
Finally, I would say: embrace the storms. There were times I felt like giving up, losing homes, walking through grief, or facing financial setbacks all taught me lessons I couldn’t have learned any other way. Instead of fighting them, I learned to lean in, let the rain wash over me, and rejoice when the sun came out.
Looking back, every hardship prepared me for the work I do today.
So if you’re beginning, give yourself to be imperfect, grow, and trust the process.
The world doesn’t need you to be flawless — it requires you to be Authentic!
Pricing:
- 199$ 13 week program
- 24.99 VIP Membership
- 7.99 digital products
- 21-27 hard copy planners
- 27$ bundles
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soulnotesacademy.com
- Instagram: soulnotesacademy
- Facebook: melissa smith
- Youtube: soul notes academy
Image Credits
Alexys Smith Branding photography
