In this special Thanksgiving episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with internationally recognized optometrist, educator, author, and professional life coach Dr. Melissa Barnett for a deeply heartfelt conversation about gratitude, leadership, loss, motherhood, and the personal transformations that shape who we become.
Dr. Barnett shares how gratitude became the foundation of her life — not as a concept, but as a daily practice that guided her through the unimaginable loss of her husband, through personal reinvention, and through becoming a global educator and coach. Together, she and Dr. Chu explore the power of elevating others, the unexpected ways children become our teachers, the courage required to set boundaries, and how saying “yes” to new possibilities can change your entire trajectory.
This episode is a warm, reflective, soul-nourishing conversation that blends emotional honesty with professional wisdom. It’s about what sustains us, what shapes us, and what we choose to carry forward.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Gratitude is not seasonal — it is a way of living.
Dr. Barnett grounds her entire personal and professional life in gratitude, kindness, and elevating others. It’s not a holiday theme — it’s a leadership practice and a healing framework.
The people who believe in us can change the direction of our lives.Both doctors share pivotal moments where someone saw potential in them before they saw it themselves. Those moments reshaped their careers, identities, and confidence.
Even the most difficult experiences can be navigated through gratitude.Dr. Barnett speaks openly about losing her husband — and how gratitude, community, and reflection became the way through her grief. Gratitude becomes a compass in the hardest seasons.
CONNECT WITH MELISSA
Website: https://alpinebluecoaching.info/ Website: https://www.dr-melissabarnett.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissabarnett/
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