About

by Melissa Goerke

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Melissa Goerke is a blogger, speaker, commercial real estate manager and most importantly a wife and mother. With over 20 years of public speaking, teach and writing experience backing her up, she is taking her quest for human happiness and fulfillment to the Internet.

At the age of thirteen, having experienced a series of family upheavals, she began to wonder if there was more to life struggle and tears. Growing up just outside of Newark, New Jersey, her childhood experiences of life on the edge of poverty left her with a sense of lack, abandonment and despair. Depression paid her its first visit at that tender age yet, thanks to the intervention of an understanding social worker, she was given a glimpse of a different way to experience life. She learned that people who had gone through significantly worse traumas had overcome their childhood and were living happy and fulfilling lives. It was at that time that she was given the first book of what would grow to become a huge library of motivational and inspiration tomes. Hugh Prather’s “Notes to Myself: My Struggle to Become a Person” taught her that she was not the only person on the planet to question the meaning of life, and certainly not alone in her struggle to find her place in it. From then on she fed herself a steady diet of books and tapes by the masters of motivation and inspiration such as Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie.

At the age of 27 Melissa found herself suddenly widowed, after only five weeks of marriage, and she drew heavily on the lessons she had learned about hope, faith and strength. In the aftermath of Billy’s death, as she lost her home, her car and her job, she held onto the conviction that everything happens for a reason. She continued to feed herself a diet of positive books and CD’s, and discovered Tony Robbins at this time.

Two and a half years after losing Billy , Melissa sat down, while listening to a Robbins CD, and wrote a description of her perfect mate. On the third anniversary of Billy’s death she went on a blind date with the man who perfectly fit that description, and his name was Bill Goerke. Melissa knew he was “the one” when he leaned across the table during dinner and asked “what is your dream?” They spent the rest of the evening talking about their dreams and goals, and when they reluctantly parted that night they both knew something wonderful had happened. Ten years later they are the happily married parents to a five year old girl named Grace, who is the light of their lives.

Through her involvement with her High School Forensics team Melissa had discovered that she had a natural gift for public speaking and won numerous championships. Later in college she became an on-air radio personality for WRNU at Rutgers University, further instilling in her the love of communication. Although she chose a career path in facilities management, she continued to stay involved in public speaking and began leading self-improvement seminars for companies such as Prudential and Hewlett-Packard. Through a blend of humor and compassionate communication, Melissa has been able to reach out to those who might otherwise not be open to a positive message.

Now expanding her message to the blogosphere through Melissa Thinks Out Loud, she hopes to encourage the dreamers and the seekers to not only strive for a wonderful tomorrow, but to also find happiness and fulfillment today. She is committed to sharing her own continued journey of self-discovery with honesty, so that others will realize that they are not alone.