"Joy is your North Star!"

Beloved for her role as Bernadette on The Big Bang Theory, and now as Judge Abby Stone on the revival of NBC's Night Court, Melissa Rauch, 44, has been making audiences laugh for nearly two decades.

- Bonnie Siegler

But before she was a household name, she was a shy, self-conscious kid who was bullied about her height. Here, her secrets to happiness, health and making dreams come true

From a young age, Melissa Rauch knew she wanted to be an actress, but her 4'll" frame and introverted personality didn't fit the Hollywood mold.

"I was bullied for years, and I remember a conversation with my mom, grandmother and great-aunt when I was 17," she shares with Woman's World.

"They said it doesn't matter what people think and it took them too many years to realize that. There was so much freedom in hearing those words." Melissa armed herself with their wisdom and forged ahead.

"I struggled for many years to make it and wasn't sure it was going to happen. But now, I wouldn't change a bit of it." Read on for more of Melissa's joyful insights.

Don’t miss Melissa on Night Court!

Melissa co-stars with John Larroquette on the hit reboot

As Judge Abby Stone, daughter of the late Judge Harold T. Stone from the original Night Court, Melissa brings her own effervescence and humor to the Manhattan Criminal Court. “She, more than I, is always trying to find the silver lining,” says Melissa, who is also an executive producer. “Abby is an optimist, despite also seeing that there’s darkness in the world.” Watch new episodes of