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Category: Trading Strategy&nbsp;A common mistake I see with new traders in my DMs is their "Watchlist." I ask them what they trade, and they send me a screenshot of 15 different currency pairs, three commodities, and Bitcoin.They are trying to catch every move, but they end up catching nothing.In trading, and specifically in scalping, you are not paid for how many charts you look at. You are paid for how well you know them. This year, I challenge you to simplify. In my business, She Trades Forex, I focus strictly on three specific instruments: Gold (XAUUSD), Nasdaq (NAS100), and NZDJPY.Here is why I chose them, and why simplifying your watchlist is the fastest way to profitability.1. Gold (XAUUSD): The Volatility King Gold is my go-to for scalping. Why? Because it moves.The Personality: Gold respects technical analysis beautifully, but it is aggressive. It creates clean "Support and Resistance" zones, but it will punish you if you don't use a Stop Loss. Why I Scalp It: On a 5-minute chart, Gold provides multiple opportunities a day. It doesn't sit still. If you are a scalper, you need movement, and Gold delivers liquidity like no other. 2. Nasdaq (NAS100): The Speed Demon While Gold is about fear and greed, Nasdaq is about the economy.The Personality: NAS100 is fast. It loves the New York opening bell (15:30 SAST). It often trends hard in one direction for 30 minutes to an hour, which is perfect for a scalper looking to get in and get out. The Correlation: It often moves inversely to the Dollar. When the DXY (Dollar Index) drops, Nasdaq often flies. Knowing this correlation gives you an "edge" that you don't get if you are randomly trading exotic pairs. 3. NZDJPY: The Silent Mover This is my wildcard. While everyone is watching EURUSD, I watch NZDJPY.The Personality: This pair is a "cross pair" (it doesn't involve the US Dollar directly). It often moves well during the Asian session and the crossover into London. Why I Trade It: Sometimes the US Dollar is messy and choppy (due to news). NZDJPY gives me a way to trade the market without being exposed to USD news events. It diversifies my risk. The "Dating" Analogy Think of trading pairs like dating. If you go on dates with 20 different people, you never truly get to know any of them. You don't know their bad habits, their triggers, or how they react under pressure.But if you commit to just 2 or 3, you learn their personality.You learn that Gold likes to "fake out" before the real move. You learn that Nasdaq often retraces at 10:00 AM NY time. My Advice for This Week: Delete the noise. Remove the pairs you rarely trade from your watchlist. Pick 2 or 3 instruments that fit your time zone and personality, and master them.Conclusion This year, stop trying to be a "Jack of all trades." Be a master of one (or three). Your mental energy is a limited resource—spend it where it pays the best dividends.See you on the charts.— Mellissa Stamboul | Forex Business Coach

Stop Trading Everything

Category: Trading Psychology &amp; Strategy&nbsp; We all know the feeling. It’s January 2nd, the charts are open, and you have a fresh journal that says "This is my year." You are ready to crush the markets.But statistically, January is one of the most dangerous months for retail traders.While everyone is rushing to make back their holiday spending, the institutions (the "Big Players") are still slowly returning to their desks. If you aren't careful, you’ll blow your account before February even starts.Here is why most traders fail in January—and exactly how you can trade differently.1. The "Santa Rally" Hangover In December, we often see strong trends (the "Santa Rally") or very low volume. New traders assume January will immediately continue those trends. It rarely does.January is often a month of market recalibration. Hedge funds and banks are rebalancing portfolios. This creates "choppy" price action—lots of fake-outs and wicks.The Trap: You see Gold breaking a high, you buy, and suddenly it reverses 50 pips. The Fix: Wait for the second confirmation. As scalpers, we love volatility, but in early January, erratic volatility is a dangerously quick way to hit a Stop Loss.2. The Liquidity Vacuum (Watch Your Spreads) Even though the markets are "open," liquidity doesn't fully return until the second week of January.If you trade NAS100 or Gold, you might notice wider spreads or "slippage" during news events.My Advice: If you normally risk 2% per trade, drop it to 0.5% or 1% until January 15th. Protect your capital while the market wakes up.3. The "Revenge Trading" of the New Year Many traders overspent in December. They come to the charts in January with a subconscious need to "make money fast" to pay off credit cards.The Reality: The market does not care about your bills.When you trade from a place of need rather than strategy, you force trades that aren't there. You ignore your trading plan because you "need" a win.The Fix: Read my book, "Beyond the Charts: From Fear to Fortune." I wrote it specifically for this mindset shift. You must separate your financial needs from your chart analysis.4. Ignoring the Fundamentals January sets the tone for the economic year. You cannot just look at the 5-minute chart; you have to know what the Federal Reserve or the Central Banks are planning for the year.Are they cutting rates? Is inflation rising? These narratives start in January. If you are scalping NZDJPY, you need to know what the Bank of Japan is saying this month.<figure id="figure-afc3pbtbzmjsneq2e"><img id="afc3pbtbzmjsneq2e" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2y95wBoJXTbdnQ2NX0W088N0p3IkAJOWKVDjQoeklszJqU150lI68bLH5M4ZhiNn.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 70%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="50%" data-positionY="70%" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>Your January Game Plan Don’t try to make a million dollars in Week 1. Use January to build your structure.Survive Week 1: Trade small size (0.5% risk). Observe Week 2: Watch for the real trends to establish themselves. Attack Week 3: Once volume is back, execute your strategy with confidence. Conclusion 2026 is going to be your best year, not because you traded more, but because you traded smarter. Let the 90% rush in and lose their money. We will wait, watch, and strike when the setup is perfect.— Mellissa Stamboul | Forex Business Coach

Why 90% of Traders Fail in January (And How You Won't)

Category: Mindset &amp; LifestyleMerry Christmas and Happy Holidays, traders! 🎁As we head into the festive week, I know the temptation. You have some time off work, you are sitting at home, and you think, "Perfect time to catch some pips!"But before you open that laptop, look at the photo below. That is your goal for this week.<figure id="figure-la5qikcyrmjfocujv"><img id="la5qikcyrmjfocujv" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/6JHNSWNpN0UufLyqkn3eNN4SFLxI43D077rJIs5VZm58S52u1FbGw8ty1i3cyiN7.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/6JHNSWNpN0UufLyqkn3eNN4SFLxI43D077rJIs5VZm58S52u1FbGw8ty1i3cyiN7.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>The market during the holidays is a different beast. The big institutions—the banks and hedge funds that move the market—are largely on holiday. This leads to two things:Low Liquidity: The market moves like a ghost town. Sudden Spikes: Because there are fewer orders, a single large trade can cause price to jump erratically. The "Sip" Advice: Unplug to Recharge This week, the most profitable thing you can do for your trading career is nothing.Trading is mentally exhausting. If you don't let your brain recover, you will start 2026 already burned out. Use this week to:Keep that laptop closed (seriously!). Sip on some bubbles or a warm drink with family. Reflect on your wins and lessons from this year, but do not stare at the charts. The "Pip" Tip: Watch the Spreads If you must trade (I know, it’s hard to stay away!), be extremely careful with your spreads.During holiday weeks, brokers often widen spreads because of the low liquidity. A trade that usually costs you 1 pip might cost you 3 or 4 pips this week. This eats into your profits and makes your stop-losses more vulnerable.My challenge to you: Give yourself the gift of a break. The market will still be there in January, and it will be moving much better than it is right now.Enjoy the sips, forget the pips (just for a few days), and have a wonderful Christmas!&nbsp; See you in the New Year! — Mellissa Stamboul | Forex Business Coach

The Best Trade You Can Take This Week 🎄

Category: Technical Strategy&nbsp;Grab your cup ☕—today we are getting technical.If you have been trading for any length of time, you know the feeling. You spot a perfect breakout forming. The candle is pushing hard through a resistance level. The momentum looks unstoppable.The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) kicks in. You hit "Buy."And then... disaster.The candle suddenly shrinks, leaving a long wick behind. The price reverses, hits your stop loss, and you are left staring at a "False Breakout" (or a "Fake-out"). You just got wicked out.It is one of the most frustrating ways to lose a trade, but it is also one of the easiest to fix if you change your mindset.The "Sip" Strategy: The Power of Waiting This is where the "Sip" in Sips &amp; Pip Tips comes into play.In trading, your coffee (or tea) is actually a tool for patience. The biggest mistake traders make with breakouts is entering during the candle formation.The Golden Rule: A breakout isn't real until the candle closes.When you see price rushing through a level, do not click the mouse. Take a sip. Wait for that candle to close. If it closes back below the level, you just saved yourself a loss.The "Pip" Tip: The Break and Retest To drastically increase your win rate and catch high-probability pips, stop chasing the initial breakout. Instead, wait for the Break and Retest.Take a look at this recent NAS100 chart. You can clearly see the difference between a trap and a valid entry:<figure id="figure-27rf96rvmmjfmzrwq"><img id="27rf96rvmmjfmzrwq" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/1akEU6ZQFviv3Fn6ykIBDRXq3BBzPH5lldu2SLPOCxoKJXQMVO0OowArzd4r0d1D.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/1akEU6ZQFviv3Fn6ykIBDRXq3BBzPH5lldu2SLPOCxoKJXQMVO0OowArzd4r0d1D.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>1. The Fake-out (Left): Notice how the price poked above the resistance line but couldn't hold it? That long wick sticking up was a warning sign. If you entered on the break without waiting, you got trapped in a fake-out.2. The Break &amp; Retest (Right): See how the price finally broke the level with conviction? But the real magic happened next: price came back down to "kiss" that level. It used the old roof as a new floor. That bounce was your confirmation and your safe entry signal.Why this works Institutions often push price through a level to grab liquidity (stops) before reversing. By waiting for the retest, you are confirming that the buyers have truly taken control and are defending the new price level.You might miss a few runaway trains that never look back, but you will stop losing money on traps.Sip on that thought while you watch the charts this week! — Mellissa Stamboul | Forex Business Coach

Stop Getting "Wicked" Out 🕯️

The Sip: Good morning! I'm starting the day with a double espresso and a look at the Gold charts. ☕Welcome to the official blog of She Trades Forex.If you are tired of the "Lamborghini lifestyle" marketing and just want to know how to actually make money trading, you are in the right place.What is Sips &amp; Pip Tips? Every week, I’ll be sharing:The Sip: A quick update on what I’m doing as a BDM and Trader. The Pip Tip: One actionable strategy or business lesson you can use immediately. No Fluff: Just straight talk about Risk Management, Rebates, and Market Structure. The Pip Tip of the Day: Stop trying to trade every candle. The market is a business, not a slot machine. If your setup isn't there, protect your capital and close the laptop. Preservation is greater than profit.Grab your coffee, download the IB Blueprint on the home page, and let's get to work.— Mellissa Stamboul | Forex Business Coach

She Trades Forex

Sips & Pip Tips

Stop Trading Everything

Why 90% of Traders Fail in January (And How You Won't)

The Best Trade You Can Take This Week 🎄

Stop Getting "Wicked" Out 🕯️

Welcome to Sips & Pip Tips