I am a primary school teacher and a sufferer of social anxiety. In fact, that’s wrong – I’m a recovering social phobic. Basically, I feel very uncomfortable in many social situations to the point where I get physical symptoms: lip trembling, heart racing, breathing problems, disconnecting mind from body and more.

Over the last year I have been facing this head-on: very easy to do in this line of work. When I learnt about The Secret a while ago, I realised that I needed to make some changes. I’d always been focusing on what I didn’t want. I didn’t want to be nervous, I didn’t want to be thought of as strange, as an oddball. All of my focus was based around these horrible images of a life I didn’t want.

Now things are different. Whilst I still have rough patches, I focus on what I want from life. I want to experience everything I possibly can before I exit this planet. I want to connect with different people. I want to enjoy the company and gifts that others have to offer.

Now, every morning, I look at my focus board – a board with pictures of things that I have and am grateful for, and things that I would like in my life. Even if I don’t get these things, it gives me that reason to get up in the morning. To remember who I am, what I have and what I want. Just that is enough for me.

The Secret has given me the ‘get up and go’ to go out there myself and make things happen.

Every day I put The Secret into practice, it’s that little bit harded to let negativity in. And that can only be a good thing.