First of all, a very big thank you to Rhonda Byrne and all the teachers of The Secret. I’ve watched and read it many times, and although I believe in it, know the LOA works, and read many inspiring stories on this website, I had difficulty manifesting what I really desire.

I was a good student throughout my school life. I was in a girl’s school mostly until I moved to the city, where I attended a co-ed school for the last 2 years of school before moving on to college. There, my self-esteem plummeted very badly from being one of the ‘rulers’ of the school, prefect and in the good books of nearly all the teachers in my previous school, to a nobody. I had no difficulties making friends previously, but moving into the city after spending so many years in a different type of culture and lifestyle was hard. People here were different, and it wasn’t so easy to ‘connect’ with them. I had to do the usual ‘small talk’ and really suffered internally a lot. My family wasn’t having a good time settling down as well. So that year, I saw my grades decreasing alarmingly, although I put in more effort than I’ve ever done. And I didn’t understand why. The following year, I tripled my efforts, burned the midnight oil nearly every day, attended multiple tuitions… and finally I got my good grades (‘O’ Levels), but I still had a ‘B’ for one of my subjects, which was very upsetting.

Moving on to college, my self-esteem issues were pretty much the same. Though people my age had fun going out together, hanging out… I spent my time with the few friends I had inside the college compounds, trying to finish the homework that seemed endless. I used to wonder where the rest got the time for ‘fun’. And yet, they used to outshine me in every class test, I had the best ‘O’ Levels grades among all of them, and here I was struggling. It was so frustrating, annoying, and it didn’t get better! I had no knowledge of The Secret then… if only I’d known. The worst was still to come. I had to pull out from the degree course I was in as I wasn’t performing up to their standards. I was devastated. I had no life, studied continuously without any complaints, watched TV at home occasionally, spent time with my family and a few friends and yet… I had results that weren’t up to my standard at all. How could it be possible? For a student who has topped nearly all exams throughout school and high school to get to this level?

When I read and watched ‘The Secret’, slowly everything became clearer to me. I was never ‘happy’ to begin with. I wasn’t ‘sad’ either, I had no complaints about anything in life, no ‘wants’ to be in with the ‘In’ crowd, go for movies every other weekend with friends. I was happy with my life the way it was, or I thought I was… all I wanted was to study, get the grades, and graduate. Only now, does it all click… As for now, I have applied for a job for the time being until I enroll myself for my degree course in September.

This is where, for the first time, I experienced The Secret; the LOA, in action. I saw a few vacancies in a local bookstore chain and I applied for the position of a Customer Service Assistant (CSA), as they needed the basic O Level requirements, I did really well so that wouldn’t be a problem. I really wanted the Customer Service Officer (CSO) position though, but you need a degree for that. But as I’d faced so many setbacks in Life, I didn’t brood over the fact that I’m degree-less and re-think all the mess that has occurred. I emailed the person in charge and got an instant phone call in response, asking me for a detailed resume. I sent that in, and got called for an interview the following Monday. It all seemed very surreal. It was like I was running on ‘autopilot’. It didn’t really register that I had applied for a job and got called for an interview until Monday morning came. I’ve never worked before – I had voluntereed in a kindergarten once, for the experience.

I was grateful, as I needed to go out into the ‘world’ and do something to take my mind off the mess that was inviting me to dwell in it. So, that Monday morning, I got up, still on ‘autopilot mode’, and something told me to put on my best formal clothes, a black coat and pants, and a nice beaded t-shirt inside. I felt a lil overdressed for an interview for a CSA. Also, I was hoping they would pay me 1,500. That seemed unlikely for a CSA. I shrugged that thought off, again telling myself… I’m just doing this to get my mind off things and for some pocket money. I shouldn’t really care how much they’re gonna pay, I’ll be grateful with whatever they’re offering, for all this is just temporary until I start studying again.

When I went in their headquarters, I saw a few other girls in the waiting room. There were plenty vacancies available I suppose. All of them went in before I did, and came out within 5 minutes each.

Then my turn came, I went in… and this middle-aged lady, who kept scanning me head-to-toe kept on bombarding me with every type of question possible. I thought that I wasn’t going to get the CSA, the way she kept on pushing me, we were already talking for more than half an hour. I persisted… and finally she said I’m not good enough to be a CSA. I almost broke down. I fought hard with myself, telling myself I’ve seen so much already, this is nothing, and I didn’t really ‘WANT’ this in the first place. This is not going to make a difference in my Life as I’m going to be studying again soon. So, I won my internal battle, and thankfully, no tears. Then suddenly, she gave me a big, wide smile, I was confused at first… and then she said, we think you’re capable of much more than that, we’d like to offer you the position of a CSO or something in between. And she asked me if I was okay with it and which one I’d prefer after briefly explaining the duties and responsibilities of both. A sudden wave of self-confidence gripped me, I shocked myself when I said, “I think I’m perfectly capable of handling the duties of a CSO, and would like to accept your offer.” I don’t know where I got those words from. They honestly weren’t coming out voluntarily.

She smiled, and proudly said that I was officially now a CSO of their branch nearby and that they’d start me off with 1,500. I was dumbfounded. I finally understood and experienced what ‘speechless’ meant. I had to keep reminding myself that the interview wasn’t over yet, and to find my voice.

And so, that was my first and biggest encounter with the LOA so far. It shook every cell in my body. I now am so immersed in the beauty of the LOA, and have this amazing self-confidence that I cling on to, as it makes me feel on-top-of-the-world, although the mess that has happened still looms in the background, threatening to take me in again. I doubt I’ll go back into that depression. I have this new ‘smile’ on my face and the ‘spring’ in my step like I never did before. I’m really happy for probably the first time in years. Haha… And all this is strengthened by the fact that I know now, that no matter what happens, I’ve seen the worst, and I have the guts to face anything. And as that fear has been conquered, I know I’m now well into my way of pursuing my degree, which I will start in September, and I know that I will achieve my lifelong ambition. My route is probably a lil longer than the rest of my colleagues but I’m not going to brood over it, I will take it in my stride, as I now have ‘myself’ on my side. Sounds crazy and psychotic, but that is really what I feel right now. It’s like I finally accept myself, love myself, and am grateful and proud of how I’ve handled every situation. =)

I’m truly happy, and grateful to Rhonda and all the teachers of The Secret, who have shared this amazing LOA with us and with the world. And thank you as well, to all the people who keep inspiring me and many others with their stories. Have a happy Life ahead. =)