Due to illness in my wife’s family, we made a big move in 1993, from Columbus, Ohio to Brandenburg, Kentucky where she grew up and her parents still lived. I did not know many people and had problems finding a decent job. I sold automobiles for a while but due to the nature of the job the hours were very long, the paychecks were infrequent and it was difficult to budget when you do not know how much you are going to make. I took a few temporary jobs and ended up working for a chemical company as an office clerk. I was driving over an hour one way to and from work and we were still just keeping our heads above the water with our bills. The money problems drove a wedge between my spouse and I and we eventually split and divorced. I chose to stay in Kentucky because we had a daughter together who was only 2 years old who was and is my whole world.

I stayed with the same chemical company for over 15 years but they were going through some rough financial times. The owner told all the employees that if they could find other jobs they should definitely consider leaving the company before it went under. I had a new wife at home, her 2 two children and had full custody of my child as well. I was the only one working, was in a constant state of panic, always on pins and needles, and was ready for the rug to be pulled out from under me at any moment.

My mother and I talked a lot and she told me about a book she had been reading called The Secret. She said it was very motivational and that it was full of positive energy. I have never been into metaphorical things, but out of desperation I bought the book and I read it and then everything in my world changed.

I was still skeptical that my thoughts were the very power that was keeping me down and that through those same thoughts and habits I could change my life, but I thought, “what if?”. The truth was, I literally had nothing to lose and everything to gain and so I took a leap of faith and started to change the way I thought, the things I would say, and even the actions I would take. I had to, sort of, fake it at first but soon enough, I started to see the change in my life. The little things at first and then the really good things came and finally the treasure chest at the end of the rainbow.

In 2008 after putting in applications at every chemical company I could find, a company only 15 minutes from my house, that was never hiring and paid more than twice what I was making at my current job, called me to schedule an interview. The interview went incredibly well and after some testing, I was given a hire date.

My only regret in life could be that I did not find The Secret sooner. But as with all things, I believe that it was the Universe lining up everything to fit exactly the way it should, at exactly the right time, to give me the most benefit from it, that allowed me to find The Secret when I did.