I'm sure every one of you has heard of The Secret. But not many believe in it, thus, very few have been touched by its magic. The Secret talks about something called the Law of Attraction. It's about using your mind to think about what you want, and to draw your wants towards you with your emotions. Strong and constant emotions of love brings things you want, faster to you. Strong feelings of hate also brings things that you don't want to you. So the point is, to utilize the Law of Attraction purposefully towards your goals, always have strong positive feelings.

I have experienced quite a few encounters with the Law of Attraction (LA) and I have to say, it's pretty amazing what a small thought and a dash of faith could do for your life to change. Sometimes, you just don't even realize it. But when you do, you say thanks and be grateful. That's how the LA works.

Out of the many encounters I've had with the LA, this was one that had gone unnoticed, until recently. It was like an epiphany when I realized just how blessed I am to receive the one thing I've wanted, but never really gave much thought about.

As a teenager, I grew up watching 13 Going on 30 (2004), I believe most of you still remember that Jennifer Garner movie, as one of the best chick flicks she's been in. For those of you who don't know (or avoided watching chick flicks), she stars as a girl named Jenna, a 13-year old who wants to be in with the popular girls in school. She had an embarrassing experience during her 13th birthday party at home, and wished that she was 30. She woke up later on as 30-year old Jenna, but with her 13-year old memories and none of the memories from the skipped years. She found out that she's an editor for a female magazine that she loves, she has a lot of money and pretty clothes, and that she was a mean bitch that no one really likes. You'll have to watch the movie to find out how it all ends.

The part I loved most in this movie was watching the first glimpse of working inside of a magazine publication. The fun events and the photoshoots and idea-presentations were my favorite scenes. Who can forget that Thriller dance she did? And that really fun looking outdoor shoot with all those people in the park. It was at that very moment, a 16-year old me fell in love with the publishing industry. I wanted to be an editor for a magazine, just like her! It all seemed so exciting. I kept gushing about how "That is one freaking awesome job!" every time someone talks to me about that movie.

However, I ended up choosing a creative design course instead of creative writing or editorial courses. I have always been more artistically inclined and so I chose to major in advertising, because at that moment I thought that was what I would thrive in best. I did pretty well throughout my years in college. I was going to work for an advertising firm.

Or so I thought.






In between those years in college, The Devil Wears Prada (2006) film came out, and I was wistfully reminded of the life in a publishing industry. Though I never intended to work as a personal assistant like Andrea, I loved the glitz and glam and decision-making job scope of Miranda Priestly. However, I am reminded that I'm not exactly qualified for an editor's position. And I solely believed that only editors conduct all the photoshoots. I decided that movies are movies, and that I am destined to make my career path with all those big shot advertising agencies.

Graduation came and went, and I started to apply for jobs in the midst of my internship. None of the big advertising agencies replied. The smaller ones did, but they were either offering too little or their offices were just too small for me to see myself expanding my horizons there. Then, just for the fun of it, my mom told me to apply to some publishing companies and a few design firms. And so I did. Most of them were not the 'big, stable and fun-filled' companies I had hoped for.

I was on the verge of giving up, when I received yet another phone call for an interview with a publishing company. They publish a lot of leading female magazines here in Malaysia, but I was assigned an interview for a corporate lifestyle magazine instead. It didn't exactly thrill me, but I was on a job-hunting mission, so I decided to go for it.

When I arrived at the office, I was pretty excited. Somehow, this was the only place that sort of met up with my expectations. This isn't New York after all, but still, I had a certain amount of expectation. Something inside me screamed, this is it! So I went through the interview, got accepted and started my journey into the world of publishing. Granted, there was a lot to learn for someone who had initially intended to go into advertising. I had to reset my advertising creative mindset and tune into other forms of skills like typography, layout placement and learn about the output (DTP) process. It was all very new and exciting.

Three years later, I still come in through the same doors and to my desk (which had been moved around 3 times) with a promotion to boot. Sure, there were a lot of hiccups along the way, but it's all the hardships I've survived that makes the difference. I am especially proud of my art directing portfolio, of all the opportunities to art direct photoshoots that involve high end fashion brands, expensive timepieces and sometimes, high profile personalities in my country. Not many people my age could boast of such a diverse and large collection of works under their belts. What's even more exciting is that I have an editor who literally tells me to plan my own theme and just be creative with all my photoshoots.

For all of that, I am extremely grateful. Looking back at those two moments I felt, watching two different movies, I believed that was the sign I was looking for to step into the right career path. Perhaps it was that deep down longing to be in the magazine line that had subconsciously led me to attract this job towards my direction.

So, I didn't end up being an editor. But I got the best suited job - because all I ever wanted was to put my hand into the creative-photoshoot pie, to just be a part of it. Instead, I got the entire pie to myself. :) For that, I am truly grateful to all the people who were part of putting me in this position. Thank you.

This goes to show that the LA works in its own mysterious ways, if you have the patience to wait for it and a whole heart of faith for it. :)