I have a secret.

I have a secret.

Ever since I was a teenager, everyone always said I had a pretty face.

At 12, when I got my first gold medal in a badminton competition, they said I had a pretty face.

At 16, when I got my first distinction in an international music exam, they said I had a pretty face.

At 18, when I got into the National University of Singapore (NUS) against all odds, despite being self-schooled for 18 years with no recognised qualifications, they said the same. And at 22, when I graduated with first class honours from NUS and went on the deans list multiple times, they said the same.

At 23, when I was in my corporate job, I forgot the number of times people told me “you have a pretty face, I’m sure you’ll do fine” and when I hit those revenue goals despite being the youngest front office consultant, it didn’t seem to matter because of course I achieved it with a pretty face.

For the longest time, I hated it, loathed it, absolutely abhorred it.

I hated that all my accomplishments and hard work were casually brushed away and all people seemed to see was the surface level. I felt like I would never be able to be seen for the person that I was, someone who was crazy about growth, loved learning, loved reading, loved thinking and exploring new ideas.

It took me a long time to get over it. And then as some of you may know, a few days ago, a stranger hacked into my Google drive. They deleted all my business related questions and left my audience with a single one.

“ How much would you pay to have sex with me?”

I wish I could say it didn’t affect me, but it did. Again in business, I felt that all I was was reduced to how I looked. I’ve made it a conscious habit to stop responding to hate now, but I am writing this today as a permanent reminder to myself, and a public declaration to you - that I am so much more than how I look. And if you cannot see that, please unfollow me.

I believe deeply in gratitude, and that there is good if we choose to open our minds to see it. And instead of thinking how awful it is that this has happened, I want to see the good in it.

1) For someone to be stabbing me from the back, it already means they are behind me. I will never let someone behind prevent my efforts and desire to keep moving forward.

2) I want to use this as an opportunity to. share with. anyone who feels that they are somehow not good enough, or doubt their own efforts or path. Here is an affirmation: you are enough as long as you choose to believe you are. Just keep moving forward towards the higher version of yourself, and soon those behind you will not even be able to touch you -mentally, physically, emotionally.

3) Never listen to your haters because they will always make it seem like they know more about you, than you do. Those who try to tell you what you cannot. do. are the ones that never. made it, and frankly probably never will.

4) For every hater I've got, I have also met strong, kind, abundant and. genuine people that I am so grateful for. These are the people that I respect and love, and these are the people that I respect and love, and these are those whose words I will actually take heed and pay attention to.

5) This is me, stepping forward. And I will never stop moving forward, no matter how small. the steps might be.

Keep moving forward.

Keep moving forward ??