A WOMAN has revealed she met her now husband just weeks after writing herself a letter to manifest Mr Right – and he turned out to be her prom date from 27 years ago.
Kelly Lundberg, 44, from Edinburgh, Scotland, married Graham Ross, 44, last year after using “very clear words”;; on what her future partner would be like and the exact words he would say to her.
The pair, who shared a first kiss at their high school prom in 1998, had lost contact shortly afterwards when Kelly moved to Dubai at 21 to work as cabin crew with Emirates.
But they were reunited in 2019 after Kelly’s mum Heather convinced her to join a dating app to get over a heartbreaking divorce.
Kelly – who owns personal branding business Kelly Lundberg Official – and her mum had jetted off to the Seychelles for a ‘cheer up’ holiday.
During this time, Kelly wrote a desire statement – written by her ‘future self’ – about the man she wanted to meet.
She said: “It was the second time I’d attempted one. The first had been filled with ambitious dreams. This time I played it simpler, really being honest with myself.
“When you are in your late thirties and have gone through a breakup, you start to question so many things. You wonder if you are going to be alone all your life, whether you will ever have children.
“And so I thought about the person I would like to meet next, using very clear words of what he would look like, his personality, and how we would act together.”;;
The desire statement Kelly penned for her future partner, included the words: “My love life has never been so fulfilling. I am in a new relationship – he is tall, in great shape, picks me up easily, loves my playful nature, and thinks I am beautiful (and tells me often).
“He is handsome, super thoughtful, and generous. We love working out together.”;;
Four weeks later, during a trip back home to Scotland in May 2019, Kelly’s mum convinced her to join Bumble and promised she’d manage it for her daughter.
It was then Kelly saw a picture of a man she recognised – Graham, who she hadn’t seen since they were 17.
Kelly said: “I reluctantly agreed to join Bumble – which allows women to make the first move if they’re matched with someone.
“Graham’s face was one of the first to appear. He may have been 20-odd years older than when I’d last seen him, and now with a beard, but I recognised him straight away.
“He was the boy I’d liked all the way through school and who I’d shared a kiss with at our prom. We never saw each other again. Despite the fact I’d liked him for five years, it never went anywhere. The timing just wasn’t right.”;;
Kelly admits there was initial confusion – as her mum had set up the Bumble account, and he had wondered if Kelly had moved back to Edinburgh – but the pair started messaging each other straight away.
They arranged to meet one afternoon – and Kelly admits that at 5ft 2ins, she had to stand on tiptoes to give Graham – 6ft 2ins – a kiss on the cheek. The date went on until 2am.
It was on the first date in June 2019, Graham said to Kelly the words to her that were on her desire statement “you’re beautiful”;;.
Kelly said: “I’d known Graham since I was 12 but I was still incredibly nervous.
“Our prom kiss had given me butterflies, and I thought that was what happens at 17 if you kiss the guy you like. But, some 21 years later, we kissed on our first date, and I had the same feeling! It’s definitely the person that makes you feel that way.”;;
For the next four years, Kelly and Graham managed a long-distance relationship, with calls lasting for hours, sitting down with a bottle of wine and a pizza 4,000 miles apart.
The couple got engaged in 2023, and Graham moved to Dubai. They then had an intimate wedding in the Seychelles, and threw a party for all their friends and family at Turin Castle in Scotland in June 2024.
Kelly said: “Graham and I have often talked about the timing of how our relationship has happened. And how we are right for one another right now, but that wouldn’t have been the case 20 years ago. Would we still be together if we’d got together after high school?”;;
Kelly admits Graham doesn’t share her enthusiasm for manifesting, but is fully supportive of Kelly, who helps luxury businesses and entrepreneurs with their personal branding.
She added: “I apply desire statements to all aspects of my life. I strongly believe you can create the life you want. It’s empowering.”;;
A desire statement is a technique personal branding expert Kelly says she has used to also manifest both personal and professional achievements in her life.
Figures show there are more than one million global online searches every month for ‘manifesting’, a technique that celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande have used.
Kelly, author of personal branding title Deseed The Lemon, said: “A desire statement is a lesser-known manifestation technique that a life coach had introduced me to.
“You write a note as your future self, as though what you desire has already happened, and what it looks like from that perspective.
“Six years ago I wrote the desire statement that manifested Graham.
“I stuck it on a wall in my bathroom when I got home and pretty much forgot about it. When I read it again after re-uniting with Graham, I was so surprised; it’s basically a description of him!”;;
