A Year Without Paychecks, Part 2

After spending 1264 words in this post examining the paycheck mentality that I found in myself hidden deep under the surface, I feel I still haven’t told the whole truth of my year since I quit my corporate job at the end of last September. That post was like reviewing myself from the current vintage point and didn’t really describe what it was like to live this year. So here is my follow-up.
(Photo by Michael Dawes)

How blogging changed my life

The first step was blogging. I tell you, blogging is dangerous. On September 9^th, 2007, I started a blog called Gratitude Magic (it’s gone now. Gratitude Magic was mostly about the Law of Attraction, and I wanted to focus more about entrepreneurship, so I started this Yes to Me in February. I didn’t know how to do the transition, so I closed Gratitude Magic. Sorry.)

In mid September last year, I wrote a post titled “What Can I Give to the World?” Here is the whole post:

What I give determines what I get. This is the basic of Law of Attraction. Send out good vibes, and good things echo back to me.

I am thinking about my job. I do well as admin, managing my boss’s calendar, making travel arrangements, processing passport and visa applications, managing corporate identity program, administering corporate credit card programs, supervising housekeepers, and so on. But is this the best I can give?

I feel I have higher values I can give. Currently, I am helping only the people in my company in certain defined ways. If, however, I can inspire more people with my writing, assisting them to have better life, I serve the world better! I feel better by giving more, and surely I receive more from the Universe.

And yes, I have grown to believe my writing is worth to be shared.

When I truly believe “What I give determines what I get,” the opportunity to give becomes a gift. It is like being given the opportunity to invest in a fund that is guaranteed to yield big. So thank you for reading this blog!

Gee, I wasn’t very good at writing back then, huh? I had a good idea, but the writing was so underdeveloped. Anyhow, I had the aspiration to serve bigger audience with my special gifts – or what I thought to be my gifts. Again, my gifts were not well developed yet at the time – I’m still working on them – but I took them seriously. This is important.

You may have great talents, God-given gifts, but until you yourself take them seriously and use them, they are just there.

I still don’t make my living from writing. But writing is an important part of my current business and its marketing. And I do inspire more and more people to have better life – that is the point of my Akashic Record Reading.

How I jumped

Now this is something I can’t recommend to others but I did it myself anyway: I took the leap of faith and quit my corporate job without real plans.

At the same time, I moved to Oregon. I pretty much hibernated during the winter. Sure, I was blogging faithfully, and was trying many things to build my business. But nothing much was happening. There were mornings I woke up and wondered what to do. Occasionally, I thought of looking for temp jobs. Then I thought why the heck I would get another admin job in Oregon – if that was what I wanted to do, I didn’t need to quit. Duh.

I’m going to skip the details of how I started my life coaching business and then my soul reading service because you probably don’t relate to these specific details. Maybe you are interested in starting other kinds of businesses, and that is great – I love diversity. My point here is simple.

Sooner or later, you’ve got to take actions.

Again, I think it is a better idea to prepare better than I did. But there is a point you just have to jump. Naomi Dunford used the analogy of having a baby. You can never be 100% ready, for a baby or for your ittybiz.

Sense of service is empowering.

Looking back, I think my sense of service helped me a lot. If I quit my job thinking, “This job sucks. I hate my job and my boss. There must be a better way to make money.”, I don’t think I could go through the down time during the winter to spring. But I really believed I had something to offer to more people. Of course I still believe this today, even more so than back then.

The reason I blog on this Yes to Me is to encourage those of you who may be at a similar point of life that I was a year ago. Maybe you sense there is more to life. Maybe you want to pursue what you love to do but feel hesitant. Maybe you want to connect with other like-minded people for support and inspiration. You are all welcome.

Or maybe you already have your small business. What have you learned? Share with us!

BTW the tagline of Gratitude Magic was “Uncover Your Magical Power Within”. Now I’m updating the tagline of this blog to “Nurture The Entrepreneurial Spirit Within”. Hmm . . . do you think this is some kind of reincarnation?

I’m happy and proud that I lasted a whole year, and counting. Let me know what you are seeking in life and what you expect to read in this blog.

Who Is Akemi? Do I Know Myself?

I believe we are clueless about ourselves.

So when my fellow blogger, the bold business advisor Cath Lawson, called me “bold” in the comments of this post, I had no reason to be surprised. I’m bold? Because I came to the US by myself? Because I landed Mr. ProBlogger for my interview? Oh. I didn’t know I was but I guess I’m bold accidentally.
(Photo by withrow)

So here is my further self-exploration. Feel free to point out, “Hey, I don’t see you that way, Akemi!”

I am: shy. Child-level shy. And ambitious. Curious. A bit lazy with things I don’t like doing, like vacuuming.

I think: (secretly) I’m wonderful. (Oh, God, did I say that? Next!)

I know: what you were doing in your past life. Just kidding ^_^

I have: . . . (if you must know) . . . a teddy bear.

I wish: I were taller. (I stand impressive 5’1″)

I was: an ugly duckling. Seriously, I thought I was ugly when I was in Japan.

I wanted to become: a baker.

I hate: Loud music. Trashy foods. Rude people.

I miss: Ohio. It’s like my hometown in the US. (I lived there for ten years.)

I crave: Strawberries and blackberries. (NOT the electronic gadget)

I search: Hmm . . . a handsome, intelligent, kind single man.

I wonder: What the end of the Universe is like. And the higher dimensions of the Universe.

I regret: I’m conveniently forgetful about my regrets. Oh, but I wish I were kinder when I was younger.

I love: the trees and flowers. Fine arts. (Love Picasso, Modigliani, O’Keeffe, Frankenthalor. . . to name a few) Potteries. Antique furniture. The ocean. The sky.

I am not: American. I’m international, with pride.

I believe: We are all, always, connected. And I can be a successful entrepreneur while helping people.

I dance: I have my own dance that I do when I’m alone, like when I’m cooking or getting ready for shower. It’s so silly and that is why I love it. But I don’t think I’d be posting YouTube video of me doing it.

I sing: I often sing in the car. When I’m in good mood, I try the air of the queen of the night in Magic Flute, but I can never get to the highest part.

I fight: I don’t. It would be totally stupid of me to raise fight. I don’t think I even ever won in hand wrestling.

I confuse: people.

I listen: Mozart. So beautiful, it occasionally makes me almost cry.

I can: write mirror letters like Da Vince did.

I am scared: of car wash. Yes, those car wash that I have to drive in, get on the rail, and then the rail carries me and my car through the auto wash. I’m scared because I’m a horrible driver and I don’t think I got on the rail straight. I’m scared maybe I’d get stuck in the middle of car wash. . .

I need: a handyman. Too much work left undone just because . . . I can’t do it. Maybe he can hand wash my car, too.

I am happy: when I take a hot bath and then snuggle into the clean crisp sheets.

I imagine: what it’s like to live on a cruiser and travel the world.

I tag: you. Bare your soul with this writing exercise.

Gary Craig And EFT: Heroes Of Healing

Jennifer Mannion came up with this group writing project called Heroes of Healing. For those of you who may not know her yet, she healed her chronic pain that the doctors gave up on with the Law of Attraction. She now writes about holistic healing and takes coaching clients. (Photo by Michael Dawes)

She is also one of my happy clients for Akashic Record Reading. (I keep clients’ confidentiality, of course, but in her case, she wrote a terrific testimonial for my service and often blogs about it, so this is okay.) Since her reading, she reports she feels “unstoppable“.

What this project means to YOU

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, you must take yourself seriously. Your success relies on you. So taking good care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually is a non-negotiable. And come to think about it, who doesn’t want to take good care of yourself?

Jenny’s list will be a great resource for spiritual growth, too. I’m sure my readers are the smart kind who know how spirituality really benefits our practical life. So stay tuned for her project completion!

Further, if you have your “Hero of Healing” you admire, please write a post to join this project. Here is the current list of Heros of Healing Jenny sent me, along with the names of writers:

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor by Jenny Mannion

Dr. Joan Borysenko by Lisa Erickson

Dr. Deepak Chopra by Dawn Abrahamson

Gary Craig by Akemi Gaines

Mike Dooley – Camille Olivia Strate

Dr. Wayne Dyer by Jenny Mannion

Gangaji by Lisa Erickson

Jerry & Esther Hicks and Abraham by Camille Olivia Strate

Mary O’Malley by Dr. Nicole

Dr. Eric Pearl by Jenny Mannion

Susan SARK by Jenny Mannion

Eckhart Tolle … Jenny Mannion

Vaishali by Jenny Mannion

Oprah Winfrey by Jenny Mannion

Marianne Williamson by Lisa Erickson

When she compiles the complete list of Heroes of Healing (it will be huge with comments) I will post the link here.

My Hero of Healing

Now here is my 2c. I’m writing about Gary Craig because I have used EFT myself and know firsthand how this deceptively easy method works wonders.

Gary Craig

Gary Craig started EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), an easy yet effective way to realign the energetic imbalance that can cause various emotional and physical problems. It takes no tools, no drugs, and you can do it for yourself. Start by downloading the free manual at his website.

Gary Craig is solution oriented. He has a lot to say, but first he focuses on resolving the problems that are bothering you. I find this down-to-earth practical approach to be quite refreshing.

As you tap your way with EFT, you experience your body and the mind are indeed linked together. From this realization, so much is possible!

Video

Resources
Website: http://www.emofree.com/

Books:
The EFT Manual (EFT: Emotional Freedom Techniques)
The Promise of Energy Psychology: Revolutionary Tools for Dramatic Personal Change

What I, Akemi Gaines, has learned from Gary Craig

I tapped away my fear of quitting my corporate job and starting my own business, which was causing unbearable neck pain. It took me an hour to hone my tapping affirmations, but then the immediate relief was unbelievable.

I also have a friend who uses muscle testing to check the causes of the problem before she applies EFT. She nailed down some of her issues are caused before she was 0 years old – indicating it happened in past life. So she was thrilled with my Akashic Record Reading service.

As I work as service provider, I remind myself Gary’s simple practical approach. For this, I am deeply grateful to him.

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