It was the summer of 2012. At my first corporate job, I was crossing my fingers for a promotion and raise. However, certain books were nudging me to trust in my ability to manifest abundance without worrying about the ‘how’s’, or the practical steps.
For those who need a reminder: Abundance comes in myriad ways. Don’t limit yourself to XYZ timelines or conventional plans.
In years prior, I had manifested cool things after reading The Secret. Then, I had slipped back into poverty consciousness. Twenty something odd years of conditioning can be hard to change. After getting married, I had more debt on top of my student loans, and my savings account was pathetic. It seemed like home ownership and disposable income were going to be out of reach for a long time.
I made a commitment to think outside of the box again. I knew that the same old thinking and the same old habits would not reap positive changes.
After doing some valuable daily exercises from The Magic and brushing up on my Mike Dooley material (Leveraging the Universe and Infinite Possibilities), a brilliant idea popped into my mind.
Gratitude Walks.
My workplace had recently encouraged employees to take their two daily fifteen-minute breaks away from their desks (yes, it was in California, if you’re wondering). I decided to raise my vibration as high as I could as I walked around the campus during these breaks. I felt great appreciation for the ocean view, the fresh air and sunshine, the flowers and trees, my loved ones, my health, my paycheck, and more. It became easy to bask in the joy of my life.
I really looked forward to my two gratitude walks each day. As I returned to my desk, I did my best to maintain my elevated emotional state. Although my debt didn’t immediately go away, I was still in control of my happiness. I felt empowered, and I just knew that great things were headed my way. I released the need to know how everything would unfold. I also released old feelings of guilt around money and debt. It was safe to want more, and I was worthy of it. I wasn’t ‘bad’ for going into debt. I became light-hearted about the whole thing.
One day, in the early fall, one of my supervisors asked to see me. She was a sweet Japanese lady who had been my table head at one point. To my shock and delight, she asked me if I would like to help her open the new laboratory in Tokyo. I had known that there would be a new lab, but it had never occurred to me that I would have the privilege of working there. My position in the company was not advanced, and I had not done any of the ‘tough’ work trips before. Going to Tokyo for a few months would mean that I would get a fantastic per diem and bonus. But, more importantly, I’d be able to explore a country that had always appealed to me. I had written my final college paper on an intriguing Japanese subculture, and it felt like God was winking at me.
The Universe was doing a splendid job. It was better than anything I could have designed with my small human mind.
It took some time for the news to fully register with me. Coworkers struggled to believe it, too – and another supervisor playfully mentioned to me that many people were less than amused that I had been picked. I didn’t let it bother me. Deep in my soul, I knew that I was the right one for this special role. I had characteristics that my supervisor wanted in a trainer: detail-oriented, respectful, conscientious, humble yet confident, easygoing, and professionally dressed.
In November, I made my departure with another lady who worked on the inventory side of things. She, too, had been amazed by the opportunity. She, too, had certain personality traits that made her ideal for this trip. We accompanied each other from Haneda Airport to the hotel – it felt surreal to both of us.
Every day of my life for those two months was imbued with deep joy. I am not kidding you. There were no hard days. There wasn’t much inventory in the lab, so I spent most of the workday getting to know the friendly new hires. I clicked with most of them, and they took me under their wing to show me around Japan. We had an entire week off to celebrate the New Year. One coworker gave me the ultimate guided tour of Kyoto, and another took me to a small Shinto shrine and a festive marketplace near Mt. Fuji. Another introduced me to his American wife, and we went out to different parts of Tokyo as often as we could. I remember laughing so hard that I cried. I remember feeling like I was in heaven.
I cannot tell you how precious these memories are to me. Words aren’t adequate.
With my $69/day per diem, I had more money than I knew what to do with. I threw it at my debt and laughed with glee. I threw more into my savings account and felt like a boss. I ate out on most days. I enjoyed plum wine, ramen, tempura, and yakitori chicken. (Sidenote: Even if you don’t like sushi or other fish, you will find plenty of delicious food.) Train rides were enchanting, and I couldn’t get enough of the unique jingles at each stop. I donned adorable Japanese skirts, sweaters, dresses and hair accessories. Abundance and joy were my life.
I returned home a new woman. The gratitude walks had made that trip happen, and I would always know that a little bit of commitment could go a long way.
Somehow, those walks diminished. I think it’s because I became more wrapped up in a new role at work, and I struggled to balance my tasks. I did manifest other ‘impossible’ work trips, but nothing ever held a candle to Tokyo. Truth be told, those trips led to some shadow work. Don’t you hate it when that happens?
Life gets busy with all of the competing priorities, and you have to place cherished practices aside. I have kids now, and I rarely take a gratitude walk during my free time. I’m lucky if I can meditate for a full 20 minutes – luckier if I can open my Akashic Records, and even luckier if I can create a new crystal grid.
Every so often, I recall the miraculous unfolding of events that resulted from my daily gratitude walks. Whenever I tell friends about it, I tell them that I was consistent with the practice – twice a day, at least five days a week. You can’t do it once a week and expect the heavens to open up immediately.
Holy moly, I need to get back into that practice! And you need to give it a try, too. Gratitude is extremely powerful. You never know what you’re going to get. It may not be a Tokyo trip, but just you wait and see. It’ll be better than you can imagine!
Believe me, you will fall to your knees in awe when you see what the Universe cooks up for you.