Creating Room to Grow: Akemi Gaines Interview
By Alex Fayle

When I asked James and Harry of Men With Pens to participate in this series, they immediately recommended Akemi. After checking out her blog, I agreed completely. Akemi does for a person’s soul what a Professional Organizer does for physical and mental space - she helps identify and clear out the clutter. Given that, I just had to include Akemi’s story.

Who: Akemi Gaines of Yes to Me
Akemi is a spiritual consultant who is passionate about helping people understand themselves at soul level so that they can build the life of their dreams.

What variety of Someday Syndrome affected you the most? In what way?
I used to stay in negative situations way too long until I was completely down and had to make the change or else.  I guess that is a form of “I’ll Get Around To It Someday” syndrome.  I stayed in a deadend career situation back in Japan until I was let go and finally decided to come to the US to complete my college degree.   I stayed in the broken relationship for years before I ended it in divorce.  And I postponed becoming an entrepreneur for years even though I knew I was not a corporate type.

How did it affect the rest of your life?
It was strange because I’ve always been a quick action person when it comes to smaller action items, such as cleaning up my room or getting the study material for my dream.  I guess I was directing my attention to smaller action items to ignore the bigger challenges.  As a result, my life was full and I was busy, but not truly fulfilling.

How would you describe your happiness level at that time?
It went up and down depending on what was going on around me, from zero to 100%.  Or what felt like 100% back then.  And that was the problem.

Did the other varieties of Someday Syndrome appear in your life as well?
I just cleared my physical level “I Might Need It Someday” syndrome by going through my books, CDs, clothes, and all the stuffs in the closets.  I sold or donated what I didn’t see to be “me” any longer – books that were so informative X years ago but not any longer, clothes that I only wore in corporate settings . . .  I think this was an important step for me to ground myself as a new entrepreneur.  I know I will be provided with what I need when I need it.

About “Someday My Ship Will Come In” syndrome, I have a mixed feeling.  True, too many people just sit waiting for their lucky day, and that is no good.  However, it is also true that our higher power sends us opportunities and we are so much better off when we utilize these opportunities.  Using your analogy, well, the higher power do send us a ship, and that is a faster transportation that walking along the coast – but we need to get to the harbor to go on board.  Only those who get to the harbor with their own will and power get to the opportunity of traveling by the ship.

What changed? Was it gradual or did it come as an epiphany? Perhaps a mix the two?
On the morning I was going to the court to finalize my divorce, I realized that no decision was a form of decision.  I really hated going there – I wanted to give him another chance to wish for the best.  But I also knew I had done that plenty of times.  Not going to the court that day to avoid finalizing the divorce was not about making no decisions, it was a form of decision – a negative one.  It was a clear December morning, and when I noticed this, it was as clear as the cold sky.

And when I “got” this, I also saw myself making the same mistakes in the past.  I could have come to the US earlier – I knew deep inside that I had to leave my home country, Japan, someday to be myself, and not making that decision earlier was a form of decision itself.  It’s basically a lie to myself.

I now strive to be true to myself.  For example, what I do as spiritual consultant – reading people’s soul records (called Akashic Records) and clearing the energetic blocks – may raise some eyebrows with skepticism, but I accept it as part of the deal. 

What dream are you in the process of realizing?
Last year, I felt the strong drive to help more people.  At that time, I had a nice corporate job that I enjoyed.  I liked working with various people in and outside the company.  But I realized I wanted to reach to more people and help them in a more significant way.  I also heard in my meditation that I am to go to Portland, Oregon.

This time, I resisted my own calling only for a few weeks.  I quit my job and moved myself across America, over 2000 miles.  My Akashic Record Reading service is growing, and I want to make the wisdom of Akashic records to be a household item, like The Secret made the law of attraction so popular and well-known.  I want to write books and do inspirational speeches.

How would you describe your happiness level now?
I feel I own my happiness and continuously building on it. And this feels good ^_^

What advice would you give someone in the position you were in before?

1. Ask yourself “What is the best thing that can happen?”  Great things are just as likely to happen as bad things, but we need to start moving in that positive direction to let them happen. And that first step starts within you.
2. Clean up the inner clutter as well as the physical clutter around you.  Meditation is a great way to do this. What thoughts and feeling are blocking your way to live more fulfilling life?
3. Don’t be afraid to seek help.  Seeking help signifies your intelligence and courage, not weakness.

Someday Lessons:

• Internal clutter often has a stronger effect on our lives than physical clutter.
• Is your life fulfilling or merely full?

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Get rid of your Somedays and make the big change you’ve always dreamt about. Check out:

• The Someday-Busting Coaching Services
• The Dream Discovering Ebook by Alex Fayle

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