Gratitude For New Possibilities, Online Gratitude Journal #22
January 23, 2009 by Akemi
Aaaagh, what a week! I can hardly believe it’s been only three weeks since the new year rolled out. There have been so many changes in my life.
In this post, I will share the changes I’ve been going through. Then I will work on a post that explains the energetic cause that is bringing these changes because I suspect this is not just about me – more people may be going through similar changes now or soon. (Photo by Mr. Greenjeans)
I woke up to find myself vegetarian
Although there have been some precursor changes, I realized the real shift last Friday. Suddenly I’m vegetarian. This has nothing to do with certain belief systems or principles. I just don’t feel like eating any meat nor poultry. Fish and shellfish are on the borderline, and eggs and dairy (cultured dairy such as cheese and yogurt) are okay.
Even before this, I didn’t eat so much meat anyway, but I did enjoy chicken soup or turkey and cheese sandwich. So this abrupt change in my diet is taking some adjustment effort.
In fact, I don’t feel good wearing my leather jacket, either. (However, the new me seem to be accepting leather shoes and wallet.)
Again, this is not about following certain principles. I don’t think vegetarians are being kind and generous when they criticize meat-eaters, and I don’t like it so much. So I am not following them – my change is coming from within. And I’m a bit inconvenienced at this time to get used to this new eating habit, but I also like it.
I have a new taste for clothing
I was getting my coffee at Starbucks that Friday morning, watching people. In this area (Oregon), people dress very casually, like sweats and jeans. Many seem to like very basic colors like brown and black. I was wearing jeans, too, as usual, and a casual Old Navy sweater. On my feet, I had my Addidas black stripe sneakers. And I felt the urge to go shopping.
Well, actually, the shopping spree lasted three days, all weekend. I wanted more feminine and pretty color clothes. I got myself red suède loafer, metallic burgundy short trench coat, crochet cardigan that ties under my bust, cute Ts, very feminine lingerie, and dark wash jeans. Good thing this is a bargain season.
The notable thing is not just my new taste of clothes, however. I have this sense of newness – I went to the same mall I usually go to, but everything I see brings fresh joy and gratitude.
I could easily go to the mall for another day, but on Monday, an even bigger change was on the way . . .
I am moving
I moved to the current apartment when I relocated from Tennessee to Oregon fifteen months ago. I didn’t know the area at all, so I got a decent apartment, hoping to buy something later. It’s in a good neighborhood and I’ve enjoyed living here, but . . . I realize it’s so noisy. I work from home, so a good peaceful environment is important for me.
So on Monday morning, I decided to look for a new apartment. Purchasing or lease purchasing a property seemed too cumbersome, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea as I and my business are changing so fast. (Plus the real estate price is still falling.)
In Apartment Guide, I found an apartment in the same area. Huh, this one sounds good. Never noticed it existed (it is tucked away from the main roads, which is good), but it’s only a few miles away. I drove there and asked, “Do you have a 2bedroom? I’m not really in hurry to move. I can wait for a good unit to open up on the top floor, preferably end unit.” And the leasing agent goes, “We have the perfect one that just opened up.”
And it’s not just sales talk. Honestly, I have never seen a beautiful apartment like this. It’s actually better than some condos. It has an entry area – the door is not in the living room. So I don’t need to eat dinner staring at the steel door. And the light fixture there is not those cheapest, most basic stuff you see in every apartments – they are nice!
There is a large bay window in the living that opens to a small deck. And a gas fireplace. The kitchen is U shaped, with plenty of workspace and huge storage space, including a foot wide floor to ceiling pantry, meaning I can put away my foods at heights I can actually reach without a stepladder. And track lighting.
Each bedroom has a walk-in closet. The main bathroom has a large tub, not those cheap small tubs that are uncomfortable even for me. And again, plenty of storage space – I don’t think I have enough stuffs to fill them.
And it’s not just the floorplan. They say there is a layer of concrete in between the floors for better insulation of heat and noise. There are wooded areas in between the buildings. It’s on mid-hill, commanding a spectacular view of the expanding valley. And the while place looks immaculate clean. (They are serious about this. They even hide dumpsters in small shacks.)
Yes, it’s more expensive than my current apartment. But I want it. I feel I can work so much better in this setting, and as a self-employed person, my income is dependant on my work efficiency and quality.
Well, I’m going to say even more than that. I feel that apartment is more becoming of me. I have grown out of my current apartment.
I signed up and got approved that day. So I’m moving early February, before Valentine’s Day.
Vibrant gratitude
I just feel so excited. And when I say my gratitude, there is a new vibrant energy. It’s like discovering a new meaning of gratitude. I am so glad and grateful someone designed and built such a beautiful apartment complex! I am so happy and grateful I am healthy and beautiful and can enjoy dressing up! I am so grateful for all the foods, all the clothes, all the furniture I have, all the people, all of everything!
Update: I actually prepared this post on Wednesday, and really liked the last phrase “I am so grateful for . . . all of everything!” When I woke up on Thursday morning, I remembered it, and said it out loud several times, with “Yes, yes, yes!” and that broke me in to such a big laughter. Oh, it was silly. I’m just SO happy.
BTW I also feel less inclined to “keep up with the trend”. If you are a blogger and wondering why I haven’t been commenting on your blog recently, I apologize. I still love you.
Link Love
Barbara just published my guest post at her popular blog. Please check it out and give it some stumble love.
Wishing you all the best, too! Life is fantastic. Niebu ^_^
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Hi Akemi – You’re filled with good news. You new apartment sounds ideal. I like how you described the bay window with the deck. That will be great for those sunny Portland days. And the gas fireplace adds a nice touch, too.
Thank you for the link love. Your guest post is a hit. You’ve got everyone thinking.
Congratulations on the abundance!
Your new home sounds wonderful! And that’s interesting that you’re suddenly vegetarian. Maybe tomorrow you will suddenly be Latina. You never know, right?
I think I need to develop the kind of gratitude you have. I don’t think I’ve been doing a good job of that lately.
Congratulations, Akemi, on all of it! It’s amazing what opens up for us when we practice gratitude and are awake to our intuition. It’s ineresting, too, that your vegetarian conversion happened like mine. (What causes it to occur this way, I wonder?)
I’m so happy for you! The best of luck to you! ~ Julie
This is a beatiful post…I’m so happy for you! I can feel your enthusiasm and positive energy! This post made ME happy…:)
Enjoy your new apartment, clothes, and new eating lifestyle!
I enjoyed reading this post, it’s so good that you have a new apartment that you like, especially as you work from home!!
I went vegetarian a while back, then I went vegan, then raw vegan for a couple of weeks and then went back to cooked vegan but then recently I felt an urge to re-incorporate eggs and fish back into my diet. So, I learned that I can be quite changeable in what I want to eat from one month to the next.
Barbara,
My pleasure to guest post at your blog. It’s so much fun to interact wtih new readers!
Mokihana,
Thank you!
Hunter,
Well, you ask for it and you’ll get it (grin)
Julie,
Oh, God. You, too? I actually know the reason why this is happening to quite a few people at this time. That is part of the reason I shared this, and as I wrote, I am working on the post to explain what it is.
(It will take a bit of time — bear with me — my Akashic clients are getting quite impatient for the same reason — for a good reason…)
Tiko,
Thank you ^_^
Anna,
It can be pretty confusing, huh? I am very happy to find such a good place to live.
Hi Akemi,
Wow, you’re obviously loving your life and that’s wonderful! Moving to an apartment you love must be one of the most exciting things in life. I’m happy for you. And funnily enough, this year I find myself wanting to wear more dresses and less pants too, for no conceivable reason except it makes me feel better… weird huh?
Akemi, now I’m dying of curiosity, because I am also feeling incredible urgency on another front and the pressure’s got me all tied in knots…which is why I’ve about 45 different blog posts in the works and nothing’s really flowing right… I’ll be watching with baited breath to see what you reveal!
Daphne and Julie,
You are picking up the vibe of a bigger change. Or maybe the same kind of change I just went through is happening to you. I find it’s happening to quite a few people — yesterday I worked with three of them. (Quite a lot for my small practice)
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Yes, I would say I am in the midst of some catastrophic change — possibly a major break through. I look forward to our conversation in a couple of weeks, regarding my spiritual self.
ari
Ari,
Fear not. As I wrote in the next post, it’s all good.
Talk to you soon.
Congratulations on taking the plunge and getting the right apartment for yourself and your business! I know the feeling – just going on intuition and going for it.
What’s funny about the changes happening with you is that long before you wrote about theory of soul changes taking place, when my lease for the apartment came up last Fall, I had this urge to renew it only for 6 months instead of the customary 12 months citing “I have a feeling I will need the flexibility to move elsewhere right about the time of April” (which is when my 6 month lease is up!).
So, it’s an interesting time for all of us, indeed. And indeed, it’s all good!
Hmm, not a very pleasant way to learn that you’re a vegetarian. I’ve heard of vegans not being able to stomach meat after a while. Of course, that doesn’t explain the clothing and moving. Sounds like you’re enjoying it, though!
Thanks for sharing a glimpse into your recent life experiences. People have the chance to learn from your choices and gain valuable insight into themselves.
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