From momentum to acceleration via the universe.(Grit & Glamor Epi.24)

The Universe has a plan. Don’t argue with it. Make Space for the Universe in your life, and expect the unexpected.

Previously:

In 2005, I planned to showcase my original bag at my first-ever seminar. This bag, with its sleek design of black leather and gold stitching, was a compact 27cm square, designed to store a laptop and mobile phone. I decided to produce 100 units, but soon realized that my small one-room apartment didn’t have enough space to store them. So, I made the bold decision to use the locker room at my workplace in Shibuya. During the seminar, my mentor, Mr. Kanai, gave a guest lecture using astrology, which received a great response from the participants. This seminar became a turning point for me, leading me to start my journey as a seminar speaker, turning it into a side business.

9.2 A Series of Unexpected Developments

After my first seminar was a success, my life began to move at an astonishing speed. It felt as if the universe itself was gently pushing me forward, guiding me through a series of unexpected events.

Through my blog, my name started to gain some recognition, and before long, I began receiving requests for coaching sessions from readers. Then, one day, while attending a small seminar hosted by an acquaintance, I was introduced to the wife of a celebrity. She asked me to consult on her blog, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was dreaming.

After my seminar debut in November, I was already planning my second seminar just two months later. One day, a middle-aged buyer from a department store, who often visited our Shibuya branch, suddenly asked, “When’s the next seminar? I’ll bring 13 people from my circle.” In that moment, the gathering for my second seminar was practically set up by itself. Hearing his words, I vividly remembered something my mentor, Mr. Kanai, once said: “Your success is already predetermined.” At that moment, it felt like a prophecy.

Around that time, I also started shipping the original bags that customers had pre-ordered. Since online shopping was still in its early stages, even setting up a shopping cart was a challenge. Yet, rather than feeling anxious, I was filled with excitement about pioneering a new path that no one else had ventured before. I wrote product descriptions myself, took photos, and eagerly built my online store from scratch.

With 100 bags in stock and not enough space at home, I had no choice but to use the lockers at the Shibuya store as a secret storage space. Since I needed to reduce my inventory quickly, it became my daily routine to run to the bank during breaks to check for sales, even though my boss had warned me not to sell them in the store.

As a result, my income grew at a pace I could never have imagined. Coaching sessions, bag sales, seminar fees, and consulting payments all contributed. Just eight months earlier, I had thought, “If I can earn 50,000 yen a month from a side job, that’d be enough.” But now, I was earning enough to seriously consider going independent.

9.3 An Invitation from Roppongi Hills

Then, in mid-December 2005, an even more astonishing opportunity came my way — an offer to appear on an internet radio show. At the time, YouTube had only just launched in February of that year, so the idea of listening to content broadcasted online was a completely new experience for most people.

This opportunity came through an introduction from Ms. R, known for her work in “Fashion × Coaching.” Ms. R had once helped me when I was deciding whether or not to take a coaching course. The recording was scheduled for January 11 of the following year — an auspicious day according to the Japanese calendar. And the location? The iconic Roppongi Hills, a place I had always admired. It felt like an invitation to a new stage, and I couldn’t help but feel excited.

In just a few months, so many things had happened that it felt as though I was living an entirely different life. I was still working as a store manager in the apparel industry, but I had also become a seminar lecturer, coach, consultant, and product designer.

Just as my side business was expanding and I was enjoying a sense of fulfillment, a sudden wave of tension hit me. It was triggered by a single comment posted on the Shibuya store manager’s blog.

“Have you filed your tax return?”

That single line made my blood run cold. Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about it. It was only natural that more income would mean I had a tax obligation. But somehow, I had completely overlooked this crucial point.

As I was wondering who to turn to for advice, I remembered someone — Mr. H, a man I had connected with on the social networking site “mixi.” With the rare title of “tax accountant × photographer,” he had once visited the Shibuya store out of curiosity about “what kind of manager” I was.

When I contacted him, his reply was unexpectedly straightforward. “You can file your taxes after you go independent. For now, just make sure you keep all your receipts for expenses.”

With those words, my tension eased completely. Having advice from a tax expert was a lifeline for me at that moment of anxiety.

Looking back now, it feels like my encounter with Mr. H was no mere coincidence. He is now the CEO of a large accounting firm, and even after I became independent, he has continued to serve as my advisor.

It seems that whenever I need someone, the right person appears as if by magic. It’s as though the universe has been laying the groundwork for my success all along. Even meeting a tax accountant like Mr. H was perhaps part of a plan already set in motion by fate.

9.4 Synchronicity Guided by Fate

On Christmas Eve, I received an email from my mentor, Mr. Kanai. In it, he wrote, “I’ll be meeting Ken Honda in January.”

Ken Honda, the author of “Happy Millionaire”, is the very person whose book changed my life. His words had inspired me countless times, prompting new insights and actions every time I re-read his work. And now I discovered that the person who cuts Ken Honda’s hair is none other than my mentor, Mr. Kanai!

This series of coincidences nearly made me fall off my chair in disbelief. I never imagined there could be such a connection. The surprise and excitement were so overwhelming, I could hardly breathe.

What could this possibly mean? It felt as though an unseen force was guiding me. From the moment I first picked up “Happy Millionaire”, it’s as if I was destined to meet Mr. Kanai. From that day on, my life had clearly shifted to another timeline. As if connected by invisible threads, everything seemed to align miraculously through this synchronicity, leaving me utterly amazed.

At the same time, while new and wonderful connections were forming, some ties were beginning to break. Regarding this, Mr. Kanai shared some wisdom: “Losing friends is actually a very good thing. By letting go of old friends, you create space to meet new people. I wonder what kind of encounters await you next year. It’s exciting, isn’t it?”

In just a single month, so many things had happened that it felt like I was living an entirely different life. Every time I made a decision, it was as though I had jumped to a different timeline. Among the infinite possibilities, the question was always: which future would I choose? The faster I made decisions, the more rapidly my world seemed to change. But this was not the end of the story — rather, it was just the beginning.

These continuous changes and decisions eventually led me to make a major choice: to go independent. That decision brought even greater changes to my life, but that’s a story for another time. Quietly, preparations for the New Year’s sale of 2006 were beginning to take shape.