The Transformative Power of Gratitude and Trust: Episode 3

The Abundance Brought by the Cycle of Trust

A small burst of laughter catches my ear.

In the waiting room, a child clings to his father’s arm, giggling playfully.

“Look! I’m getting so tall!”

The father smiles gently, holding his child’s hands firmly.

Watching them idly, I pull out my smartphone.

A notification flashes on the screen—

“Client’s revision request attached.”

It’s the usual message from the usual contact person.

In the past, just seeing this email would have unsettled my stomach.

I would hesitate to open it, sometimes leaving my phone face down to avoid it altogether.

But now, things are different. I glance at the screen and chuckle softly.

“Honestly… I already told them I wouldn’t be available today.”

Muttering to myself, I recall how I used to be.

At the beginning, I was often overwhelmed by these interactions.

The client’s requests would be forwarded to me without any clarity, causing confusion and disrupting progress.

Just seeing the sender’s name in my inbox would make my heart race with anxiety.

I was afraid to open emails, leaving them unread for hours.

“If I don’t respond quickly, will I lose their trust?”

“What if they’re dissatisfied and never send me work again?”

These fears consumed me.

But through my exchanges with Okane-san, I realized something fundamental—trust in others begins with trust in myself.

By learning to forgive and believe in myself, my relationships with people started to shift naturally.

In fact, I’ve now handled several projects with this very client.

Before, I was constantly bracing myself to meet their expectations. But now, I simply believe—”I can handle it.”

Somehow, that confidence has translated into smoother communication and a more relaxed working dynamic.

And this change has extended beyond just this one client.

I remember something my boss once told me when I started working—

“If you build trust, that alone will become your strongest sales record.”

For years, I wondered, “How do I earn trust?”

I tried always prioritizing my clients’ needs, accommodating their every whim.

I endured discomfort, thinking that if I made things easier for them, they’d trust me.

But I was wrong.

Trust built on suppressing my own needs wasn’t true trust at all.

The stress and energetic imbalance I carried inevitably leaked into my work and relationships.

It affected everything—the quality of my work, my well-being, even my interactions with others.

Finally, I had broken free from that loop.

“First, trust yourself.”

When I made that decision, I consciously created more time to reflect.

I stopped pressuring myself to be perfect, instead speaking to my past self with kindness.

“You don’t have to try so hard.”

“Even if you don’t get it all right, you are already enough.”

Rather than forcing myself to accommodate difficult clients, I learned to let go—”If it’s not a fit, that’s okay.”

And something incredible happened.

Relationships that once felt strained began to shift.

Unexpectedly, people I had struggled to work with started treating me differently.

And, in parallel, while some clients naturally drifted away, new ones came in, perfectly aligned with my values.

Before I knew it, my income had become more stable, and my sales steadily increased.

Beyond work, my personal relationships changed too—especially my relationship with my partner.

I used to bring home my work frustrations.

“Another revision request… they never consider my schedule.”

“Dealing with clients today was exhausting. I’m completely drained.”

Complaints like these became routine.

My partner always listened kindly, but looking back, I realize I was simply unloading my stress onto her.

One day, she told me—

“You know, when you talk about your clients, it sounds like you’re blaming them, but really, it feels like you’re being hard on yourself.”

At the time, I didn’t quite understand what she meant.

But now, I do.

I wasn’t just frustrated with others—I was frustrated with myself.

What if I couldn’t meet expectations?

What if failing at something meant losing everything?

These silent fears had seeped into my words without me even realizing it.

But now, things are different.

“My client sent a revision request today. Eh, I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

“Wow, you’re unusually relaxed.”

“Yeah. It’ll work out.”

We can talk about work casually now, without the weight of anxiety.

Instead of venting my frustrations, I simply share my day.

She smiles and says—

“Lately, talking with you feels so reassuring. You seem much more at ease.”

Hearing that, I had a realization.

Perhaps the greatest form of energy circulation is simply trusting yourself.

I glance at my phone again and smile.

“I’ll send it tomorrow, Okane-san.”

Locking the screen, I slip the phone into my pocket.

Through the window, I hear children laughing as they play on the grass outside.

A nostalgic warmth rises in my chest.

—I wonder if my younger self laughed so freely, just like that.

Listening to their joyful voices, I close my eyes for a moment.

To be continued in Episode 4: “Connecting the Past and Future—Healing the Inner Child.”