Upgrading Your Future: Creating New Doors of Opportunity

By Tesia Melani

What do you get when a billionaire from Japan let’s you house-sit for him in Hawaii for seven years? You make the most of a once in a lifetime opportunity and pay it forward. In this book you will initiate your winning streak, foster a positive self-image, unleash the leader within and share your value.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781940984247

Book preview

International

- Introduction -

Stepping Stones

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.

—Dale Carnegie

Where you’re at right now and where you are going will seem to be too far of a journey, too high of a climb, or too difficult of a task. But with the accomplishments and failures that you have experienced in your life, you have everything you need to move forward. Yes, you have everything you need.

I feel stuck. I have no one to look up to. I can’t go to school without money. Only people with successful parents become successful. What’s the point? These negative thought patterns surrounded us day in and day out. I’ve constantly heard people all around ... give up. So what do you do from here? You do the same thing you would do to your phone, computer or anything else you get tired of. You upgrade.

Are you feeling stuck? Is there no sense of direction laid out for you to follow? Do you want to make money? Do you want to experience more happiness? Would you like to be fully happy with whom you are and what you do?

I understand why you have submitted to this type of thought pattern. We need money to live, we need a job for money and we need to spend all of our time at our job to have enough money to live. We program ourselves to take on more than we can handle; we strive for security and freedom but get distracted by the many demands. I understand why our teenagers have surrendered to mediocrity. They search for acceptance through likes and comments on social media instead of accepting themselves. I have been there. I have allowed adversities to trick my mind. I have said every excuse there was when an obstacle stood in my way. I grew up surrounded by poverty, drugs, abuse and negativity. I knew that when I grew up I would be like everyone else I saw... barely getting by. But I woke up one day and realized that ‘this’ was not the life I wanted.

In 2007 I saw a pageant ad in the newspaper. I didn’t think that I had what it took; some of my family didn’t think I did either. The experience required a lot of self-discovery and a lot of upgrading. I had to change the way I walked, sat, spoke and dressed. When I won, I was in complete shock. It was like a switch went off in my head. I chose to be different and I chose to step up despite what others thought of me. This one experience helped me switch my attitude and shift my paradigm.

A few months later, Japanese Billionaire, Genshiro Kawamoto and his assistant knocked on our door. He selected us, one of three families to live in a mansion for two years. His wish was to take three families from substandard communities and place them in one of Hawaii’s finest neighborhoods. He did more than give us a home; he took our blindfolds off and surrounded us with success and possibilities. I realized that Kahala was a new atmosphere according to God’s will when I read what Joel Osteen wrote in his book, Your Best Life Now:

God wants to place you in an atmosphere of victory.

The Kahala home became a revelation for the new life I was about to create. I wanted to live a life where I was happy and those around me could experience the same. Living in the heart of the island allowed me to do more and be more. I volunteered in hospitals, homeless shelters, schools and community events. Amongst the thousands of people I helped young and old, I noticed people weren’t dreaming big enough. I am providing this book to a broad audience because our teenagers need guidance, our homeless need resources, and those who want to change need support. Many of life’s experiences have proved to me that opportunities are created. The one stepping stone moving my family from Waianae to Kahala gave me a choice to stop and stay or place more stepping stones before me. Author Richard Wiseman said:

A wise man creates more opportunities than he finds.

Your will to change might seem like a journey, especially when most of us are so immediate to take the easy route. You might want to settle and stick to what you know and that’s understandable because it’s your comfort zone. But you picked up this book because you saw a word that looked familiar...Upgrade. If you can upgrade your phone, your computer, or anything else that isn’t working for you anymore; why can’t you upgrade yourself? Upgrading your present will help you upgrade you future.

If you’re unhappy or still wanting more out of life then you need this book as your guide. If you are happy with where you are then give this gift to someone you know who does need it. I had a choice to settle with that one given opportunity or make the most out of it and create new ones. I was tired of doors slamming in my face and experiencing the old adage when one door closes another one opens. You probably are too. Let this book be your keys to new doors of opportunities. You control what doors you want to create. You deserve to be upgraded, so that you are compatible with the world around you. The world is always changing and you can always be upgrading. Upgrading your life and upgrading yourself will be your stepping-stones toward a path of Upgrading Your Future.

I want to be your coach. I want you to find your power, find your reason and find your uniqueness that will make you stand out. You can overcome any obstacle, you can look at any situation and find good in it. You can make life happen. In this book you will teach yourself how to be better, act better, do better and feel better. You will learn leadership qualities, transform yourself into the best you can be, foster a positive self-image, invest in you, and challenge yourself. The journey will be rewarding if you’re willing to take the first step.

Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.

Are you ready to begin? My name is Tésia, welcome to the winning team.

- SECTION 1 -

TRANSFORMATION

- Section 1 -

Transformation–Initiating Your Winning Streak

Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.

– Unknown

Are you a winner? You should be nodding your head up and down, throwing your power fist up or saying yes because you are. I’m not talking about winning a hot dog eating competition or the lottery; I’m talking about the competitions within your own life. You have picked up this book in hopes of upgrading your future and in order to do that you must upgrade your present. You must be presently aware of the potential you possess so that you can accept the challenges in your life and win.

Genshiro Kawamoto showed to me what a winner is. He’s a Japanese businessman established as multi billionaire and known for his real estate investments. Now when you hear investments you’re thinking putting your money somewhere for profit. This is not his type of investment he made for my family. Kawamoto has had many properties throughout Japan, California and Hawaii. Out of his twenty plus beautiful properties in Kahala – one of the most lavish cities in Hawaii – he allowed three families living in other substandard communities to live in their own mansions. We were blessed to live amongst change, luxury and possibilities. He took our blindfolds off from only seeing poverty and struggle to a new experience of success and possibilities. He invested in us. His generosity won the act of kindness, inspiration and assistance.

This book presents what my eyes were opened to and how I molded myself into an investment he could be proud of. Instead of me bottling it up, I know that his investment will be profitable for anyone who is willing to strive for success and win all that life has to offer.

In this section you will shape into a winner by learning how to:

•Measure richness in a different way

•Appreciate overall wellness

•Find strength through obstacles

•Develop the habit of saying thank you

For you to get the most out of this book, open yourself up. Break the mental walls in your mind. Write your thoughts, your feelings and your ambitions within these pages. Make this a place of transformation. Create a safe zone in this book. As you participate in these exercises and accept these challenges you will be on your way toward upgrading your future.

- Chapter One -

Changing Your Currency

Are you feeling poor – change the currency that you use – the currency of love, friendship, camaraderie, gratitude, peacefulness, joy and freedom.

—Anil Gupta, writer and producer

Can money buy happiness? If you had a choice between $100,000 or a healthy heart which would you choose? Upgrading your future has everything to do with upgrading your present. Becoming aware of yourself and appreciating what you have in the now will allow you to see how rich you really are. Let’s start with being appreciative of your health.

Being the eldest in my household provided me with credentials to be a nanny. Schedule making, clothes organization, food preparation and an immunity to excuses. I cleaned up after two dogs, three siblings, two adults, ten tilapia and a turtle. One afternoon as I worked my way down my to-do list, fold clothes came up next. I emptied the dryer and loaded the laundry basket. While carrying the basket, I turned the corner from the laundry room to the living room and stubbed my toe on a five-gallon-water bottle. Immediately I fell to the floor as undergarments rained around me.

My pinky toe felt as if it broke in half and within seconds it was completely numb. On my way to the hospital I watched it grow and color itself purple. I waited in the emergency room for a short amount of time that felt like hours, x-rays confirmed that my toe was broken. The doctor wrapped my toe in a splint and I suddenly realized something: I need all ten toes to walk.

I wobbled, I tripped and I fell. I often asked myself what the point of ten toes was. It wasn’t until I broke this toe did I realize how grateful I was. While it was broken I noticed that I stubbed that pinky toe a lot because each time I did the pain would radiate up my leg. I thought to myself, what a strong little toe I have. I started to take my injury more seriously and nursed it back to health. I lessened my duties and mentally thanked my body for all of my functions. I showed gratitude in every body part of mine.

A couple months later I went back to the doctors and he was shocked to see how quickly my toe healed. He said I was one of his fastest healing patients. I try to apply my gratitude toward my health because of that story every way that I can. Whether I have allergies, a headache or a cold. I appreciate how hard my body works to keep living. I appreciate how much it fights to get better. Money couldn’t buy me a new toe, but my gratitude for the strength of the rest of my body made me feel richer than ever. Rich in gratitude pushes me to find more things to be thankful for.

So let me ask this question, if you had a choice between $1000 or no broken bones what would you choose? I challenge you to thank your body.

EXERCISE:

PART I: Write down a time when your health wasn’t at 100% and how it affected you. How did you feel?

PART II: Write down your experience as you started to regain strength and feel better. Did it help you appreciate your health?

PART III: How did your life change during an internal and/or external hitch in your health?

When you start valuing different aspects of your life instead of money, you will be given more to appreciate. Upgrading your future means being grateful in the present. Make the decision to change your currency. Acknowledge your wealth in health.

Thanking your body for its health is healthy. Thanking your body for functioning allows it to function more. Thanking your body for its strengths allows it to be stronger. If you are at the optimum health in your life right now, be thankful. If not, be thankful that you have experienced it or you may have time to get there. You always have a decision and by deciding to appreciate, it creates more to be appreciative for. Upgrade your gratitude.

Richness in Love

Why should it be important to price love at the top of your list? Doesn’t love change who you are along with the rest of the world? Look into your wallet right now, how much money can you count at the moment? Now look into your heart and count how many people you love? Think of how temporary the number in your wallet is versus the number in your heart.

Pua Mokuau was a friend to all. She was one of the first female lifeguards for the State of Hawaii and helped start the junior lifeguard program. Caretaker of Ka‘ala farms, one of the few who restored the heiau of ‘Ohi‘amukumuku and my aunt. She helped people recover from substance abuse and was an inspiration for those who wanted to learn more about themselves and their Hawaiian culture.

The day she passed away was one of the most important days of my life. People called her an ambassador of aloha but I never understood the true meaning of that word aloha. Aloha to me was a form of greeting someone or showing kindness.

Pua Mokuau was known as an ambassador of aloha because she taught others how to love themselves. When you love yourself, you know how to help others do the same. In Hawaii we use the world Aloha a lot. My uncle shared with me the day she passed away what he had learned from her. ‘Alo means to share, and ha is the breath of life. When we share our breath of life, our time and our love with someone, it changes them. It affects them. It strengthens them. Win the art of love so that you can give it away. You could be a millionaire of love that donates to everyone you know.

Perhaps you don’t have enough money to financially support someone but what you do have is: love, time and patience. The love currency is immeasurable. After learning the meaning of aloha I understood why others loved my aunt so much. It was because she was rich in love.

I challenge you to enhance the love in your life. Try to execute this list each day:

EXERCISE:

PART I: Write down what you love about yourself. (i.e. The fact that your friends can depend on you, the consideration you have for other’s needs...)

PART II: Think of ways you could offer your love to others. (i.e. You could teach someone how to ride a bike, support a friend at a basketball game...)

PART III: List the people you love in your life and how they showed you love. What can you learn from them?

SUMMARY

In the Disney movie ‘Frozen’, my favorite character, Olaf said:

Love is placing someone’s needs before your own.

When you place other’s needs before your own they will hold a special place in their heart for you. When you help others, others will help you. When you love others, others will love you. Love yourself enough to keep balance between your needs and the needs of others. But enhance the love that surrounds you for greater friendships. You never know who you’ll become friends with. Richness in love will lead to stronger friendships, doors of opportunity and an upgrade in your future.

The Value in Friendships

How many friends do you have? How many close friends do you have? Why do you have friends? Are you a good friend?

The currency of friendships depends on who your friends are. What type of people do you hang out with? Someone once told me that you are the sum of the five people you hang out with the most. I’m not saying to get new friends, but I do suggest look at who you’re close to. People who are winners? People whom are successful? People who like change for the good? People who respect others? People who help grow you? If there are any negative people in your life, let them know how they are affecting your life. Help them grow if they want to, and if not keep moving. Find a strong group of people that will help grow you. Find four quarters