With Kate Schroeder, M.Ed, LPC, NCC
New Beginnings
Spring is around the corner, and along with its arrival come all sorts of new beginnings. We begin to hear the birds returning to the trees, the buds of long dormant flowers start to emerge, and the greens of the grasses and leaves on the trees begin to push through again. Everywhere we turn, there is opening of new life.
But did you know that there are new beginnings happening around you daily? Your relationships are the harbinger of opportunities to begin anew every day with the ones that you love. Contrary to popular belief, each time you experience conflict in a relationship, whether it is an intimate relationship with a partner or child, or a connection with someone at work or down the street, this provides you with an opportunity to begin anew in that relationship. Conflict is not an automatic indicator of a contentious or failed relationship, rather it is a common outcome of two people with different values, goals and needs interacting in close proximity. When conflict occurs, it is an opportunity to stretch your understanding both of yourself and the other person, as well as the situation or outcome. When two people are in relationship, either by choice or by circumstance, there will always be some “rub” where the edges come together. In fact, tension is a common and necessary part of the creative process. Without tension, there is no motivation for anything new to unfold.
As a society, we’ve become accustomed to seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. And in our world of instant gratification, most people want sudden relief from any sort of pain or tension that might be occurring in their life. Although this drive towards satisfaction and happiness is part of the human condition, resolving the tension or pain too quickly, without giving it time to gift us with a new perspective or insight, is like taking a cake out of the oven before it gets “too hot”. It’s only half-baked.
In order to embrace the opportunity for new beginnings in our lives and relationships, we have to be willing to become aware of our own self and its edges. Often, the gift of new awareness that conflict can bring is wrapped in a “not so neat” package. This requires a commitment to be open to seeing all parts of our story, the good, the bad, and everything in between, as well as a commitment to the creative process of healing and self-transformation. This is not always an easy or pain-free endeavor, but it is a certain path towards wholeness and new beginnings in life.
For more information on guided imageries, meditations, classes, and upcoming programs visit Kate at: www.kateschroederlpc.com.
You can contact Kate at:
Transformation Counseling, LLC
8084 Watson Road, Suite 226
Saint Louis, MO 63119
(314) 761-5310
kateschroederlpc@gmail.com
www.kateschroederlpc.com