Here’s to new beginnings….
and how seats 4C and 4D to Iceland changed everything ….
Start as we aim to go on…
….. two of the gifts and challenges in counselling are transparency and authenticity . So my main aim for this blog is to start as I mean to go on, i.e. being both of those with you now. I am not a blogger, not a reader of them and not a writer of them. That said, it seems this is what people do, so here I am doing it. Future, once a month blogs will be about us women at midlife - things I have heard and what I feel might be helpful to share, but for now It felt that a short blurb about why and how Mekosha Counselling came about seems a good place to start as it is very much about what Mekosha Cousnelling is about.
I travelled to Iceland in February of this year, a trip postponed from November 2023, my birthday month, ( the big 50) due to Mother Earth having other volcanic plans. At this point I hadn’t flown since 2019. I hadn’t really gone anywhere since 2019. I was nervous and anxious. My darling Aunt and godmother was treating me to a wonderful 50th birthday present, her sister, their daughters and me. My Mum having passed away in 2021, never got to Iceland as her trip with my aunts was in the ill-fated 2020.
My mum and her sisters, their cousin and their mother – the matriarch of our family all used to meet on a Monday morning. It was called The Coven, nothing satanic, just a meeting of intuitive, wise women. Our generation was the Junior Coven, and now time and death meant the Coven was moving into its new shape.
I sat nervously on that flight to Iceland with my most loved females, minus my Mum, but all together; the first time in a very long time. I spoke with my cousin over the walkway of the plane, what started with general questions as we do when we haven’t for various reasons, seen enough of each other to know, about each other’s lives. She asked me, I believe unintentionally and not half as intensely as it is about to sound ( it’s a good few hours to Iceland after all) a series of motivational questions about my work, what I wanted from life, how I felt about where I was in my career and most importantly – what I felt my purpose or passion was. As an aside this cousin as a wonderful podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/these-three-things/id1745479621
Being with these women reminded me what I wanted to do over 15 years ago- be someone to help other women. I was now where I needed to be, at this stage in my life, doing this work, being on that plane and being sat in those seats, having that conversation.
That trip pushed me out of my stupor, it was one of the happiest times I have ever had. To laugh until it hurt, to feel so loved, to be amongst the most humbling landscapes and environments I have ever been in. To talk, to listen, to relax, to not have to be in charge, to not feel like the only one at the helm did me so much good. The dealbreaker was – realising I needed it (or rather having not realised I needed it). Realising despite what I do, I also need support, to reach out for help, some coaching and confidence boosting - time spent with women that I care about and care about me.
By the time we had landed, albeit without a name, Mekosha Counselling was here. All I needed was someone to ask the right questions, to listen, and to care. I am here now for you to do the same …..
And here we are ….
…… My 40’s by and large were pretty dire, but also the sorts of times that, where they are the hardest, is where so much of the lessons are. What I needed then was the right support. It didn’t enter my head that my mental health was impacted massively by being perimenopausal, as was my physical health. My relationships, how I felt about myself, my children, my friends, my career, my sleep, my eating habits. Hitting 50 has brought another level of understanding and huge change, I feel a huge connection to women that I have never really taken the time to invest in until now. We are all in this together and we can choose how much to engage, we can choose so many things, what starts to happen is we chose Ourselves.
I sincerely hope that seeking Counselling and Psychotherapy for yourself with me will give you the chance to start a new pathway for the next part of your story, your journey and your life.
Alex