Learning a New Skill by B. Imei Hsu
It happens without fail. A new client plops down on the couch in my office, then launches into a story of challenge, frustration, disappointment, and loss. After a few sessions, the dialogue of story begins to encroach on the arena of new skill acquisition, usually in an attempt to move towards problem solving, and when it does, I tread lightly. Who am I to add to already busy and stressed out people the dedicated hours it takes to learn a new skill? Yet, I always do. And sometimes, it’s daunting.
Simply put, there often is no workaround. A person must press into an unknown experience in order to learn a skill that moves him from a place of feeling stuck to a place offering the possibility of growth and renewal. You can’t pay someone to do the work for you, and if you don’t learn the new skill, you may lose money, a business, a friendship, or in some cases, a loving connection with a spouse, partner, or child. It’s either change or die.
