The Beauty of Being a Beginner Again

There’s something humbling, and kind of magical, about being a beginner.

It’s uncomfortable, yes. It stretches us, exposes us, slows us down. But it also wakes something up inside us… the part that’s still curious, still willing, still learning.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, because I keep finding myself here, at the beginning of something new.

A couple of years ago, I took up Latin dance. As someone who used to feel completely at home on the softball field, stepping into a new rhythm with two left feet and zero coordination was equal parts hilarious and humbling. But I stuck with it. I let myself enjoy the music even when I didn’t quite nail the steps. And eventually, I got better.

Six weeks ago I took up weightlifting and let me tell you, going from strong in one way to shaky in another is surprisingly humbling. I’m used to feeling capable. And here I am, learning form, starting with lighter weights, building slowly.

At the same time, my oldest son is learning to drive. As I sit beside him while he cautiously navigates intersections and parallel parking, I’m reminded that every expert was once exactly here: unsure, alert, awkward, and brave. Watching him reminds me that I’m doing the same thing in my own life right now.

As I continue to build my coaching business and learn the world of marketing, tech platforms, and visibility — I’m a beginner all over again. There are days it feels like learning to dance blindfolded, and other days where momentum starts to build.

Here’s what all these beginnings have taught me:

Growth requires the willingness to not have it all figured out.

We don’t build confidence by avoiding new things; we build it by showing up for the reps.

By being willing to look a little silly. To be slower than we’d like. To ask questions, get it wrong, and then try again.

Being a beginner doesn’t mean you’re behind, it means you’re growing. And if we’re lucky, we’ll spend our whole lives becoming beginners again and again.

Because that’s how we stretch. That’s how we surprise ourselves. That’s how we build momentum toward what matters.

So if you’re in a season of “starting,” here’s what I want you to remember:

As Zig Ziglar said, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

Be patient with yourself. Laugh at the awkwardness. Keep showing up.

Because the beautiful thing about being a beginner is that every step forward, even the tiniest one, is progress.

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Your turn:

Is there something new you’re learning right now? Or something you’ve been avoiding because you don’t want to feel “new” at it?

What if that beginner feeling wasn’t something to resist… but something to celebrate?