The Joy of Being a Beginner
Last week, I reflected on the challenge of beginning—how hard it can be to trust ourselves amidst the noise of self-doubt and societal expectations, and simply *begin*
Today, I came across a story on Cup of Jo (Joanna Goddard) that breathed new life into the idea of being a beginner.
Written by contributor Alex Ronan, it chronicles her attempts at learning to garden. After planting seeds in starter trays and getting her hands dirty for the first time, he writer anxiously shares with a friend, “I’m not sure this is going to work.” The friend, well versed in gardening, reassures her “Seeds want to grow.”
This simple exchange captures the magic of those nascent moments of creation. There’s awe in seeing the first signs of life when you’re new to something—watching your efforts, though uncertain, take root and grow.
As Ronan puts it: “The beginner is shocked when a plant grows from a seed; the seasoned gardener expects it.” But their friend offers another important reminder: “I think every gardener is delighted by what they grow.”
It’s a beautiful thought—that no matter how experienced we become, the joy of creating something never truly fades.
Being a beginner lets us see the world with fresh eyes, to marvel at growth and discovery in ways that accumulated experience sometimes blurs.
And yet, even as we become more seasoned, that delight remains—it just takes on new forms. The key is to embrace the process, let ourselves be surprised, and find pleasure in each small victory—whether it’s a sprouting seed or a new project taking shape.
The joy lies in beginning, embracing imperfection, and letting ourselves learn as we go. Real growth happens when we start—even when it’s messy.
𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲? 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁:
Reach out and say hello - if you're interested in Beginning and creating a strategy that turns insight into meaningful results, I'll be onboarding two new clients in the coming weeks and would love to chat.
A Cup of Jo: https://cupofjo.com/
The Joy of Being a Beginner: https://lnkd.in/gZpukPwx