When was the last time you considered yourself a beginner? Do you remember how it made you feel emotionally and physically? Where you ready to leap into action, or were you hesitant? Once you stepped into being uncomfortable with this new beginning, how long was it before you felt a sense of comfort, maybe even ease?

Let’s note this pure fact; ease only comes when you begin to have the courage to lean into the unknown. When approaching new things, you’re simply becoming a beginner again. It’s the cycle of living and experiencing life. Honestly, it’s rather familiar when you pause to think about it. Events begin, events end, or I like to think of it as an ebb and flow of life happenings.

What if you approached MIDLIFE as a beginner? Would it help you find a sense of the familiar in the process? Could it initially create some ease by helping you to recognizing the feelings, the actions, the inactions, and eventually stepping into the uncomfortable in order to find your way to a sense of being an expert at this phase of living life. 

Well, let’s define the Beginner’s Mindset; an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject. 

Even the term within the definition resonates with methods you may have used to redirect your children, a friend, or a loved one during their own moments of being uncomfortable in a new situation. So, it turns out midlife is packed with discomfort, uncertainty, and a complete feeling of being thrusted uncontrollably into the unknown. That does indeed sound terrifying! 

The good news, it’s simply a new beginning and you already have the resources within you to maneuver your way through it. For you have applied these techniques countless of times in your life over the years, and you have encouraged others to embrace the techniques of openness and eagerness as well. 

Midlife is no different. You must simply approach it as the beginner that you are in this second journey. So, this week, I want you to think of one of your experiences as a beginner, as well as one experience that you supported a loved one within a new journey. 

·         Speak or write out the feelings, both emotional and physical. 

·         Note if there was a sense of ready action, or hesitation.

·         Describe the moments when discomfort eventually became more ease. 

In doing this exercise it will affirm to you that you do have what it takes to manage being uncomfortable in this new life phase. That’s all you need to know to begin the journey, also understanding and embracing that it will be a pattern of ebbing and flowing until we find your moments of ease to relish within. 

There are 6 Key Steps to being in a Beginner’s Mindset. Next Wednesday, we will explore Steps 1 and 2, make sure you follow and hit the reminder button, so you don’t miss a thing! Until take the time this week to rediscover your success at being a beginner, as well as your success of helping others embrace being a beginner too!

 I’m Ericka, the Curator of Zest wishing you a zest-filled week!

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