Cultivate your own momentum

I’ve been working on embracing the uncomfort of not knowing something and being new at it. This is for me a general attitude of openness, even eagerness, to be a beginner at things lately. And, I’m new at multiple things right now. I’m new at cameras, fly fishing, and knife sharpening. But, I won’t be for long.

I acquired a very capable camera… and taking pictures provides its own positive feedback loop. Each time you hit the clicker it makes a thing. However, running Lightroom is a drag in comparison. I have a ton to learn. How to delete? What view to X in? Where is the share again? Oh, not like that. Stitching what? And, I’ve been here before with pro apps. Competence and skill comes with time and continued practice. It hurts now but, I need to keep remembering is that it’s worth it. I need to just keep pushing into that place of uncomfort, that place of not knowing and figuring it out along the way. I have to want to be uncomfortable, to grow. The momentum is building. I’ll figure it out along the way.

I’ve wanted to fly fish for years. I bought a bunch of stuff a few years ago. I thought I had a friend who would teach me. Then, I did not use the stuff. There is a lot to learn. Some 90% of the river has no trout it in, for instance. I was intimidated. There is a lot of work to do to just build the desire to simply stand in a river and have your senses come alive enough to fish much less know what to tie on, what to wear or how or where to cast. It was not until this Summer in CT that I got out with Tenkara rods and sandals. Then in MT for a day on a quick trip. There I caught my first trout. And then recently in Southern MN for a day where we saw fish, saw them sneak up and “sniff” flies but then deny ‘em. No fish caught but I embraced the beginner’s mind and joy that comes with the process. Oh, we had amazing dried food from a vacuum pack by a river too. #memories The momentum is building. I’ll figure it out.

Knife sharpening has a bit of a stigma. Mystery is delivered with each Google search - “how to sharpen a knife.” There are so many ways to sharpen and so so many knives, metals and styles. The cheap ways, the expensive ways and the novel ways are all competing for your attention. “Buy my easy way for just, blah” is resoundingly loud. Just how are you to figure it out? The answer… keep embracing the uncomfort of not knowing while you try things. I’m getting better and can make knives cut paper with ease now. The momentum is building. I’m figuring it out.

So, what are you embracing as new? Find that thing. Keep embracing your status as a newbie by cultivating moments of learning and soon you won’t be new at it anymore. In this way, you can cultivate your own momentum.