What is a newb?

According to the urban dictionary, a newb is an inexperienced player in a game and he/she will eventually develop better skills. This can be anything from learning a new language to saying hi to someone randomly on the streets.

When was the last time you did something for the first time

We stay comfortable in our warm environments and don’t want to change. We have a routine and a group of people we hang out with. Especially when we grow older and maybe have the same job over the years. It can get difficult to be a newb.

But it doesn’t always have to be something new. It could also be something you haven’t done in a long time. I like to rollerskate. When I am going thru something, I like to take my skates and just skate in a park. Now I can’t skate that well so it looks silly for an adult to hold their balance sometimes. But that makes it fun. Laughing at my awkwardness. And if I fall, so what? I can get back up.

Beginner’s mind

This term comes from Buddism and it means that you look at a situation you’re placed in as if you are seeing it for the first time. This could be the first time you’re in that situation. Contrary, it could also be a situation you have been in before but you would like to change your view or your behavior toward it. The benefits of seeing something for the first are:

• Not having any fear of failing
• Not having an image formed (created by the ego)
• Having curiosity and being excited to learn something new
• Being open to new possibilities and ideas
• It helps develop deeper gratitude

If you want to learn 5 ways to cultivate a beginner’s mind, read this post from BetterUp

After failure comes growth

So when you have decided what your new first time is, make a timeline that works best for you. Follow through on your plan. After a while, you’ll see changes. For example, you are happier, more outgoing, better at a skill, more confident you name it. When you see results you’ll want to improve more. But even if you don’t want to stick with that activity after a while. Congratulate yourself on trying something for the first time (or in a long time).

Image: Unsplash , by Quiton Coetzee