Have you ever thrown yourself headfirst into a completely new challenge, feeling the thrill of uncertainty and the flush of fresh excitement? I have, and I’m here to recount the laughs and lessons from my recent foray into improv comedy and the unexpected delights of pickleball. With these tales of trial and triumph still fresh, I delve into why approaching life with a beginner's mindset is not just a necessity but a superpower in our fast-paced world.
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Creative Space, a podcast where we explore, learn and grow in creativity together. I'm your host, jennifer Loge, and today we're talking about the beauty of being a beginner. The last few weeks I've taken some time away from the podcast to get my brain stimulated in new ways. I signed up for an improv 101 class and a pickleball clinic With a full-time job. It was definitely a full schedule, but I love learning, especially in person, and all of these activities were offline. It was a wonderful reset that I really needed, and I met some really amazing people. All of these new experiences got me thinking about the beauty of being a beginner.
Jennifer Logue:
Throughout my life, I've always followed my curiosity to try new things different instruments, different musical styles, different careers and, of course, some things stuck with me and some things didn't. I used to think of these creative detours as what I like to call them, as more harmful than helpful. I could be going 150% into the podcast. For example, what am I doing? Dinking around on the pickleball court and that's a pickleball joke. Not sure if you got it. I mean, if you played pickleball, maybe you did. Anyway, throwing myself into all sorts of new situations over the years has really helped me cultivate a beginner's mindset, even with things I'm more experienced with. And that's the whole point of this episode being a beginner, practicing being a beginner, wiping the slate clean and treating your primary medium as if you're brand new to it, like I did with my voice this year.
Jennifer Logue:
Here's why being a beginner is so great. Number one it makes us more agile. The world is constantly changing and those who are able to roll with the punches and explore new territories are the ones who adapt and thrive. Number two it frees us creatively. When we were a beginner, we shed preconceived ideas and technical restraints, allowing new ideas to flow more freely. Number three it helps build resilience. When you're a beginner at something, you have nowhere to go but up. We're able to let go of fear of failing and begin seeing obstacles as challenges to overcome and opportunities to improve. Number four it helps us build stronger connections. Being a beginner humbles us and from this place of vulnerability, genuine, meaningful connections form with the people we're on a journey with. Number five it prevents creative stagnation. Comfort zones can be comforting, but they also breed stagnation. When we throw ourselves into the deep end and try something new, we're able to keep things spicy.
Jennifer Logue:
As creatives, my favorite part about being a beginner is the humility part. It's helped me keep my ego in check, not just with things I'm actually a beginner at, but with things I have experience with too. So when someone offers me advice on how to improve a song I'm writing or how to improve my vocal performance on a particular song, I'm able to receive the feedback rather than react to it. The opposite of this would be having an expert mindset, and that certainly comes with a lot of confidence and years of experience. But the energy is so different when used in excess. It can close us off to new ideas. So I try to say in a beginner's mindset most of the time, because it keeps me open, it makes me a better team player and it just keeps me in a better state for flow and creativity.
Jennifer Logue:
Anyway, I'd love to know your thoughts. How do you feel about being a beginner at something? Do you love it or does it make you anxious to be out of your comfort zone? Feel free to send me a message on social media or through the contact page on my website, and that's all I have for this episode of Creative Space. Thank you so much for listening. Until next time.