Let Yourself Be a Beginner: A Mindful Approach for High-Achieving Women
It's no secret that mastering a skill feels amazing and boosts your confidence. But what if there’s just as much value in letting yourself be a beginner? Mindfulness for high-achieving women often revolves around managing stress and avoiding burnout. Embracing a beginner’s mind can help alleviate that pressure.
We’re often taught to push ourselves to excel, get better, and be faster. This is especially true for women who are juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, including those in leadership positions, corporate offices, and those running their own companies. Whether it’s learning a new skill, mastering a hobby, or simply experiencing something in a fresh way, beginner’s mind is a powerful tool to shift from perfectionism to curiosity and play.
What Is Beginner’s Mind?
Beginner’s mind is a mindfulness concept that invites us to experience familiar things with the freshness of a first encounter. Imagine looking at an old pen as if you've never seen it before. Or stepping outside onto your porch like it’s your first time there. Or tasting your favorite meal as if it's the first time you've ever had it.
The beauty of beginner’s mind is that it encourages you to tap into your five senses and experience the present moment as truly unique. This moment has never existed before and never will again - how incredible is that?!
This approach is particularly useful for high-achieving women, who can get stuck in a cycle of “doing” and forget the importance of simply being.
Why You Should Practice Beginner’s Mind, Especially If You’re A Perfectionist
When we approach something new, our brains switch off “autopilot” mode. We become alert, cautious, and engaged. This built-in mechanism is designed to keep us safe by noticing more details and avoiding potential threats. This instinct served us well in our evolutionary past, and, we can also use it in everyday life to stay present and grounded.
For high-achieving women, it's easy to get caught in a cycle of striving and doing. We're often conditioned to keep moving forward, pushing through challenges, and exceeding expectations. Embracing beginner’s mind can be a gentle reminder to slow down and savor the moment, whether you’re starting a new work project or trying a new hobby for fun.
Rather than feeling the pressure to "perform" and immediately be good at something, beginner's mind invites us to experiment, explore, and play. It encourages us to let go of perfectionism and reconnect with the joy of learning, something many of us forget as we chase success.
Beginner’s mind also allows us to relax. It turns the pressure valve down, freeing us to try new activities without immediately needing to be “the best.” Instead of abandoning a new hobby or task because we weren’t born instantly amazing at it, we can simply embrace the fun and excitement that comes from letting ourselves try something new - even if we never “go pro.” Imagine that?
The Benefits of Beginner's Mind for High-Achieving Women
As women who are often wearing many hats while spinning even more plates, it can feel like there's no room for experimentation, mistakes, or pauses. But beginner’s mind is a powerful tool that can enhance our well-being in several ways:
It fosters curiosity and gratitude: We can approach our days with a childlike wonder, making any mundane task feel special. (Remember how delicious that new soap smelled the first time you used it? How does it make you feel now?)
It reduces stress: By letting go of the pressure to be perfect, we can experience greater peace and enjoyment in the present moment. (Imagine this moment is all you have. Do you really want to rush through it?)
It brings play back into our lives: We can experiment with hobbies and activities we might have dismissed in the past for fear of failing or looking silly. (Spoiler alert: No one is expecting you to fold like a pretzel at the Yoga 101 class.)
It helps us accept ourselves, flaws and all: Beginner's mind encourages us to see beauty in progress, growth, and evolution, not just in perfection. (It helps us answer questions like, “How did I get here?” and “Who am I becoming?”)
Your Takeaway: Let Yourself Not Know What You’re Doing and Be a Beginner
Being a beginner isn’t about staying in a constant state of inexperience. It’s about choosing to embrace the process of learning with openness and curiosity. It’s about reminding ourselves that it’s okay not to know everything. In fact, it’s the not knowing that invites growth, fun, and fresh perspectives into our lives. We get to surprise ourselves with something new every day!
So, the next time you try something new, whether it’s picking up an instrument, learning a new language, or simply trying out a new recipe, take a deep breath and let yourself be a beginner. Allow yourself to feel the joy of discovery, without worrying about how soon you’ll “get it right.”
“At the end of life, there isn’t an award for getting the most done. Living is the award.”
p.s.: I love trying out new hobbies and seeing which ones stick. For most of my adult life, very few have. However, I’ve now been indoor rock climbing for about a year and a half and today I went to my very first reformer pilates class which I loved! You never know what you’ll enjoy, if only you let yourself try. Beginner’s mind has been the key to my continuous enjoyment and savoring of life - in big moments and small ❤️
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