Happy First Time Here: A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human
You know that awkward moment when you walk into a room and forget why you’re there? That’s kind of the human condition. As a therapist in Tampa, I often hear clients being quite hard on themselves. The other day, a client said something wise to me: “It’s our first time here.” And I thought, why hadn’t I look at it that way before?
We’re going to put reincarnation to the side for a minute—because even if it’s real, most of us can’t remember our past lives, and unfortunately, they didn’t leave us a user manual. So we’re all here, improvising, googling symptoms, overthinking text messages, and just trying to make sense of this wild, messy, beautiful ride.
So what if we treated life like it was our very first dance lesson instead of the final performance?
✨ That means:
Giving ourselves grace when we trip over our own feet (or feelings).
Being gentle with others because they’re fumbling too.
Letting go of the pressure to “get it right” and leaning into the art of trying.
As Brené Brown reminds us in The Gifts of Imperfection (2012), authenticity isn’t about always knowing what we’re doing—it’s about showing up even when we don’t. If it’s your first time doing something—anything—you wouldn’t expect perfection. You’d expect some stumbles, maybe a full face-plant, and ideally, a good story afterward. So why do we act like being confused, uncertain, or overwhelmed is a moral failing?
Let’s normalize the “oops.” Let’s celebrate the messy middles. Let’s remember that play, creativity, and curiosity are survival tools just as much as calendars and self-help books. Elizabeth Gilbert, in Big Magic (2015), discusses creativity as a form of enchantment, a means to remain engaged with life even when it feels chaotic.
If you’re feeling like a newborn giraffe on roller skates some days, wobbly and unsure—congratulations. You’re doing it right. That uncertainty? That’s the sign you’re living, learning, stretching.
Cathy Malchiodi, an art therapist, reminds us that “art is a witness to our inner world” (Art Therapy and Health Care, 2012). So why not move some color around and see what it reveals?
And when someone says something that rattles you, take a beat. As Don Miguel Ruiz says in The Four Agreements (1997), “Don’t take anything personally.” Everyone’s stumbling around in their own way, trying to figure it out too.
So what if we stopped trying to look like we have it all together and just showed up? With compassion. With curiosity. Maybe even with finger paint.
We’re all beginners here. Let’s act like it.
Happy First Time Here. 💫
Want to chat about your first time on this planet? I’d love to hear how it’s going for you.
👉 Reach out here
📚 References:
Brown, B. (2012). The Gifts of Imperfection.
Gilbert, E. (2015). Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.
Malchiodi, C. A. (2012). Art Therapy and Health Care.
Ruiz, D. M. (1997). The Four Agreements.
