Awkward Newness
Perhaps I just made this phase, awkward newness, up but it describes how I have felt recently. There are seasons of life when those two words fit well together. And, I have been going through one of those seasons. For me, it’s been the awkward newness of going to a new church. It’s the awkward newness of walking into a cycling class and a Pilates class at the local YMCA for the first time. It’s the awkward newness of learning the techniques of baking sourdough bread.
When something is a new experience, we may lack the skill or the assurance to feel confident and that’s what makes it feel awkward. To be honest it’s not been that great of a feeling. But I have found that I need to lean into the newness and the awkwardness if I’m going to make friends at this new church, become more comfortable and confident with the cycling class and Pilates classes or make better bread.
What about you? Can you identify with awkward newness? Are you starting a new job this fall or going to a new school? Dealing with a new routine? At a new stage of life? Recently moved into a new house. So many awkward newness times in our lives!
I’m afraid there is no way around awkward newness but there are blessings on the other side of it as I have discovered many times in my life! Sweet friendships, a healthier body & delicious sourdough bread! What blessings have you found on the other side of awkward newness?
I would have ended the post with that question, except yesterday I became a grandma to a 
new baby miniature donkey who is experiencing awkward newness. I learned that a donkey’s gestation period is longer than many animals. So baby donkey (not yet named) has been comfy inside Mama Daisy for quite some time. How awkward it must be to be standing on feet and discovering a whole new world with grass, people, light, chickens and so much more. It won’t be too long before baby donkey will adjust to the newness and will love all these things that seem so awkward today.