Confidence-Get It By Learning Something New

The harder something is to accomplish, the more confidence we gain in the learning. Seems like a simple concept, but is it really?

How are you wired? I'm a language gal. I write, speak, read at a reasonably high level. But put me in a higher level math? Uh uh. Nope, no thank you! I can battle through it. I can confidently manage in business finance. I just hate, hate, hate math and numbers. But I am also a very, very curious soul and I LOVE to learn. So if left in an empty room with nothing but math, I'd master it rather than sit and do nothing.

Yet I'm catching on to the "techie" stuff fairly fast. Why is that? Especially when my husband is more mechanically and mathematically inclined and hates the techno world.

I went to the Verizon store on New Year's Eve. (No, I didn't say I was brilliant, lol.) My purpose was to upgrade my phone to a blackberry, my son's to a better working model, and my husband's phone to a sturdier model (he does HVAC and destroys phones easily. Way too easily.)

Three hours later... sigh ... I walked out with not only all the phones handled amidst the major crowd, but I also had changed around all the business plans and learned how to put my four business emails on my new blackberry. Yes--four. (One for ACFW, one for my classes that I teach and continuing ed for me, one for Full Spirit Magazine, and one for MyGemOfWisdom.com where I sell coaching sessions and jewelry to help support two orphan homes in Kenya.) I love that the blackberry funnels them all into one, yes ONE, email reader. FREEDOM! I feel like I've blown through a ton of email in such a shorter amount of time.

I've spent the last couple of days learning how to use the silly thing! But I noticed a little glimmer of confidence today. I am easily replying to the emails. Not only that, but I'm keeping up with them much faster than if I had to sit at my laptop. What a concept?! Speed and efficiency!

I know there's lots more to learn, but I've even managed to figure out the calendar, getting online (though it's really tiny), and sms/mms (or texting), the set up wizard, changing my font, and my own choice for ring tones. Holy cow!

I still want to learn how to download music for fun, but I'm working with my new business tool with enough confidence that it is a benefit rather than a distraction.

Why did I need it? I need access to GPS, internet, email, and work documents when I'm away from the office. We'll see how it works out in the long run, but so far I'm impressed.

So why did I learn and my hubby not? It's too, too simple... I wanted to. My curiosity and love of learning are actually an asset with new adventures. My husband is solid, steady and prefers things stay rather than change. It's what makes him a stellar HVAC designer. In that way we make a good team.

Sometimes we get all tied up about not knowing how to do something. Really what we need to do is find out how we're wired and work to those strengths. Then if we must have something done and we don't have the ability-- delegate :-D

Trust me, I won't be installing a furnace any time soon and he won't be getting a blackberry.
;-)

Angie