There is something oddly uncomfortable about being bad at something. Not terrible in a charming, laugh-it-off kind of way, but genuinely not knowing what you're doing. The awkward first dance class, the painting that looks nothing like the reference, or the new hobby that makes you realize you might not have a hidden talent after all.

Somewhere along the way, we became very attached to being good at things. We want to see progress, get results and feel like we're getting somewhere. Even our hobbies seem to come with an invisible performance review.

But what happened to doing something simply because it looked fun?

Not Everything Needs to Be a Talent

Think about how often we talk ourselves out of trying something because we're worried we won't be good at it. Maybe you've wanted to try Pilates, learn to play an instrument, take up tennis or join a dance class. Then comes the inevitable overthinking: What if everyone else is better? What if I look silly?

The funny thing is, nobody is particularly concerned about how good you are at your new hobby. Most people are too busy worrying about themselves.

You don't need natural talent to enjoy something. You don't even need to improve at it. Sometimes the experience itself is enough.

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Your Hobbies Don't Need a Business Plan 

Not every interest needs to become a side hustle, a personal brand or another item on your list of accomplishments.

You can bake a mediocre cake without opening a bakery. You can take a photography class without becoming a photographer. You can go to a pottery studio, make something questionable and never touch clay again.

We're so used to measuring our time by productivity that doing something without a tangible outcome can feel almost unproductive.

But having interests that exist purely for your own enjoyment is a pretty good use of time.

Try Something That Has Nothing to Do With Your Routine

It's easy to get comfortable doing the same things. Work, gym, errands, dinner, repeat. Routines are useful, but a little spontaneity makes life more interesting.

Try the class you've been saving on Instagram. Go somewhere you've never been. Pick up a hobby you've always thought looked cool. Say yes to something outside your usual routine.

And don't spend the entire experience worrying about whether you're doing it correctly.

The point isn't to become a completely different person by next week. It's simply to give yourself something new to experience.

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Being a Beginner Is a Good Thing

There is something refreshing about having no expectations. No pressure to perform, no need to impress anyone and no particular outcome you're chasing.

You get to laugh at yourself, make mistakes and discover what you enjoy along the way.

Maybe you'll find a new passion. Maybe you'll decide pottery isn't for you (understandable, depending on the pottery). Either way, you've spent an afternoon doing something different.

We're all trying to improve in one way or another, whether it's getting stronger, building better habits or working towards something bigger. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Just remember that life is allowed to be fun in the meantime.

So, consider this your reminder to try something you're probably going to be bad at.

You might surprise yourself. Or you might make a terrible painting.

Both are perfectly fine.