Sitting at a royal wedding in England, I became painfully aware of my limiting habit of not using a knife when I eat.

Although the food was beyond top-notch, I barely ate because I did not know how to use the four forks, six knives, and eight spoons. I do not remember the exact number of silverware pieces but I do remember being quite intimidated by them.

After the Royal wedding, I thought about learning to use my knife, but that was it… just a thought.

As I have traveled the world, specifically in European countries, I have come to understand that Americans are stereotyped for not using knives.

My in-laws are expert knife users.

On a few occasions, I have used my knife.

My man uses his all the time.

None of these moments were enough for me to actually impart on the challenge of change.

Until… now.

My toddler is now beginning to feed herself, as well as imitate everything I do; I am faced with looking at myself once more in the mirror.

I choose to look at parenting as a golden opportunity to become a better human, a perfected-parent.

Learning to use my knife is this month’s perfected-parent opportunity.

I am taking on the change to learn how to use my knife and use it regularly.

Every time I sit down to eat, I look at my knife.

I feel resistance.

And then I talk to myself; I remind myself why it is important to me to learn this new skill.

Resistance in tow, I forge through another physically and emotionally awkward meal.

Learning new things is not easy. If it was easy then it would be done more often.

But when I expect the challenge, embrace the uncomfortable emotion and choose to continue anyway… then a new habit has the opportunity to be born.

And a limiting habit can be broken.

What habits do you have on your list to change?

What if you knew that resistance, discomfort, and awkwardness were apart of the change? Most people take these emotions as reasons to quit.