Why does learning an instrument as an adult feel so brutally humbling?

It’s not just the sore fingertips or the off-key notes—it’s the sheer realization that your brain and body have betrayed you. You used to pick things up fast, now you’re back to square one with the coordination of a newborn giraffe.

I picked up guitar last year thinking, "How hard can it be?" Spoiler: way harder than I expected. My fingers refuse to obey simple chord shapes, muscle memory is a myth, and my brain short-circuits when I try to sing along. It’s like my body’s actively working against me.

Anyone else feel like their instrument is gaslighting them? What’s your most ridiculous adult learning struggle?