Is This Normal? 5 Beginner Witch Worries (and Why You’re Doing Just Fine)

So you’ve started exploring witchcraft, maybe even bought your first handmade altar tool, bookmarked a moon phase calendar, or whispered a quiet intention. But then comes the panic: Am I doing this right? If that sounds like you, take a breath. You’re not alone, and yes: This is normal.

I’ve been there. A lot. The first time I tried to set up an altar, I spent two hours arranging it and forgot to, you know… actually use it. It’s easy to feel like there’s a right and wrong way to practice, especially when your feed is full of gorgeously lit rituals and elaborate setups!

Let’s talk about what’s really going on underneath the doubt.

1. “What if I mess up a ritual?”

This is probably the number one fear I hear from beginner witches. You light the candle, you say the thing, and suddenly there's a knock on the door, the phone rings, and everything is thrown off. 

Here’s the truth: energy follows intention, not perfection. Distractions happen. Candles blow out. You stumble over your words. The magic isn’t gone, it’s just a little wobbly. That’s okay.

Try this: When something goes “wrong,” acknowledge it, smile, and keep going. That flexibility is the magic.

2. “My practice doesn’t look like what I see online.”

No sea of candles? No glowing orbs? No ancient family grimoire passed down through generations?

Perfect.

Your practice should look like you. If your altar is tucked inside a repurposed wooden box, or your ritual is simply lighting a candle before bed, that’s beautiful. You don’t need smoke machines and cinematography to be a witch (though I think that could be fun to try one day!) 

Remember: The most powerful spells are the ones you actually do, not the ones staged for a perfect photo.

3. “I don’t know what I’m doing yet.”

That’s because you’re learning. And learning is sacred.

One of my mentors reminds me (almost daily) that nobody starts out doing things perfectly. If we gave up just because we weren’t good at something the first time, we’d never get anywhere. Think of all the music we wouldn’t hear, the art we wouldn’t see, the stories that would go untold... The world would be full of people too scared to begin!

Your curiosity is your compass. Read. Explore. Try things and see what fits. There’s no spiritual badge for memorizing correspondences or doing a sabbat “correctly.”

Pro tip: Keep a little journal of what you try, even if it feels messy. Keep what works and toss the rest. That’s how you grow.

4. “I only have five minutes a day. Is that enough?”

Yup. It really is.

If all you can manage is stirring your tea clockwise while thinking of calm, that’s a ritual. If you tuck a stone in your pocket before a stressful meeting, that’s spellwork.

There’s no rulebook that says your magic has to take hours or involve twelve ingredients and the moon in Aquarius.

Remember: Witchcraft is meant to support your life, not take it over.

5. “I’m nervous people will think this is silly.”

This one’s real. Especially if you’re not fully out of the broom closet or you’ve got family who wouldn’t understand. 

I’ve been there. It took me years to feel comfortable practicing openly, and honestly, I still get a little embarrassed doing rituals or spellwork when someone else is around. I’m a work in progress, just like you. Progress, not perfection, right?

Let me be clear: your practice is valid, even if it’s private. You don’t have to post about it, talk about it, or explain it. The quiet connection you feel with your tools, your rituals, your self? That’s enough.

You’re not behind. You’re not weird. You’re emerging.

Starting a spiritual practice can feel overwhelming because it's deeply personal, and we’re taught to be afraid of getting personal things "wrong."

But every doubt you’ve had? I’ve had it too. So have countless others. And the ones who stick with it? They’re the ones who realize that imperfection is part of the path.

So whether you’re lighting your first candle, fumbling through your first spell, or just admiring a handmade altar piece and wondering, Can I really call myself a witch?, the answer is yes.

You’re doing just fine.

Stay mystical, friends!