I think the only way is to bite the bullet and accept the somewhat steep learning curve. Unlike the other suggestions I think it's best to start off with a vani

I think the only way is to bite the bullet and accept the somewhat steep learning curve. Unlike the other suggestions I think it's best to start off with a vanilla Emacs setup (rather than one of the fancy distributions), because it's better to start with a very simple setup and then build on that. The initial Emacs setup is very basic and quite ugly, but good for learning. Follow the built-in tutorial. After learning the basics, create an init.el file, learn to use the use-package package, and start off trying out interesting packages to make your life better. I would suggest finding a good theme and giving helm a go to begin with.