You know I remember when I first started riding how hard shifting seemed. Not the actual shifting, but getting the right gear for where I was. I think it's one of those things you just need to practice. There are times when I still don't have the right gear, spinning wildly usually , but now I'm comfortable with the process of shifting, so it's easy to get where I want to be.

I'm also getting into the habit of shifting my rear derailleur first when I start a descent to avoid the cross chaining.

V.