I'm a life long manual
I'm a life long manual transmission user but a few years ago rented a Subaru Legacy for a vacation trip up the Olympic Peninsula. I discovered the paddle shifters after a bit and used them extensively going through the mountains. It was one of the best driving experiences I've had in a rental car. While I prefer a manual (as in my 2018 Forester), the eventual (forced) transition to a CVT probably won't be as bad as I once feared.