Auto mode is not the enemy. It got you taking pictures, and it makes thousands of correct decisions per second. The problem is that those are the camera's decisions, not yours. The moment you want a blurry background, a frozen splash, or a moody dark photo, auto fights you. Here is a gentle path to taking the wheel.
Don't jump straight to Manual Full manual mode all at once is overwhelming. Instead, use the semi-automatic modes as training wheels. They let you control one thing while the camera handles the rest.
Start with Aperture Priority Look for A or Av on your dial. In this mode, you choose the aperture and the camera picks the shutter speed to match. This is the best place to begin because aperture controls background blur, the effect beginners want most. Set a low f-number for portraits, a high one for landscapes, and watch what changes.
Then try Shutter Priority Marked S or Tv, this flips it: you set the shutter speed and the camera handles the rest. Use it to freeze a running dog or blur a waterfall into silk.
Finally, full Manual Once both feel natural, Manual is just doing both jobs at once, which by now you understand.
A practice plan for this week - Shoot the same subject at f/2.8, then f/8, and compare the blur - Photograph something moving fast, then slow, in Shutter Priority - Watch the exposure meter in the viewfinder and learn what it's telling you
Give yourself a week in Aperture Priority before moving on. The goal isn't to abandon auto out of pride, it's to make creative choices the camera can't make for you.