A simple method is to use it at it's simplest:

Open vim

Hit i

Type the things you need to type

Hit esc

:wq

Continue like this for a few days (maybe even map the arrow keys to hjkl, like a heretic), then I'm sure you'll think something along the lines of "hmm, I wonder how you do X in vim" learn that and continue along.

That's what I did all those years ago.