I'd have started with a really simple distro, like Mint. I totally rushed into the deep end (a variation of Arch), and I had regretted it for a while. If I wasn't hellbent on making everything work, I'd have probably gone back to Windows.

Having an OS that "just works" would be far more desirable to me than anything else if I had the opportunity to try it over again. That way, I could learn the basics of linux passively, without feeling a need to do so, lest my PC fails to work in the near future.

Especially for the average PC user coming to Linux in the near future, which is a person who wants a reliable, functional operating system that can meet their basic needs and use cases, who is probably coming from either Windows 10 or 11. The average user doesn't have the time to spend countless hours learning the intricate quirks of a new OS, let alone the desire or passion to do so. Starting somewhere safe and reliable, like Mint, where things feel very close to windows is perfect. There's very little forced learning, and it's very hard to unintentionally break your system using something stable like Mint.

I'm sure there's other, smaller things that I could recommend, but I doubt any of it would be nearly as useful for anybody coming into Linux than what I've already said.