I’ve played guitar since I was a kid and i largely learned by ear. 

The kicker for me was that I can also sing. The ability to listen and match pitch or sing along to the radio helped a ton when I was starting out. 

For guitar now, I just put a record on and play along as I learn the song. The key is that playing (and singing) is as much about listening as it is about playing (or singing)

You gotta hear it in your brain and connect that to the instrument!

Best way to learn is to pick a song you love and try to learn it just by listening. Find out what key it’s in just by trying different keys as you listen - once you find it you should be able to follow if you learn some basic music theory. 

Hope this helps! My work is super left brain (investment advisor) and so having a right brain outlet for relaxation is very enjoyable.