This May, I want to plant a seed in your brain. I will water this seed during the month of May. This seed is - TO WRITE - in English.

The thought I want to water, nourish and feed - for you, this month - is the idea that this month, this MAY - you START TO THINK about writing in ENGLISH. 

May this May be the month that you begin to write! That is my wish for you. 

Until next time! 

Hear and There

7. May we write in English this May

If you like to write, you're in luck. Writing is also great for your SPEAKING. 

Listen to learn more, and follow this podcast if you're interested, because I'll be talking about this a lot! 

5. Write to speak 

Writing is great for your speaking, but it's not necessary! What's great about writing is that it gives you a way to LOOK at YOUR words. To see how things really are. Speech-to-text applications or many AI programs allow you SEE the words you SAY. That is so helpful.

It also gives you a way to practice WITHOUT getting feedback - which has some real benefits. 
Listen to hear more! 

6. But what if we don't like to write? 

When we feel we have had a "setback" in our language learning - we often tell ourselves stories that keep us stuck. In this podcast episode, I will offer some ideas for how we can prevent that from happening, and when it does, how we can start to move forward again.

In summary, what I say is that first we need to assess what has REALLY happened. And we need to look at the STORY we are telling ourselves - about what happened. (We can do this by writing or talking to a coach or a friend or to ourselves using the questions below). 

If we can question the stories we have told ourselves about this setback - it becomes easier to take action to get ourselves moving again. Byron Katie is an author who created 4 questions that are helpful in changing our beliefs. The questions are: 1. Is it true? 2. Can I absolutely know that it’s true? 3. How do I react when I believe that thought? 4. Who would I be without that thought? 

Turning the setback into an opportunity to take action - any action - can help us get moving again. Getting support is also very helpful. 

Writing or speaking exercise (talk into your phone!) -- take 7-10 minutes and see what you discover!:

1. Think of a time when you were trying something new (learning to play a musical instrument, starting a new routine, exercise or diet) - and you had a "perceived setback" - or when you felt you hit a wall/were blocked/"failed." What did you tell yourself at that time? Was that "story" really true? What happened after that? Did you continue doing the thing? 

2. Now think of a skill you have mastered. Maybe it's cooking something or riding a bike or being a professional or an entrepreneur. Did you ever have any "setbacks" along the way? (I am sure you did!) What steps did you take to keep going forward? Did you get support to move past these obstacles - or how did you help yourself to continue? What happened next? 

If you want - save your words and share them with me! I would love to hear what you think!  


3. "Setbacks," the stories we tell ourselves, and getting unstuck

In this episode, I make some observations about different conversational styles among native and non-native English speakers. I am generalizing, of course, and these are just my thoughts, based on what I've experienced in my life. *

I'd love to hear what YOU think! What have you observed? 

Here are some questions you might want to talk to yourself or write about - as we reflect on the year that has ended. Maybe you want to create a short monologue by recording your thoughts in a voice memo on your phone. Or perhaps you could try writing down your ideas on your phone or on a piece of paper. Do it for 5 or 10 minutes, and don't worry about your grammar or vocabulary. Writing is a great PROCESS - an exercise where you can use your English - anywhere, anytime, without a teacher or a listener. So getting in the HABIT of writing or speaking to yourself is as important as the words you use. Over time, your skills will improve! 

---- QUESTIONS TO ANSWER -----

What does the word SUCCESS mean to you? 
What does SUCCESS LOOK LIKE to you? 
What is something you have SUCCEEDED AT?

Based on YOUR definition of success - what made 2023 a successful year for you?
What will make 2024 a successful year for you? 

And here's a THOUGHT EXPERIMENT and a WRITING EXERCISE.
Imagine it is December 31, 2024. Using past tenses, write about what made 2024 a successful year for you. (This may feel strange, but it’s a great exercise for your English and for your mind! It can be fun and transformative, too!)

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*Note - In this episode, I make the mistake of using the word "American" to refer to people from the US. This is a bad habit that I am (still) trying to break. The truth is that we are all Americans in the whole hemisphere - North and South. But, as they say, "old habits die hard" or existing patterns are hard to change. 