Written by: Anastasia Lind, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever wanted to learn a foreign language but didn't know how to go about it? Or maybe you even tried many different things that didn't give the result? Did you push the desire to learn a language back because of other priorities? The thing is, it is still there, hidden deep inside and covered with dust. So let's bring it back to life now!
Last week I talked to a friend of mine. We haven't seen each other in a while and had a lot to discuss. So we had a very engaging conversation right up until I asked how she was doing with her Spanish.
What happened next was interesting. My friend immediately wrapped up the conversation and started physically moving away from me! She almost escaped!
I thought: wow, there must be a lot of pain around that subject!
And I understand why.
There is a reason for each desire born in your heart: you want to expand your life and experience certain emotions through that desire—love, connection, joy, freedom, etc.
And when there is a belief that this can't be achieved for whatever reason, it feels awful.
So now, I am on a mission to demystify foreign languages and show that everybody can do it easily with a simple mindset shift. My project is a part of a bigger vision: unity on our planet no matter where we come from and what languages we speak.
During my practice as a language teacher and coach, I identified seven main reasons why it is hard to learn foreign languages. We are going to look at them now and then turn them around.
1. A negative experience in the past
Maybe you had a terrible teacher at school, an incident while traveling, or somebody gave you a rude comment. Those memories create an association with pain, and of course, you don't want to go through this again.
Try this affirmation: my past does not equal my future. What happened does not define me, and today, I choose a new start.
2. You see it as an enormous goal
Speaking a foreign language might seem to be something overly significant and unachievable, or like there is a massive gap between you and "those who are good at languages."
I like to focus on the bigger goals and the opportunities that will open up when you are fluent, for example, having friends in another country, taking a course, starting a business, etc. Go deep. What else will be possible for you?
In that way, learning a language is just a small step towards bigger goals, which takes the pressure off your shoulders and makes it easier to progress.
3. No strategy
It can be overwhelming to figure out where to start and what to focus on. There are so many available tools, like apps, YouTube videos, books, courses, private lessons, etc. However, most of them do not lead to fluency. No wonder it is frustrating to try out all those things and still not be able to speak.
My advice is simple: choose one strategy and stick with it. I have my own system that I use to learn languages and that I find most effective. To find out more about this strategy, please visit my website. I run workshops where I talk about it in detail.
4. No support
People questioning the validity of your goal or your ability to succeed is not especially motivating. Remember that people are giving advice from their perspective, past experiences, and beliefs, which has nothing to do with you.
You want to surround yourself with people who have already mastered a foreign language or at least who have a similar goal. There are many ways to find such people, and I talk about it in detail in my workshops.
5. Misbeliefs
Maybe you have one of the most common misbeliefs about learning foreign languages; for example, you need to have a lot of time, money, talent, travel to another country, etc. All this is blocking your progress.
There are always ways to make something work regardless of your circumstances. So rather than focusing on the limitations, try to ask yourself: what can I do now to make it happen?
Here is one of the most powerful exercises that I do with my clients. First, write down a list of all your beliefs and concerns. Then rewrite them in a way, so they sound like empowering statements; for example, "I am not good at grammar" can be changed to "Grammar gives me freedom and confidence to express my thoughts."
6. You are okay without it.
It doesn't feel worth investing time and energy because you cannot see why you need this language and what benefits it can bring into your life.
Think about it that way: a foreign language is just a tool, and it is more about creating a whole new lifestyle of adventure, joy, and connection worldwide. A lifestyle where you have friends and business partners worldwide, you feel at home wherever you go, experience unity with the whole planet, safety and freedom coming from the inside, a deep heart-to-heart connection with other human beings all over the Globe.
What can you create when you are coming from that place?
7. Coming from a place of separation rather than unity
The old paradigm is that we are only physical bodies, and we are different just because we speak another language or live in another country. And if we are different, we can't trust one another, so we get to stay guarded. This is causing fear of being judged, ridiculed, and excluded, which is why it can be hard to break the language barrier. And connection is one of the basic human needs.
On the other hand, we can choose to adopt a perception of unity. It means that we are brothers and sisters sharing a home, planet Earth. We already have a heart-to-heart connection that goes far beyond any language barrier. In that way, you can feel safe traveling and speaking to other people because we are one and there is nothing to fear.
What would it feel like to learn a foreign language coming from a place of unity?
I help my clients create a lifestyle of adventure, joy, and connection worldwide, using languages as one of the vehicles. If you'd like to learn more, feel free to connect with me!
Anastasia Lind, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Anastasia Lind is a language strategist and a lifestyle coach living in Sweden.
While working as a teacher of Russian and Swedish, she started noticing specific patterns in the students' ways of thinking that affected their results. It was fascinating to see how certain people learned fast and with ease while others struggled.
It became crystal clear that the results had nothing to do with the method, book, or teacher and that the answers lay deep inside students' minds.
Then the idea of the first book about learning languages was born. It evolved and turned into a massive project that helps people create a lifestyle of adventure, joy, and connection worldwide.
Anastasia holds a vision of unity on our planet where more individuals worldwide collaborate and create joy and abundance on Earth. Currently, she is hosting virtual events and courses about lifestyle, traveling, languages, making friends worldwide, and coming from the perception of oneness.
