Love, Joy, and Languages: Recent Episodes
Heidi Lovejoy
Love, Joy, and Languages is a Podcast where you can learn about language learning, supporting your children in their language journeys, and overcoming the many challenges faced by adult language learners, parents raising multilingual children, and expat language learners. I sit at the intersection of these three worlds, and I want to share my own journey navigating this crossroads while inviting you to discover your own, unique language learning journey. Music used as intro & outro in this Podcast is "Home" by artist Nick Gallant, licensed from TuneCore
In this Season 1 Finale, I share and celebrate language learning wins from listeners across the globe. Real life stories from real life language learners, inspiring us to see every bit of progress along our language journeys. In this episode, you'll hear stories from six language learners who recognize a huge variety of wins in their language journeys. The achievements they've shared with me for this episode are inspiring for language learners of all types, ages, and levels. The languages they're celebrating include French, Italian, Catalan, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and German. Some are still in the beginner phase of acquiring their languages, and others are futher along. Some are working on their first or second non-native language, and others their fourth or...eleventh. This episode is made for you -- my listeners. Every win we have matters. No achievement is too small. Every success is significant. And every win is worth celebrating. Join me in today's episode by cheering on those who shared their stories with me, and for everyone else out there working on your new language. Take a moment to reflect on your own wins, and celebrate them! Feel the pride. Give yourself a round of applause. Brag about it on social media. You're doing great, and you can be proud of yourself and your achievements. Instagram accounts for those who shared success stories in this episode: @cory.viento @something.polyglot @lingomama @ninakpeacock @fayefranx @liza.learns.languages Find me on: Instagram: @love.joyandlanguages Twitter: @LoveJoy_Lang www.lovejoyandlanguages.com Some of my favorite language podcasts for you to check out: Language Chats Podcast (https://www.languagelovers.com.au/podcast), co-hosted by Penny from today's episode & her friend, Bec The Language Confidence Podcast (https://anchor.fm/emily-richardson1), by Emily Richardson Speaking Tongues Podcast (https://speakingtonguespodcast.com/), by Elle Charisse Insecurities About Language (https://anchor.fm/alexandria-robinson2), by Alexandria Robinson The Future is Bilingual (https://anchor.fm/the-future-is-bilingual), by Heather Koziol The Fluent Show (https://www.fluent.show/episodes), by Kerstin Cable Language Stories (https://languagestories.fireside.fm/), by Lindsay Williams Language Hacking (https://www.fluentin3months.com/podcast/), by Benny Lewis & Shannon Kennedy My favorite podcasts in Italian: Simple Italian Podcast (https://simonepols.com/simple-italian-podcast/), by Simone Pols The Teacher Stefano Show (https://www.teacherstefano.com/podcast), by Stefano The Italian Effect Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-italian-effect-podcast/id1610614777?uo=4), by Agata News in Slow Italian (https://www.newsinslowitalian.com/), by Linguistica360 My favorite podcasts in German: Natural.Fluent.German (https://open.spotify.com/show/66RoY4vSCSiSmyNV84NfHe) & Deutsches Geplapper (https://naturalfluentgerman.com/my-blog/podcast-transkripte/), by Flemming Boldbecher Slow German (https://slowgerman.com/), by Annik Rubens Sprach Venture (https://www.podcast.de/podcast/2529098/sprachventure-podcast-sprachen-lernen-sprachreisen-mehr), by Markis Galli
In this episode, I talk about how overwhelm has started creeping back into my life as summer break approaches, and the kids will be out of school for several weeks. When I think about my own language learning time, travel plans, keeping a clean house, preparing healthy meals, providing lots of activity time for the kids, minimizing screen time, working on their English reading and writing, while also keeping German a central language for them outside of school -- everything has started feeling completely impossible. So today I use this space to talk myself through what really matters, getting honest with myself about the crazy expectations I'm putting on myself. By defining my real priorities for the summer -- quality time with my kids, restoration for myself, and more contact with German and Italian -- I'm able to clearly see realistic opportunities for time, energy, and resource management that previously felt impossible. Brainstorming activities we can do to foster these priorities helped stop the overwhelm spinning around in my head and instead allowed me to come up with a very manageable summer plan that leaves room for mood, energy, and personality shifts throughout our weeks out of the school year routine. Note: If you have a language learning win to share with me for next week's season finale, reach out to me on Instagram or Twitter by Wednesday, 20 July 2022, and I'll give you and your success a shout out in the episode! Instagram: @love.joyandlanguages Twitter: @LoveJoy_Lang
In this episode, guest Emily Richardson tells us about her early experiences learning French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean. She has eight years of classroom experience teaching languages. After a brief spell in the Artificial Intelligence industry, the 2020 pandemic hit, and she found herself unemployed with no income, no stable home, and feeling very lost. Against financial, emotional, and personal odds, Emily started learning Brazilian Portuguese in response to the challenges she faced. Emily shares her joirney learning Brazilian Portuguese using only language exchange apps, and she shares some tips that have worked for her when finding a language partner. Emily uses her language knowledge and experience to author and publish a book series “How to Be Me" which is available on Amazon in English and French. Spanish, German & Brazilian Portuguese. This series serves as a guide for language learners to find their voice and preserve their whole selves in their new languages. Emily is also the creator and host of "The Language Confidence Project," a podcast for all language learners, whether they have to or want to learn a language. In her short, daily episodes, Emily provides tips, tricks and tons of encouragement for all language learners throughout every step of their journey. Thanks to Emily for taking the time to chat with me and share so much of her story and work. This conversation is packed with incredible insights and take-aways, and I'm thrilled to be able to share it with you. Links: Find all of Emily's work, including links to her website, books, and podcast here: https://campsite.bio/teawithemily Emily on Instagram: @teawithemily Find me on Instagram: @love.joyandlanguages Find me on Twitter: @LoveJoy_Lang
In this episode, I talk about the power of the words we speak to ourselves about ourselves and our languages. Beginning my language learning journey, I held core beliefs about what that journey would look like and about myself as a language learner. Such things as, "I'm too old," "Language learning is difficult and time-consuming," and "I'm not gifted at languages" were at the center of all my beliefs about language learning and what it meant for me. I often found that the words I spoke -- both out loud and in my head -- upheld these beliefs, and confirmation bias had me focusing on things that seemed to affirm them. Learning to pay attention to these words was the first step I took to halting this destructive pattern. I learned how to pay attention to how I feel in a language moment, which is often a signal that negative thoughts are swirling around my head. Next, I gave this callous voice a name, allowing myself to disassociate from the pessimism and self-doubt and look at things from a more realistic and constructive perspective. Finally, finding positive, believable words to replace the negative ones was something I knew I needed to practice in order to move forward with a growth mindset. Links: Lindsay Williams of Lindsay Does Languages (https://www.lindsaydoeslanguages.com/) Kerstin Cable of The Fluent Show (https://www.fluent.show/) Emily Richardson of Tea With Emily (https://teawithemily.com/)
In this episode, I talk about the importance of forging a joyful bond with your languages as early as possible. My first year learning Italian, especially, was rife with pressure, self-doubt, and beliefs that language learning is hard -- that it's a struggle. By the time I started learning German, though, I had worked through much of this negativity, and my first year was full of positive energy, fun, and believing in myself. Today, even though my Italian is stronger than my German, I still get nervous and hesitate when speaking Italian. I still feel a pull to use Google translate, subconsciously believing that I can't do it on my own. With German, though, a language in which I'm still a beginner, these feelings don't exist. I feel no hesitation to just jump into a conversation, and I completely forget translation apps are available. Instead, I just charge forward with what I know. This stark difference in how I interact with my languages is connected to my early beliefs about myself learning each one. The limiting beliefs that overshadowed my early years with Italian still exist. I've proven to myself over and over again that I can learn and speak this language -- that I am learning and speaking it, but those negative beliefs formed a bond that I must actively and intentionally work against. With German, though, I knew I could do it from the beginning. It's challenging, of course, but I've believed in myself and my abilities from day one, and the result is that I'm more likely to enter a conversation with ease and not worry about mistakes or judgment. I find this disparity in my underlying feelings of my ability in each language interesting, and the more I think about it, the more I believe in the importance of forging a joyful bond from the beginning. What we say to ourselves and what we believe matter. To me, I think they matter just as much as what resources or methods we choose for learning a language. We have to believe we can do it, and it's important to make sure you're speaking truth and kindness to yourself both about your language and yourself. No matter where you are in your language journey or what your reasons are for learning a language, I think the take-away from this episode is something that can benefit us all.
In this episode, I talk about 5 language learning activities that I tend to do while on vacation. While I absolutely don't advocate "the grind" or doing intensive language learning tasks every day without a break, language-related activities are a part of my daily life that relax me. They ground me, and they help me recharge and reset. So for me, touching my languages daily is still part of my holiday time because it supports my relaxation. During vacation time, I don't stress about doing specific language activities, feel obligated to do them, or guilty if I don't do them, but if this isn't for you, don't worry! Enjoy your vacation and down time, taking complete breaks from all language things as needed for your life. While on vacation, I tend to still use language apps daily because a 5-10 minute session of practicing vocab or sentence structure keeps my brain sharp and allows me to disconnect from the high energy my kids bring to our travels. Reading for pleasure in my target languages often comes up while on vacation. From magazines to social media posts, I love this connection to my languages no matter where I am. Listening to music and podcasts in Italian or German are so ingrained in my daily life that they naturally find their way to me on vacation. I also often send audio messages to friends in Italian while on vacation because I've finally slowed down enough to take time and make those important connections. And not always, but sometimes I even sent text messages in my target languages or write out my vacation grocery list in German as we travel. Even these small things count for me because it's all about connection. Connecting to my languages is one of the most therapeutic things I do. Some of my favorite language podcasts for you to check out: The Future is Bilingual (https://anchor.fm/the-future-is-bilingual) Speaking Tongues Podcast (https://speakingtonguespodcast.com/) The Language Confidence Podcast (https://anchor.fm/emily-richardson1) The Fluent Show (https://www.fluent.show/episodes) Language Stories (https://languagestories.fireside.fm/) Language Hacking (https://www.fluentin3months.com/podcast/)
In this episode, I sit down with guest Sarah Knight from Language Immersion Abroad, who shares her experience navigating life as an immersion program student in France. Sarah shares her discovery of immersion as a way to learn a language and how being part of a host family in the U.S. inspired her to take the immersion leap for herself. She brings us through the emotional and linguistic process of living in an intense immersive environment, including unexpected challenges and how she worked through them without losing herself. Even though our immersive experiences are different, Sarah skillfully describes thoughts and feelings about living abroad that I have never been able to put into words, showing that we're never alone in our experiences and that tapping into our subset of the language community to share stories and experiences is valuable, inspiring, and healing. While her experience was in an immersion program in the country, Sarah explains the concept of an immersion spectrum, allowing me to identify my experience along the spectrum. We compare and contrast various aspects of our diverse experiences learning a language while living abroad, talk about the role of family in our language choices, and what we envision for the language community. Sarah is on a mission to use her experience as an immersion student to build support and community for others going through or thinking about immersion. She values connection within the language community and wants to share all the facets of language immersion, both the exciting aspects and the challenges, in order to support and build strength amongst those living abroad. WHERE TO FIND SARAH: You can follow more of Sarah’s journey on Instagram @languageimmersionabroad, where she shares insights, tips, and stories about living immersed.
In this episode, I dive deep into my experience as a first-time expat parent figuring out how to support my children in their acquisition of the community language while I learned it alongside them. Our early years learning Italian were rife with fighting, negotiating, and bribing when it came to learning Italian. I constantly felt like I was failing, and I was failing my kids. But the more those negative feelings crept up, the more I pushed myself and my kids to work harder and do more. In hindsight, it's easy to see that I wasn't failing. I just had the wrong expectations in every aspect of our language lives. I had expected myself to learn Italian quickly and be able to speak it at home with my children. I expected my very young kids to be excited about learning another language, do language activities as I dictated them, and take command of their own language journeys. I expected immersion alone to make us fluent, and I expected our community to meet us where we were. I thought native speakers around us would all be patient with us as we learned, jump at the chance to help teach us, and adjust their conversational lives to cater to us. Over time, as our language lives became too overwhelming and stressful, I realized that the way I approached my children's language journey (and my own) wasn't sustainable. I was doing more damage than good, and it all came down to my expectations. In this episode, I discuss how changing these expectations was a dramatically positive (and necessary) turning point for our family. My kids are responding to my change of expectations, and they're genuinely excited now to learn German, our new community language. They're making incredible progress in both the language and in school, and the entire mood of our household is lighter and happier. This is the language journey I wish I'd tapped in to years ago when we first set foot in Italy, but it's never too late to analyze and alter one's language or parenting expectations. LINKS: Overview of my multilingual parenting journey: http://www.lovejoyandlanguagespodcast.com/episode-2-my-story-part-2 Interview w/another expat parent, Nina Peacock: http://www.lovejoyandlanguagespodcast.com/episode-12-multilingual-parenting-non-native
In this episode, I sit down with Nina Peacock, a U.S. American expat experiencing acquisition of the community language alongside her children in Japan and now in Germany. She talks about learning Japanese while her children attended Japanese preschool, and then working to keep learning it together when they moved back to the U.S. Nina describes some of the challenges she faced teaching her children a language that isn’t her native one while also no longer being immersed in the country. She shares her discovery of TalkBox.Mom, a language learning program that guides families to speaking a second (or third or fourth...) language together at home from day 1, no matter where you live. Nina and her family found so much success using this program for Japanese while living in the U.S. that they brought it along for their transition to Germany, using it in both languages now. We talk about the struggles we’ve experienced trying to share our love of languages with our kids, what “fluency” can mean for multilingual children, setting goals for ourselves and our kids, and also the benefits of using one language to teach another. Nina’s journey as both a language learner and parent of expat children is full of discovery, growth, challenges, and celebrations. I’m so grateful to have the pleasure of hosting this chat, and we both hope to give other parents tips, hope, and inspiration for their own multilingual parenting journeys. WHERE TO FIND NINA & TALKBOX.MOM: You can follow more of Nina’s journey on Instagram @ninakpeacock, where she shares her family’s language life, especially with TalkBox.Mom. As a brand ambassador and avid user, she is a wealth of knowledge for any parents interested in the program, and you’ll also find coupon codes and other opportunities for trying this program on her page. You can also visit this link (https://talkbox.mom/ref/150/) for more information and a free starter pack.
In this episode, I share my language learning routine. (SPOILER ALERT: I don't have one!) After seeing so many gorgeous, detailed, color-coded language study routines on social media, I tried creating my own routine, but time after time, something got in the way, and I couldn't get back on track with what I'd planned. I felt like a failure and struggled with the idea that I needed a routine way of studying languages in order to succeed. After years of negative thoughts and feelings about my lack of a language routine, I finally decided to embrace my language life (and the chaos of my daily life in general) and have an intentional language learning non-routine. Routines are really great for building good habits, reducing procrastination, and navigating periods of waning motivation. By not having a routine, it's easy to become habitually unfocused, put things off, and give up when motivation is low. So today I talk through a few reasons why creating a language learning routine has never worked for me, and I explain how I make this work for me and still reap the benefits of routine. Accepting my language learning journey for what it is and not trying to forcefully structure it like others' journeys was the first step to making this work. In addition, I had to become intentional with everything I do with my languages. Intention is just as powerful as routine. Intentionally filling the spare moments of my day with languages, always knowing what I want to study, and being prepared to face those things have propelled me forward despite not having a study routine. Tracking everything I do with my languages and becoming intentionally clear on what counts for me in language learning has ensured that I acknowledge my hard work and progress, and I'm able to push through periods of low motivation while still respecting my physical, mental, and emotional stability. I track my language habits in Notion (no affiliation), and here's a copy of the template I use, which you can duplicate and customize with what counts for you. Links: Love, Joy, and Languages Habit Tracker (https://aquatic-koala-1a5.notion.site/ee68ef66a8ef4f07913c6182b02efb3a?v=ae69fd4e7a8845fe8d8e616afb9bfda4) If there's one take-away I've gained from this language non-routine experience, it's that every language learning path is unique and valid, and finding what works for you (no matter what anyone else is doing) is critical to success.
In this episode, I share a recent experience I had when I decided to organize and consolidate two years' worth of Italian notes. I have notes scattered throughout various notebooks, online documents, and miscellaneous sheets of paper. Though I love organization, I had never figured out how to organize my notes as I took them, and going back afterwards felt like a waste of time -- time that I could be spending learning something new instead. But, as I went through old notebooks, I found lengthy notes and examples of something I recently discovered I struggle with. Weeks ago I started looking for material covering Italian prepositions, and I ended up going back to a program I already had. Yet, as I consolidated notebooks, I found that I had already studied prepositions from this exact same module of this exact same program a year and a half ago! The problem was, I "learned it" and left it. I didn't put my new knowledge into good practice, and I never went back to review. I just kept charging forward always trying to intake more, more, more. For at least two years now, I haven't felt confident about my level of spoken Italian. I know I'm making great progress, but because I still make many mistakes, and because parts of the grammar (like what preposition to use when) isn't completely clear, I feel like I'm still at a beginner level. Going back and seeing several things that I once thought important enough to study but failed to solidify into my spoken language was a big signal as to why I feel so apprehensive about my level. I reached out to my very experienced, language-loving tutor, Kenny (www.somethingpolyglot.com -- check him out, especially if you're learning one of the 5 languages he teaches), and he shed some light on my speaking level (which he says is higher than I thought), why I'm no longer at a beginner phase, and what I can iron out to keep working toward upper-intermediate. Looking at the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) Assessment Grid (https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52), I am confident that Kenny was right about my level. So my unsureness was two-fold. First, I really didn't understand the difference between beginner/A-level and intermediate/B-level. More specifically, I had always glorified the intermediate level, thinking all grammar would be clear, and mistakes would be nearly non-existent. Second, I have experienced Impostor Syndrome, and deep down I believe that I'm not really speaking comprehensible Italian. Somehow I'm faking it just good enough to fool my (very experienced) tutor and native-speaking friends. Addressing these two sources of my language doubt, combined with accepting that reviewing notes is essential to a good study routine and is not a waste of time, I have felt much more focused and determined in my Italian journey. I know what grammar things need my attention, and I know I have the materials to review and work on them without spending more money or time searching for the perfect resource. Even though my language journey isn't centered around my level, knowing that I'm further along than I thought gives me the confidence I need to keep speaking and pushing forward. Without that confidence, it's too easy to believe the doubt, the lies, and the shame or guilt that can so easily creep in.
In this first episode of "Good Advice Gone Wrong," a segment in which I highlight some really good language learning advice that can also go wrong, I talk about watching kids' TV in your target language. I've heard this recommendation so many times in my years as a language learner, and I can't deny that it's a good, potentially fun way to gain immersion-like input. When I tried this with Italian, however, it was a big flop. I couldn't understand anything, and no matter how hard I tried to make it work, it just wasn't for me. As an early language learner, though, I felt like I was failing when this piece of good advice didn't work for me. Was I really learning the language if I couldn't even understand a kids' show? There are countless methods for learning a language, and I believe that all of them are good, but they aren't all good for everyone. Instead of just giving language learning advice, this recurring segment focuses on reasons specific pieces of good advice may not work for everyone. Watching kids' TV in your target language is good advice, and in this episode I explore some of the reasons it can be useful for listening input and gaining vocabulary. Just because it's good advice, however, doesn't mean it's good for everyone, so I also explore reasons why this method may not be for you...and that's okay. I also brainstorm some ideas for how we can mold this advice and shape it into something that does work for us, if desired, and I hope to inspire you to discover your own creative, personalized language learning journey.
In this episode, I talk about my discovery of "good enough" language learning and how it led me to identify, accept, and appreciate the entire process of language learning in all its intricate moments. By focusing on communication as the goal of language, we're better equipped to settle on a good enough way of expressing ourselves in our target languages according to each situation, our current level, and our mental energy. Finding contentment -- being good enough now -- at each level along our language journeys is beneficial to making progress toward the next level, and it becomes a less stressful, more enjoyable process. Sometimes, setting "good enough" goals is the key to making progress toward bigger goals. If you're like me, and you often set goals that don't reasonably take into account your actual time, motivation, and energy level, then thinking about what's good enough may help you focus better and move forward without worrying about the bigger, long-term goals. Thinking about what's good enough for you at each level of language acquisition, in each situation of using your target language, and for your desires of your language journey is an excellent way to reduce language overwhelm, focus on growth, and find contentment and pride in yourself as a language learner.
In this episode, I talk about times when language learning becomes overwhelming. Whether there doesn't seem to be enough time for focused language study, there are too many (or not enough) resources to choose from, or our expectations aren't reasonable for our unique lives, language learning can feel overwhelming. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner in your first language or advanced in your fifth -- language learning can be overwhelming. When overwhelm doesn't pass on its own, how can we deal with it? What can we do to reduce the pressure of overwhelm and get back to focusing on growth and progress? In this episode, I discuss my top three tips for getting past overwhelm -- whether it stems from time, resources, or expectations -- and taking steps forward instead. I talk about these tips with respect to language learning, but they can easily be applied to other aspects of our lives to reduce overwhelm on the whole. Listen in to start thinking about how you could use these tips in your daily life or start creating your own unique methods for dealing with overwhelm.
In this episode, I get the pleasure of chatting with Marjolein Benschop of The Language Community to talk about being a multi-passionate person and language learner. Marjolein is a Dutch Polyglot, Language Coach and MSc in Psychology of Social Relations from the Goldsmiths University, London. Marjolein has worked in various countries (the Netherlands, Spain, England and Peru), teaching and helping students learn more effectively. She has given workshops on how to learn languages while managing one’s expectations, and co-founded an online environment for language learners called The Language Community. Having managed to learn 8 languages to a conversational or even near-native level, she has discovered several key factors to staying motivated and reaching your language goals. In this interview, Marjolein gives us a glimpse of her experiences, struggles, and perceptions as a multi-passionate language learner. She also shares so much insightful wisdom regarding limiting beliefs and how to shift our mindset to allow for progress and growth, making room for fulfilling all the passions we have in our lives. We discuss how passion can be discovered in any number of life situations to create a more enjoyable experience and how gathering community can build inspiration for accomplishing the things you want. MULTI-PASSIONATE RESOURCES MENTIONED: - How to Be Everything: A Guide for Those Who (Still) Don't Know What They Want to Be When They Grow Up, by Emilie Wapnick - I Want to Do All the Things: Finding Balance as a Polymath, Multipotentialite & Renaissance Soul, by Arcadia Page - Podcast Français Authentique, by Johan Tekfak WHERE YOU CAN FIND MARJOLEIN: Instagram: @marjolein.polyglotinsights Instagram: @the.languagecommunity Podcast: Polyglot Insights Podcast The Language Community: https://www.thelanguagecommunity.mn.co
In this episode, I talk about avoidance in language learning, something I really struggle with. From avoiding speaking to ignoring the book we want to read but can't seem to get started, avoidance can be a serious conflict in our lives as language learners. To make things even harder, there are numerous reasons why we avoid particular activities, and those reasons vary from person to person, activity to activity. I avoid speaking because I don't want to be judged for my mistakes. I avoid reading because I don't like the vulnerability of feeling inept or not good enough. I avoid other things for reasons I can't quite pinpoint. No matter the case, there are several language learning or language related things I really want to do, but this avoidance is holding me back. In this episode, I start digging into these activities and my superficial excuses for not facing them. I also introduce the Face the Avoidance challenge I've created so you can join me in facing the language activities we've been avoiding. This is a completely free challenge taking place in the online language community (via #FaceTheAvoidance on Instagram and Twitter) 9 & 10 April 2022. Listen in for more details on my vision for this challenge, how I will be encouraging and cheering you on every step of the way, and what we can do through this challenge to start facing the avoidance and continuing to create a sustainable, guilt-free language learning plan for ourselves.
In this episode, I talk about all-or-nothing thinking and how this perfectionist tendency has shown up in so many areas of my life. From cleaning house (or not) to working out (or not), an all-or-nothing mentality is at the core of when and how I do these things...and whether or not I do them at all. I discuss why this way of thinking prevents me from getting things done and can lead to negative self-talk and a defeated mindset. I talk about small changes I've made in how I approach simple chores or activities I enjoy, which have begun to change how I think about those things, less restricted by the all-or-nothing thinking. Bringing this exposure to flexibility in accomplishing everyday tasks has made it easier for me to work in this way as a language learner. No longer believing that study time must be a solid hour studying vocab and grammar with a textbook, for example, has better postured me to study more throughout the day and consider all the things I'm actually doing with my languages that didn't feel like "studying" in the past. As a busy mother, expat, and student during a pandemic, it's not easy to find time for the language learning things I want to do. But learning to identify and work against this ingrained pull toward all-or-nothing has made so much difference in how I learn languages (and accomplish other things), as well as in how I now see and celebrate my progress along the way.
In this episode, I talk about my history as a perfectionist, which goes back to early childhood. I explore some of the ways perfectionism has shown up in my language learning experiences and how it led to language learning behaviors that slowed down my progress. Some of these perfectionist tendencies -- like procrastination and avoidance or all-or-nothing thinking -- led to a very rigid way of learning, which felt restrictive and frustrating. But the restrictive tendencies were symptoms of my perfectionism, and once I decided to face that root cause of my restrictive tendencies, I started making real, sustainable progress. Here, I bring a couple of my top tips for combatting perfectionist tendencies in language learning so you can start brainstorming new ideas for how to work around your own prohibitive tendencies. Get to know me as a perfectionist language learner in the final piece to my introduction story in Love, Joy, and Languages.
In this episode, I talk about my history as the parent of my little language learners who have learned the community languages where we've lived. Parenting is hard, and adding a new immersion experience in the mix can get really muddy. I made so, so many mistakes trying to support my kids on their journeys -- from forcing my own expectations onto my kids to letting guilt and shame determine my reactions. Many of the things we've struggled with are common things non-native families go through, and I want to share our story in order to connect with others like us and also show that no one is alone. We build this supportive parenting community together, and transparency is the first step to true connections and building each other up. Get to know me as a parent of little language learners this second episode of Love, Joy, and Languages.
In this episode, I detail my history as a language learner, from classroom learning in high school to immersion in adulthood. I've made so many mistakes as a language learner, not just in using the wrong word or verb conjugation, but also in how I've tried learning languages. Many of the things I've struggled with are common things language learners do, and I want to share my story in order to connect with others like me and also show that no one is alone. We all have our own particular journey, and talking about what's worked or not worked really helps build community together. Get to know me as a language learner on this breakout episode of Love, Joy, and Languages.
Welcome to Love, Joy, and Languages! Today I'm introducing my Podcast, in which I'm going to talk all about the lovely world of language learning. Here, I'm going to talk about my own experiences as an adult language learner & mother of two littles learning the community language where we live. I want to talk about everything -- mistakes, failures, challenges, successes -- all of it. I'll be joined, also, by other language learners to talk about a vast array of language learning topics so that you, my listeners, can feel inspired and empowered to create a language learning journey that fits your personal lifestyle. Official launch of Episode 1 will be Monday, 28 February 2022. I'll release the first 4 episodes weekly, and then they'll come to you fortnightly. I hope you join me on this journey!