328. How You Think About Your English Affects Your Fluency
Welcome to the Influency podcast. I'm Hadar and this is episode number 328 and today
I am sharing with you the audio of a training that I did called how you think about your English
Effects your fluency and yes, you guessed it. It's all about mindset. So if you're ready, let's listen
So today we're going to talk about mindset and if you've been following me then maybe, you know,
one of the reasons why you're following me is because you want to improve your English. So one of
the things that we do when we want to improve English is we consume content, right? Like you go
and search luckily the internet is filled with exciting content and so much of it is free that you can
truly transform your life and learning whether it's English or, you know, anything else and you can
actually do so much simply by using the internet. You can change your life with a Google search bar.
At the same time, you've been following me then you've been following probably a lot of
teachers and resources out there that you believe will help you improve your English and
knowing my students and knowing my community, it seems like we're all doing
similar things to improve. I mean we have one strategy or one tactic and
it's always interesting when we learn something new and we apply it and it's great and it gets us
results but it's all alongside the same idea and same techniques and methods, even the things that
I teach, you know, a lot of them are either things that you have done before. Just recently,
I received a comment from one of my followers on a video that like one of like my third video or
fourth video and he said that some of the tips that I've shared, he's been doing on his own,
he came up with it and or she actually, I don't know if it's a he or she, so if you're watching,
I'm sorry I couldn't tell because it wasn't specific but they were really excited about the fact
that they've been using these strategies on the road. So like, you know, we all know that there is
the shadowing and imitation exercises and collecting words and I introduced you to my vocabulary,
implementation technique and if you don't know it then look it up, just search for a vocabulary
on my channel and you'll find the video where I teach this very interesting technique about
improving your vocabulary using pronunciation confidence or building pronunciation confidence.
However, how many of you here feel that even though they have been putting in the work using all
these strategies, learning grammar, learning pronunciation, drilling sounds, how many of you still feel
like there's a long way to go and you still feel like you haven't reached that massive breakthrough
and you're still unhappy with where you're at when it comes to your English journey.
So first of all, you can see that you're not alone. A lot of times we feel that it's just us,
you know, you may feel like I'm just not getting it or simply I don't get English, I don't have
enough practice. It's hard for me, right? Like, what are those things that you say to yourself? Why
is it so challenging? If you can think about why that is, right? Like, do you have any specific ideas?
Why it's still hard for you? I don't have enough time to practice, I don't have anyone to speak to,
right? Now that you've said yes, you still feel that you haven't reached that breakthrough that
you're looking for. Let me know in the comments what do you believe is the reason for you to not
have been reached that breakthrough just yet? What is missing? Okay, so I'm interested to see and hear.
Okay, Jan says, my mind is a black hole and words don't stick to it, right? My mind is a black hole
and words just don't stick to it. Do you resonate with that? If so, say yes. Okay, sometimes I feel ashamed
to talk wrong to natives in the UK. So I'm assuming you live in the UK and as an unnative speaker,
you have to talk to native speakers all of the time and you feel that you might be saying something
wrong, right? But I'm asking something different. So I want you to keep those things, right? Like
but I'm asking really what is preventing you? Maybe something technical or maybe something that
you're missing, you're lacking, that is preventing you from advancing. So wherever you are at,
please remember this because Suyoung Lee, you're absolutely right. No matter what you're doing,
it takes time. However, even in the process where you're still learning and when you're still
like trying to improve, question is, how do you feel about the process? Because if you constantly
feel like it's not yet enough and you're not where you need to be, it absolutely affects your feelings,
your performance, and of course, your fluency. Okay, so Mahbubah says,
lack of perfect content and serious practicing partner. So yes, I know that this is definitely
something that people feel that like they don't have the right resources to learn with.
Even though I'm just going to say that you can't find online and as an online creator,
an entrepreneur, I know this to be a fact, everything you pay for, you can find online for free.
So it's not that it's lacking. Maybe you don't know how to access it because there is a lot of
extremely valuable content from all different teachers online and so much of it is free that
technically speaking, if you had the time and if you had the energy of like sorting through all
of the stuff, you could create your ideal program, just using free stuff. Okay,
Nawal is saying, I speak English every day with my husband, but I always feel stuff. Okay, so that
is the experience, so that is the frustration. And what do you sing? Nawal, what do you think is
preventing you from actually reaching that breakthrough? Okay, so a lot of you talk about words,
the lack of vocabulary, which by the way, I do have a very effective technique for you,
and a special workbook that planner, vocabulary planner that I created, if you Google vocabulary
on my channel, again, speaking about content that is available for you for free. So for those of you,
just as a side note, for those of you who struggle with vocabulary, you can definitely benefit from that.
But here's what I'm trying to get at. All of you are talking about practical things,
so for example, okay, I can't remember words, I get stuck, sometimes you describe to me the
results, right? Like I'm afraid to speak. However, one component that is truly lacking or missing
in any English training or most English training programs, schools, institutions is not just
what you need to do, okay? Because that is the easy part. I know you're going to say that I'm
crazy right now, but finding conversation partners, finding the right content, resources,
all of that stuff, that's the easy part. Practicing all of these things, that's the easy part.
The hard part is putting it all together and showing up to something and agree with me, again,
put yes in the comments if you agree that there is a big gap between the English that you know
and the English that you speak, right? Like a big gap between your knowledge of English,
how you understand English in the English that comes out of your mess. Yeah. So what is it?
What happens there between what's in here, right? Like how can we turn this into words that come out
or express language? Why is it so difficult for us? Why is there such a huge difference? I always
say that like spoken English and perceived English or English that you read and write are two
different languages, right? Why is that? If we are speaking about the same language and if in your
native language, that's not even an issue, right? In your native language, it's just, I mean,
there is no difference between the language I perceive and the language that I speak.
But why is it that in English, there is such a big gap? And this leads me, yes, yes, yes.
Okay, I don't speak English fluently because it's unfamiliar. I love that. Right. Okay, yeah.
So young Lee is totally on point today because it's unfamiliar. It's unfamiliar in many different
levels. Okay, what's first unfamiliar is the language itself. We are so used to speaking our first
language that if we have to replicate that, saying something, responding to something, we have
history of it. We have a past and like we have in our system that idea of speaking about something
confidently, right? Whether it's yourself introducing yourself, whether it's about the weather or about
sports or about politics or about, you know, the most complicated thing ever and your deepest
fears and feelings, it doesn't matter because you have the experience of talking about it.
So it's not even a familiar versus unfamiliar language. In your native language, you have
experience speaking about several things and every time you get into a situation that is new to you,
it is not really new to you because you have something to refer back to, your brain refers back to
and you can use that knowledge, you can use that experience or at least you come into the conversation
with a confidence that it requires because you feel that you are swimming in this familiar ocean
and yet in English, it's not as familiar. It's not as familiar because you don't have the experience
since you were born, right? You don't have vast experience for most of you, not for all of you,
but for most of you, you don't have that vast experience speaking about so many things,
different topics, right? So when you come into a situation in your native language, you're not afraid
that you're going to end up, you're going to be asked about something that you haven't talked about
in a while because probably everything that you're going to say you have talked about in the past.
But here in English, all of a sudden, you're like, I don't know, what if they ask me about
XYZ and I've never spoken about why, right? So I would feel pretty confident speaking about X,
but why is going to be, why? Right? It's just going to be why. Why do I need to talk about it? If I
have no idea, I've never spoken about this before. So you are in this unfamiliar land. Now,
I'm just going to say that this experience is not something that is foreign to us.
This experience of stepping into an unfamiliar ground and as a result, feeling like you're not
enough, feeling like you are not performing well, you can see it in many different areas in your life,
probably not related to language, but I'm just trying to show you that there are some patterns,
which will get me to where I want to get to as we talk about mindset and how you think about your
English, not what you think about your English, but how you think about your English, okay?
So think about it situation. Let's say you walk into a room, you just got a new job and it's pretty
demanding and think about like maybe in your native language. So English is not a part of it,
right? So let's try to take that out of the equation and you walk into a new room and the first
day that you are on your new position, there's like a really important meeting with the CEO,
all the executives, and you need to introduce yourself, right? How would you feel walking
into that new unfamiliar ground? Probably insecure, probably you're going to have fears around that,
right? Even when you do something that is let's say you're taking new past, I mean for me,
I'm a good driver and I love driving, but I have these patterns where, you know,
I know the roads and I love driving the roads that I'm familiar with, but when I take a detour
because there's traffic, because there's always traffic here, I'm at the edge of my seat,
because I'm unfamiliar with this new road, okay? I know how to drive, I know how to do it,
but I'm a little less comfortable because I don't know what's going to be ahead of me. I don't
know if there's like a curve here that I'm not familiar with and I'm a bit more nervous because I'm
unfamiliar with this new road, and I don't know, like I always have this fear no matter where I'm
driving and it's totally new, especially when it's not like an urban area, I'm like maybe I'm
not in the right place, even though way says it, I am, you know, so there are like all these
things that come up for you when you are an unfamiliar ground. Why am I saying all this?
Is because I want you to understand that this is not something that is related to English,
it's something that is related to our human existence, right? Being in an unfamiliar ground,
it affects our confidence, how comfortable we feel, and our sense of security, and we become
a lot more judgmental because we feel that while it is unfamiliar for us, other people who are familiar
with that are going to be doing so much better than us, right? So if someone else were to be driving
on that road and they'd be like driving fast with confidence, I'd be like, you know, they're
probably think that I'm a slow driver and they're probably think this or that, or you walk into that
meeting, right? Like if we'll go back to that example, you walk into that meeting, and all of them
are laughing and joking, all your new colleagues and they have their internal jokes and you're like,
you know, they're going to think I'm weird and awkward and an introvert, whereas it's just
for them, it's familiar, you know, they had that uncomfortable feeling when they just joined,
but now it's not there because they've been there before, they've been in that situation again
and again and again, and now it has become familiar to them. But for you, it seems like
that is the ideal, that's how people behave, or not me, and that's how I behave,
because you are only seeing it for your own lens, but you forget that it's just an experience
of you getting comfortable in a new place, in a new ground, in an unfamiliar ground, and for you
to be able to get that confidence, like those people making those jokes, you've got to get
familiar with it, and sometimes it's just a matter of time, and sometimes it's just a matter of
doing it again and again and again, like driving that road. So if we can understand that this is
something that happens to us in every aspect of our lives, it makes sense that it happens to us
in English as well, and if you understand that, then maybe it is not so much about the language,
right, going back to the black hole, right, like words that just don't stick to me, oh,
blaming myself, like I'm not genetically designed to learn a second language, right,
had that ever crossed your mind before, like it's just my brain is wired differently, I just don't
get those things, right, so you start telling yourself those stories, where in fact, all it is,
is that you being an unfamiliar ground, and here's the thing, because if it were like that road
that you take, and you drive it again and again, again, they get comfortable, it would have been
a lot easier, but that's not the case, because when it comes to language, there are implications,
as humans, if our communication is compromised, or at least if we feel that is compromised,
so unlike driving or like being quiet in a meeting or driving a little slower, because you don't
feel confident, when it comes to communication, that's where there is more at stake, so that's where
your monkey brain gets into the picture and starts interfering with your performance,
so the first stage is making the unfamiliar familiar, right, like we need to make the unfamiliar
familiar to be able to improve and succeed, so it's not so much about learning more grammar,
or drilling those words, it's about having used it several times, right, that word, that
grammar structure, speaking in general, having used it enough times, until you feel like you can
use it confidently, but the moment we feel like we are not enough, and the moment we feel that
art communication is compromised, this is where we start getting in our own way, why? Because we
start having ideas about our English, and about who we are as non-native speakers, or speakers of
English as second language, or just speakers of English with no titles whatsoever, okay, so my
question is, what are the opinions, when you get into this unfamiliar ground, this expecting you
to perform perfectly, and not having that compassion that we heard, it's like it just takes time,
right, like not having that compassionate and storage yourself and towards your English,
and let's say that you're disappointed from how you are speaking and performing and still getting stuck.
What are the thoughts that go through your head? What is it that you're saying about your English?
Let's start with that, I'm not even talking about what is the belief that is behind it, and if
you've been with me for a while, we've probably done it several times, so I'm going to go into it
a little bit later, but right now I want you to say to me what you think, and be honest,
what are the thoughts that go through your head about your English? Okay, so Zarna is saying
too weak, another like also weak, weird, Erica says weird, but she's joking, but not really joking,
I can't do it, and I'm incompetent, okay, that's a harsh word, right, I'm incompetent,
do you guys know what that is, incompetent and keepable, like I don't have the skills needed,
is dated and needs to be updated, okay, Zarna is saying it's outdated, and I need to update it,
right, like old school maybe, okay, I think that it's not good yet, not clear, it's not good enough
to communicate effectively, confused, unnatural, I speak like a robot, I feel so low, I am shy,
maybe I'm an introvert, maybe that's why, maybe it's not just about the English, I mean,
possibly it has something to do with like how you bring yourself to the conversation,
being an introvert, right, you're not good enough, Christian, yeah, I think that's the source of
all things, it all comes down to that, so I'm going to come back to it, afraid to make mistakes,
my accent, my English sounds ugly, right, I'm frustrated, I got a big accent, right, all of those
things that go through your head, now here's the question, if you don't value your English,
why do you expect other people to value it? If you don't value and appreciate your English,
why do you think other people will? Whatever happens in the world, how people respond to you is a
reflection of your thoughts and your behavior, because your thoughts affect your feelings and
affect how you operate in the world, the things you say, the confidence you have, we have already
agreed that your English is a lot better than the English that comes out of your mouth, so what is
it that gets in the way, except for practice, because yes, you've got to have enough practice,
like to be able to translate or to move whatever is here to here, right, and to make speaking
familiar, so you already have a lot of familiarity with listening to English, but you don't have enough
speaking familiarity, this is why I'm all about building pronunciation confidence to catch up
with your knowledge of English, that's my method, that's my technique, and that's what I use to
teach pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and of course the booster confidence, but what I'm trying
to say here is that a part of speaking, something gets in the way, what is that something,
and what is it, if it's not your ideas about who you are and your English, because how will
it be possible for you to sound beautiful if all you're here is ugly sounds, how do you expect
yourself to be fluent, if all you notice is the pauses and the moments where you get stuck,
if your brain doesn't even detect or acknowledge all the rest, all the fluency,
all the fluidity in your speech, because that is sometimes a part of your speech, yet you are
more inclined to remember those moments where you got stuck, how would you learn more words if
every time you start learning your brain tells you, black hole, black hole, not going to stick,
not going to stick, how will it stick? Your brain is a lot more powerful that you think and your
brain will believe everything you tell it, and if you keep telling your brain that you are a black
hole, in words don't stick to your brain, your brain will be like, oh, a word? No, I'm a black
nothing sticks here, right? I'm going to play tricks on you and going back to if you don't appreciate
your journey and your progress and the things that work for you, if all you focusses on the things
that don't work for you, why do you expect others to do it? And then you feel not enough and then
you feel judged, because as you notice all of those things, first of all, you project it on two
other people's thoughts and you think that they notice all those things, which is usually not the
case, but when it is, when it is, because people can be judgmental, and it is like with all the
things that I'm saying, and you know, oh, no, but like speaking with an accent is amazing and
beautiful, like just be clear, all of that is great, but yes, we know we, people have biases,
and yes, we know it's harder for people who don't sound like the group in power. We know all
that, but the thing is that if you constantly are in a state of anxiety and fear about all of those
things that you don't love about your language, it's people are going to notice that as well,
and they're going to hear it, and they're going to feel it too. So if you want to reflect to other
people that your English is valuable, you have to start believing that it is valuable.
And now I'm going to take you a little deeper than that, even more, and I keep on looking at
the comments here, and I hear all those words that you're telling yourself. And I'm here to say,
this is the time where you start looking at all those voices and ideas and thoughts about your
English, and you start challenging them. Because if you don't, you will stay stuck. A breakthrough
happens when things are done differently. A breakthrough happens when you have this internal
permission to dare, and you dare. It's not going to happen if you keep saying to yourself that
your English sucks, or it's not good enough. Now, all of these things that you say to yourself,
why? Where do they come from? So going back to this idea of entering a meeting where you feel
all awkward and stiff, and everyone else are giving high fives, and joking, and cracking jokes,
I don't know, talking about the game that they played earlier today. I mean, that experience,
what it happens to you in English, what happens there? Like, what happens when you start becoming
judgmental? Why is this judgment coming? Why do you feel to begin with that something is not
happening? Why? Maybe someone here can tell us? Let me know in the comments, why is it such a big deal
when you get stuck, or when you don't have enough words, when your vocabulary is lacking?
What is the fear? What's going to happen? Great. Luisa says, because I compare myself to others,
okay? Right. So you compare yourself to others, and then what? Let's begin with the fact that if
you're a non-native speaker and you compare yourself with a native speaker, that's just not a
fair comparison, because there isn't like nothing to compare here. It's like apples and oranges.
How can you compare, and how can you possibly be at the same level, no matter how great your English
is, it is not the same. And again, I'm speaking, you hear me. I mean, English is not an obstacle in
my life. In fact, it's like an engine. I love English. At the same time, it's not my native
language. There are still obstacles there. And I don't feel in English as I feel differently. I
kind of invented a new personality, which I love, you know, in English, not exactly my personality in
Hebrew. But at the same time, it is not, you know, like the English hadar is not the Hebrew hadar.
Okay? So this is when saying, like, you compare yourself to others, and then what? And then what?
What is the fear? Okay. So, Bandana is saying, I'm afraid of messing up, right? Why? That's why I'm
asking. What's going to happen if you mess up? What's going to happen if you mess up or make mistakes?
What is that biggest fear? What's going to happen if you don't sound exactly like you sound in
your native language? Does that make you any different? Does that make you a different person,
a lesser person, a bad human being? Of course not, right? So it doesn't change you internally,
if you speak with mistakes. What does it change? What is the fear? What is the underlying fear
that exists when it comes to not communicating in English the way we think we should communicate in
English? Right? Feel embarrassing? Okay. Gladys says, I feel embarrassed. I'm afraid to make mistakes.
Gladys, why? What's going to happen if you make mistakes? What is that fear? That's what I'm trying to
say, right? Okay. Lee, referring to the black holes, this is a really good point. I feel ashamed,
right? I feel ashamed and that creates like this, you know, you freeze and then just like yet
another black hole and you're like, how do I even get out of this loop? Gosh, what ashamed of what?
What's going to happen when they realize that you are stuck? Can communicate with people enough?
And then what? As you can see, I'm trying to lead to something. Okay, being taken as a fraud,
right? People are going to think that you're fraud. Yes, young, right? Like people are going to
think that you're fraud. And then what? Okay. Feels like, oh, I love that. I feel like there is no way out.
Look at that imagery, like look at where English takes us, like a dead end, dark holes,
all those visual imagery that come up to you. Sweaty palms, breath, right? Can you relate to all of
those things when you need to talk? Maybe you have a job interview tomorrow and it's in English and
you're like, wait a minute, right? Like all of these things, they're real, right? Like it's not
made up. It's not in your head. And then because you go, you walk into unfamiliar ground, we already
know that. But as I'm saying, what are you afraid? Okay, I love that. I mean, I don't love that.
I appreciate that. I don't love that because it's like a, it's like that negative fear.
People won't want to communicate with me anymore, right? I'm not going to talk to her anymore.
Like I can't understand her. And like, so we have that voice saying, oh, they're not going to
want to talk to me anymore. I'm not going to get that job. They're going to think I'm this and that.
So all of the things that you've mentioned here, right, like going to be taking as a fraud,
I'm going to feel ashamed. People are not going to want to communicate with me. Who is it about?
Because I asked you, does it change when you communicate in a compromised way, right? Like not
the way you would want to communicate. Does it affect your being? Does it affect your kindness?
Does it affect your family, your friends, your goals? Who you are? Does it change your values?
I hope you're saying no. Yet there is this fear and there is this hatred towards your English.
I mean, you probably love English, but you hate your English, right? Why is that?
Because all of a sudden it's about other people. So it's no longer you.
Yet all of a sudden you say all these negative harsh things to yourself about yourself,
about something that you're working hard towards. You feel like you're in a dead end,
anxiety, fear, stress, all of those things. You put yourself in a situation that
will not help you thrive. Why? Not because it truly has an impact on who you are as a human being,
but because you are all of a sudden taking all of those ideas about that gap and about how it's
not enough and you project it onto other people and all of a sudden you're seeing yourself
through the lens of other people and other eyes. And all of a sudden that becomes the essence of
your life when it comes to English, not your life. But I mean, we do live our lives constantly
being concerned about how people see us. Yet, as I said, does how they see us change who you are?
Do your mistakes really define who you are? Change your values, change your being. No.
So why do we give it so much importance? And as I said, all that judgment. And I hope you're
following what I'm trying to say here because there is like the core you and there is that gap,
right? And then there is your English which like you have negative opinions and those negative
opinions prevent you from advancing from reaching that breakthrough. So we kind of like accentuates
that gap. It doesn't solve the gap. It just kind of like widens the gap. All those negative
opinions because you teach your brain that everything sucks and that you're unable to learn.
And that speaking like you speak is embarrassing. So we have all those ideas that every time
you open your mouth, you're just manifesting those thoughts or putting it into practice.
And why do we have all of these opinions that prevent this breakthrough because of other people?
Because of the fear of what other people are going to think about us, of what they're going to say,
whether or not they're going to want to talk to us. Now, yes, sometimes those other people
are bosses or the HR manager that is going to hire us. So sometimes there is a lot at stake.
But in most parts, these are just people that first don't care about your English.
Second, probably they don't notice anything that you are, you know, all the mistakes that you
think that you're making or you're getting stuck. I mean, they acknowledge that you don't speak
the same language. I gave that example before. It's just like, if I were to walk down the street with
someone who just broke her leg and I'd be like walking faster and being like, why are you so slow?
I mean, that would be odd, right? And I'm not saying that non-native speakers are people with broken
legs, but they're simply not able-bodied, you know, and we think about this comparison. It's
just not the apples and oranges. So I'm saying like, I can't expect someone who has different
circumstances than me to keep up in the same pace as I do. So I have that compassion and kind of
like easiness for the most part. Unless I'm a jerk, right? And yes, there are jerks out there.
I'm not talking about them, but those jerks should not define how we feel about ourselves and
cause us to have those thoughts that prevent that from reaching that breakthrough. I just wrote it in
one of the comments in my Instagram post about the video that I released about my journey. And
she wrote, I just started a YouTube channel and my biggest fear is criticism, right? Like the
moment I post a video, there is like, there's going to be that one person that will have something
to say. And then I'm going to feel like a fraud and not blah, blah, blah, all of that. And then I
said, listen, jerks are always going to be there. Trolls are always going to be there. The thing is
those jerks and trolls, they don't pay their bills and they don't make a difference in other people's
lives, right? But you showing up and doing the work and making videos will pay your bills, change
people's lives and fulfill your dreams. What will you choose? The sad truth is that most people
choose not to show up and they choose the fear of what other people are going to say about them
and the fear of criticism. Because they constantly think that they are not enough.
Truly, in their core, not enough. And maybe it's time to decide that you are
with mistakes, with an accent. And to start value, what it is that you're doing. And understanding
that it doesn't need to be at any type of level, there is no expectation of how your English should
be. You should just be able to express yourself. And as I told that woman in that post, I'm telling you,
their opinions of your English, they don't get you a better job, they don't get you a higher
rate, they don't help you to relocate if you want or to speak confidently to other people.
What does is how you think about your English and of course the things that you do. But when you
think so negatively about your English, a lot of times you just lack the motivation. You lack the
motivation to do something about your English because you think you're a lost cause. You think
that it's not going to help anyway. You think it's a black hole and nothing's going to stick.
So what if next time you have that negative thought, my mind is a black hole and sorry,
I keep coming back to it. It's just such a good example. And I like so many people can resonate
with that. Next time you feel my brain is a black hole and words don't stick to it, you say,
I know so many words. I already know so many words. My English is exactly where it needs to be.
I am enough. I'm expressive. I'm not even using the word fluent because you've already have so
many opinions about fluent that it might generate resistance. You have ideas about what fluent is
because the industry has instilled in you this idea that fluency is one thing and that's where
you need to be. And usually it's associated with the sound of a native speaker. So I'm just saying
expressive. That means that every thought that you have you're able to express it expressive and
clear, right? Doesn't matter how you sound. So think about it. What if every time you have that
negative thought, you change it around. You write it down everywhere. On your screen saver,
you put a reminder on your phone, write it on your mirror, you put a post it. So every negative
thought, see how you can flip it around and turn it into a positive thought because just like
your brain believes all those negative things gradually, it will believe all the positive things.
You know, there isn't really a person there saying, yeah, I'm going to believe in that or
no, you are deciding how you're going to think and feel about things. So I want for all of you
who wrote in the comments something negative, right? Like that opinion that they had about their
English. How can you take that and see the positive side of it? How can you turn not enough
too enough? Okay. So for example, like I gave you, I'm a black hole of words. So what would it be?
I'm a bulletin ward of notes or what does like think of something that is sticky maybe?
I'm a Scotch type of words, words stick to me. I remember words, I'm a computer.
I already know so many words. Yeah. I know so many words, which is true by the way. I mean,
you probably know thousands and thousands of words. Maybe you don't use them, but you know them,
unless like you just started out and all you know is like house, doll and cat. And probably if that's
the case, you wouldn't be here listening to me because I used a lot of words. So if you understand,
let's say 80%, 70% of what I'm saying, you know a lot of words. So I know so many words.
Look at how I've learned all these words, right? What would that do to your mind, to your feelings?
Right? And then like, let's take action. Let's go to Hadar's vocabulary planner and put it into practice.
Okay. I love my words. Ernest, good to see you here. I love this. I'm a dictionary. Oh my god,
I'm going to steal this. I'm a dictionary. I'm a walking dictionary. Let's all say it. I'm a
walking dictionary in English. I'm a walking English dictionary. I love it so much. I understand
100%. Oh my god, I'm great. I'm so good. I am enough. Remember that is also very powerful. And
I listened to a podcast and then I was introduced to this woman and I saw her talk. Her name is
Marissa Pierre and she talks about how she changed people's lives simply by getting them to say
and write everywhere. I am enough, right? Which is the core of all our struggles because people are
going to judge us because I'm not enough. People are going to think we're stupid. People are not
going to want to talk to us because I'm not enough. Why are they going to want to talk to me?
But it's not just about English. It happens in every other area of our lives. Okay? I'm improving
myself. Yeah. I thought of that. I'm a Grammarly Partner at work. I'm a Grammarly Partner at work.
I am Grammarly, right? Grammarly is me. For those of you who struggle with grammar, you know,
I get it. I correct it. I know everything. Sometimes I make mistakes because Grammarly makes
mistakes too. Even Grammarly Premium. You can also say I'm Grammarly Premium because you are premium.
I really know how to communicate in English and people love talking to me. People love
listening to me. I change people's lives. I make an impact, right? So choose one thing and I have
the list of affirmations, which is 30 affirmations for speaking English, right? Confidently.
Okay. What else do we have here? Yeah. I'm going to be myself. I'm myself. Not going to be
now, right? Like I am myself when I speak in English. I am authentic. I'm confident. Yeah.
Zubayda, I create new words, right? So even if you make mistakes, you're like, no, I just create new
words because English means revision. English evolves. Like if we listen to old English, we won't be
able to understand, you know, 80% of the words. Native speakers won't be able to understand it.
English keeps evolving. Maybe it's time for another change by opening it up for more people who
are not native speakers, who will simplify it or improve it. I'm an influential communicator.
Love that. Why do I love it so much? Because we thrive, not by like just the idea of success,
right? Or, you know, yeah, I got the job. Yeah, I get paid. Yes, all of that. It's not that.
I mean, if we really come down to what makes a stick as human beings, it really comes down to
having an impact, changing lives, getting people to feel. And we need our words for it, right? So
having this idea that I'm influential, I'm an influential communicator. I have influenced
on other people's lives and I do it in English and in whatever other one, two, three, four, five
languages that you speak, right? Like I use my words to influence people. That's more important
than getting it perfect or getting it right. And their opinions are not going to interfere
with my goals and with helping other people. Okay. I'm a master influential communicator.
Exactly. Raquel, I love that. I impact my students to be better than me.
So again, like impacting other people, right? Like I want to see them. I want to see them
going even further. And also, you know, I am the role model for my students, right? Like
remind yourself that it is about them, but it's also about how you see yourself. Because when
you say that, you're already positioning yourself a little differently and lower. And even though I
I think that's the right idea. And I absolutely want to see my students thrive and exceed my work.
However, you know, at the same time, make sure that it doesn't bring up that idea that you are
not enough. Okay. Because it's not about being better. It's about helping them create the best
circumstances for themselves. So I know it's the most amazing intention. I'm just like saying
that words matter. And your words, the words that you choose to use should be very specific and
empowering. I have an important message to communicate. Yeah. So keep on bringing those things up
because I'm sure that one of the things I have an important message and I'm communicating it,
right? Like also remember that you want to do it in the present tense. And always like I am
enough in English. And I talk about it a lot. I also talk about it in my podcast a lot,
but like my English is good enough. My English is enough. It's not good enough. My English is
enough. That's it. I just realized it. My English is enough. So I am enough. You can use that. But when
it comes to English, every time before you walk into a conversation and you have that fear of English,
just say to yourself, my English is enough. My English is enough for what I need. My English is
enough to impact people. My English is enough to express myself. My English is enough to make a
truthful relationship. My English is enough. And we're going to wrap up with that.
Okay. So thank you so, so much. Remember that a huge part of your word has nothing to do with grammar.
Has nothing to do with the words that you choose to memorize. Has nothing to do with how much time
you have to practice and has nothing to do with your accent, right? It's how you think about your
English and how you think about yourself as a communicator of English. And if you haven't
addressed that before and you haven't seen the breakthrough that you want to see now is the time.
And that is your next step. And that's what you need to do. Okay. That's what you need to do to
give the results that you want. Because when you have that confidence and the words stick,
then you become Grammarly and then you become an influential communicator.
Thank you so, so much. I love you all. Come and follow me on Instagram so we can connect and send
me a DM if you liked this episode and if you have any questions or requests for future episodes.
Hey, thank you so much for tuning in and listening to the episode and getting all the way till the end.
If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to learn more about mindset and how you can level up
your mindset as well, I highly recommend that you check out my program, my English mindset that
is designed to create healthy and powerful mindset habits with a simple 10 minute daily audio
recording. It's 30 audios that help you overcome some of the biggest challenges that you face when
communicating in English. And of course, how to solve them. So check out my English mindset. The
link is going to be in the description. Thank you again for being here for listening. Have a beautiful,
beautiful day and I'll speak to you next time.