“Why should I keep going? I will never be able to learn English well. I will never feel fluent.” I’ve heard these words from many English learners who, with frustration in their voice, tell me that they’ve started learning English a long time ago, but still don’t feel confident in their abilities to speak the […]
Biting off more than you can chew
“If you’re always biting off more than you can chew, you’ll never end up swallowing.” This quote by Marie Forleo caught my attention because when it comes to my life, it’s true – literally and metaphorically. When I was a little girl and going to preschool back in my native Bulgaria, I had a hard time […]
Mistakes in English: embrace fear, start speaking
“Stop worrying about mistakes and start speaking. Be confident.” I’ve seen this advice so many times. I’ve even given it myself. But the truth is that it rarely works. Most non-native speakers that I know are afraid of making mistakes when they speak English and just telling them not to be fearful is of no help. Fear […]
Late bloomer in a world of glorified prodigies
Late bloomers are underestimated. Wikipedia describes a late bloomer as a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual. I often see articles about successful people who have achieved their success very early in life. You know what I mean – lists like 30 under 30 that make many […]