There are so many things in our lives that can bring us joy. Friends, family, experiences, a good cup of coffee. It can be the little things or the big things. Often times people associate learning a language with the hardship of it all, but we’d like to offer a new perspective and help you find the joy in language learning.
Celebrate the small victories and the big ones
As kids, we could find joy in all of life’s little accomplishments. Oh, look! I found this beautiful weed! Oh, wow! I can jump off of this step! Look at the size of this booger! You get the point. Sometime between the awkwardness of trying to be cool as a teenager and the coolness of actually being ourselves in our twenties and thirties, we often lose a hefty dose of the joy we effortlessly enjoyed as kids.
Language learning requires that the little victories be appreciated. Oh, look! I learned a new word! Oh, look! I can finally make a certain sound! We need to get excited about our accomplishments and recognize that nobody else can make us learn a language. We are responsible for our own successes, and when we have them, they are cause for celebration.
Don’t forget to celebrate the big victories as well. When you finish one our challenges or #LevelUp, celebrate BIG! Invite your friends over for dinner. Go see a movie (maybe in your new language). Have a glass of beer or wine (Cheers! Prost! À votre santé! Twoje zdrowie!). Learning a language is such a cool thing to accomplish, and we are proud of you for doing it. You should be proud of yourself, too!
Laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh
There are few things that bring greater joy than laughing until your stomach hearts. That’s why we recommend laughing heartily at yourself during the language learning process. It is natural to mix up words and say silly things (the author of this post once called a ship a sheep and told a new friend that their entire family would have to stand in the shower all together with a lamp… don’t ask), and we have to laugh at ourselves if we are learning a new language. Otherwise, it is basically just a huge bummer.
The good news is that native speakers, for the most part, find your silly errors quite endearing. Not only that, but most of them really appreciate the effort you are making to speak their language. It also doesn’t hurt for them to see that you’re okay laughing at yourself when you do make a mistake. Wouldn’t you want a friend like that?
What brings you joy in the language learning process? Share it with us by commenting below!
Ready to discover the joy of language learning? Click here to get started with UpVerb today!
