Have you heard the saying, "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right"?

This time of year, many of us are abounding with new goals, dreams, and projects for the new year. We look forward to all the changes this year might bring, all that we might accomplish, and the growth that will occur.

And the overwhelm can almost be immediate.

Because the truth is, we aren't great multi-taskers. We - and I mean you, I mean me, I mean ALL of us humans - are much better at being single-taskers. It's just how our brains work!

So what do we do?

We often start trying to do it ALL, at the beginning. Then, we get frustrated as we realize we're not making the kind of progress we'd like to. We're pulled in too many directions, stretched too thin.

We start to drop things. We put them off. We decide we'll get to it later, when we have the time we want to truly dedicate to it.

This sounds pretty good. Pretty reasonable. After all, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right, isn't it?

Maybe.

There's a pernicious limiting belief hiding in this mindset: the idea that it's all-or-nothing.

Celebrating YOU in 2020

What are you celebrating yourself for this year?

If your answer right now is, "nothing", let's change that by the end of this post.

Why is celebrating so important? What does it even mean to celebrate yourself?

Our adult brains feel more comfortable skipping the celebration. We feel more responsible thinking ahead. We have perfectionist tendencies that keep us looking for more, setting higher goals.

Stop. Just stop.

It's time to re-train our brains. Because if we skip the celebration, we miss the chance to actually enjoy our life. We take all the pleasure out of the experience.

Why context is essential to life and language learning

Last week, I was out on an evening walk with my husband, and I was frustrated.

I ranted and raved as we went around the park, so much so that, when we completed our normal lap, I insisted we do another so that the walk could accomplish its purpose: to allow me to quiet my mind before going back home.

I run an online business, which means I’m often, well, online.

If left to my own devices, I’m sure I’d still be utilizing social media and google in my personal life, but as it’s part of my overall marketing presence and where I hope to connect with potential language learners looking for a breakthrough in their journey to fluency, I purposefully spend a healthy portion of my day engaged with various social media and online outlets.

Like most things, it’s a blessing and a curse.

What's Your Budget?

“What’s your budget?” The silver-haired man with the posh British accent, Vincent, asked me.

I smiled at him confidently. “No budget. I’d like to pay cash for whatever car I end up choosing.”

I saw surprise register faintly in his eyes. He held eye contact, unblinkingly, and I noticed how much his pupils had constricted in the middle of his pale blue eyes. They were like tiny, watery-black pinpricks looking back at me.

“You are aware that…” he paused, a hesitation small and polite, “…some of our cars can run as high as one hundred twenty thousand dollars?”

I smiled again. “Yes. I’m interested in trying quite a few.”

Your Best Bilingual LifeNikki BannisterJanuary 17, 2020Vision, Dream, Mindset, Beginners Comment