If it is not a job requirement or a planned strategy to improve your CV, do you really think that learning a foreign language should be a “duty”? Well, I do not.
Many times we have heard about the benefits of learning a foreign language, and there really are many, and I will talk about it in another post. But the word duty, when doing something we like, can ruin everything and I would like to tell you why I would change this word.
When my students ask me “Mariela, what “do I have to do” to improve my Spanish?”, I like to answer using “the best thing is… it goes very well… it is very useful… it can help you… but I try not to say “you must ” or “you have to”.
The great advantage of adult life is that we “should” not do anything, but we choose to do things (and not do them, too) with all the consequences that follow.
If you study Spanish because you like it and, furthermore, you do it with a person who supports you and helps you do it in the most appropriate way based on your personal characteristics and preferences, would you see it as a duty?
Setting objectives for ourselves and realizing that we are progressively achieving our goals I think is one of the greatest satisfactions. Feeling “I’m doing it”, “I’m improving”, “before it didn’t work out and now it does”. Is a great feeling.
Of cours, sometimes we do things even when they are very difficult for us, but doubts begin to come to our minds… “I thought it was easier”, “it takes me longer than I thought it would take”, “am I really making progress?”, “I don’t think it’s going to turn out like it did for others”, “can I do it?”.
I tell you that you can, but you shouldn’t. We all have different times to learn and it’s good that each one does it at his or her own pace. Because it’s nice to walk at your own rhythm, and feel free. And if we walk with someone who knows how to adapt to our rhythm and also helps us because he or she has experience, is there anything better?
I have to work, but I don’t teach Spanish because I have to. I do it because I love it. And although like everyone else, sometimes I have difficulties and obstacles along the way, I do it because I want to do it. Then my duty becomes pleasure. And that is why I would like to help you learn Spanish, so that you can access all the benefits of knowing a foreign language and, above all, that you feel satisfaction in learning it.
Think for a moment: do you like the language? Would you like to be able to use it to communicate with other people who speak it? If your answer is yes, make sure it doesn’t become a “duty”. Learn while enjoying it, take it easy and set yourself clear and real goals. Don’t know how to do it? Ask for help, ask me for help.
I would love to know your opinion on this topic, and if you have doubts, you can count on me to solve them.
I hope that your feelings of duty will soon become feelings of satisfaction.
Thanks for reading and until next time!