Hi Language Buddy!

I feel moved to share with you a topic close to my heart. I'm not entirely sure how to articulate it, but I'll do my best, starting with my personal experience.

For over a year now, I've been diving deep into the world of the Russian language. Sure, a year might sound like a long stretch to some, but personally, I'm quite proud of the perseverance I've demonstrated. To my own surprise, I can now carry my lessons entirely in Russian!

Russian was always a language that piqued my interest, yet I had never previously devoted the time to learn it. Looking at the Cyrillic script felt like deciphering hieroglyphics. I remember marveling at people who could actually comprehend and converse in this language. But here's the thing - I have spent a much larger portion of my life with this bewildering self-perception than the time I've invested in actually learning Russian.

Fast forward to today, I can read simple Russian texts and understand straightforward conversations - accomplishments I had never envisioned. Yet, a part of me still battles the residue of negative self-talk, the constant murmurs of "I don't know this" or "I'm bad at this."

What's fascinating is how quickly such deeply ingrained beliefs can be overturned. I have spent a year studying Russian, and today, I'd rate my proficiency as somewhere between advanced beginner and lower intermediate. Considering a year ago I had zero knowledge and a lifetime spent thinking "I don't know Russian," this progress is pretty astounding.

This self-reflection is not limited to my journey with Russian. I have had similar experiences with Portuguese and Swedish, where sometimes I would mentally step out of myself in disbelief, thinking I shouldn't be able to do this. It's a compelling testament to how swiftly negative self-perceptions and long-held belief systems can be disrupted and reformed.

So, my somewhat clumsy articulation boils down to this realization - in the grand scheme of things, it's amazing how quickly "not knowing" can be supplanted with knowledge in practice. Let's be mindful of that in our language learning journeys.

That's it for now. Until our next polyglot chat, take care and bye!