Since it’s still technically January, I figured I had one day left to wish you a very happy new year! May this post find you doing well, and if not, may 2018 help you (and all of us) find whatever it is we’re looking for.
I’m in a weird mood today, so I’ll just share what’s on my mind.
I’ve spent the beginning of this year ramping up and preparing for what I hope will be a very different year than 2017. There were lots of lessons wrapped into 2017 like little cocktail weenies (remember those?)! I spent much of the year on self-reflection and allowing myself to just be without forcing myself to do, do, do. Part of this was extremely liberating, and I absolutely believe that this was necessary for me. Other parts were extremely difficult and I was not immune to being tossed around like a small life-raft in an ocean storm. Alas, I do believe that those lessons led me right to 2018, to this moment and to you!
My intention for 2018 is to show up and allow myself to be seen (this is why I’m telling you all of this. So you can see me). I feel much of my time has been spent in hiding, and I am ready to come out of my cave now, because the things I have are not willing to remain unspoken. So back to the ramping up for 2018…
Last week, I hit ‘publish’ new Offering page on my website. This page already has 2 courses and 1 meditation you can purchase and start immediately (1 of the courses is free), as well as a brand new type of Finnish language coaching!
I’ve been racking my brain for months (if not years) on how to make a course that helps set a solid foundation for learning but also leaves room for each person to completely customize that process to their unique needs. What I’ve come up with are 3 separate learning profiles, with different needs based on levels (not dissimilar to beginner – intermediate – advanced but with some key differences). Once you choose your level and sign up, you get 4 modules specifically targeted to those challenges. And in addition, we meet as a group for Q&A every week for a month (with the option to renew the following month).
Dream 1
Bringing language coaching to life and running it regularly is one of my dreams for this year! If I can support you with your Finnish, then you can support me in bringing this dream to life and helping it reach as many people as possible. Find out all the details about Finnish language coaching here. I will be opening up registration for the first round in February, that is a promise.
Dream 2
Another one of my dreams for 2018 is to show up in your inbox weekly to share with you what I’ve been blogging, and hopefully very soon, vlogging about. I’m currently trying to get into a steady rhythm of making paid and free content and launching the language coaching. This juggling act is where my focus has been for the past few weeks, the results of which will trickle into your inbox, starting with this email today.
Dream 3
Last but not least, in order to show up in your inbox and share with you what my experience has taught me, I’m embracing my voice and somewhat controversial ideas. As much as my mind runs wild with ‘what people will think?’ for voicing said ideas, I am also completely fed up with the status quo of Finnish being learning exclusively in the classroom, and of speaking English if your native language isn’t Finnish.
I’ve experienced, first-hand, the hopelessness that comes from feeling that Finnish cannot be learned (yes, I too have hard days!) and I’m ready to help those who are poised to breakthrough their Finnish barriers this year and see progress. This path wasn’t paved for me, I’m here to tell you it can be done, and much more easily. Your dream is probably closer within your grasp than you’ve imagined.
The reason for my insistence on this topic is something I mentioned in my Tedx talk. Researcher and storyteller Brene Brown tells us that social isolation and rejection activates the same areas in the brain as physical pain. As someone who’s been living in a country whose language and culture were both initially foreign to me, I know that feeling like an outsider is very painful. So for me, language is a bridge, not a barrier. But at some point, we need to build a collective bridge for more and more of us to get across. If you’re ready to cross this bridge with me, don’t forget to check out Finnish language coaching, and let’s make this dream a reality.
Alright, that’s my battle cry for today!
