Much of what I do is these days is inspired by the cycles of nature, so I thought I’d share with you what this time of year means to me… and what cold, crisp air, lmited energy and huddled warmth has to teach us.
Honestly, it took me a couple of years of living in the north to really appreciate the rhythm of the seasons. Every ebb has its flow…

Over the past 10+ years of living in Finland, I’ve found nature’s ability to adapt and flow with the cycles to be the most inspiring teacher there is in my own transition abroad. Whether for you it’s the plasticity required to adapt to another language or the fluidity that other cultures ask of us – or both at once – nature has lessons to help us navigate the terrain with more grace. Here’s what summer has to teach us…

If in every breath you strip naked just like a winter,
the joy of spring will grow from within
– Rumi

It’s almost upon us: the dead of winter. Some seem to spend all of fall dreading this time of year, but now that it’s upon us, can we lean into it fully, and even enjoy it?

Sometimes when I talk about how learning Finnish can be joyful, awe-inspiring, fun, people look at me as if I’m an alien with 3 heads. I stand by it because observing how my brain has adapted to Finnish, has been one of my most awe-inspiring life experiences.

But if you’re reading this and thinking: “Yeah okay but what if this reality feels far off for me?” Here’s what I want you to know…

This year, two themes have stood out for me as we head into the fall: 1) fall is the best season for a new perspective and 2) it’s a time to intentionally slow down. Symbolically, fall has long been celebrated as a time to reflect on: balance (between night and day), impending darkness, change and transformation (and how foliage reminds us of the beauty, alongside the death, of transitions)…

Do you struggle from one of the five most common Finnish struggles? You’re not alone! These are so common, but so seldom discussed, they’re mainstream! Here they are, along with a new perspective to consider…

I recently met an Italian woman who asked me what I do for a living.
“I help people learn Finnish.”
“Oh, so you’re a Finnish teacher?”
“Sort of, not exactly. I teach people the process of learning Finnish.”
She looked at me quizzically, “But why would I need the process? I can go to classes to learn Finnish.”
In an ideal world, you would go to Finnish class and – voila! You’d speak Finnish.
If that were the case, you wouldn’t be reading this…

What do you I want to learn before 2019 comes to a close?

If taking another Finnish course comes to mind, but you’re hesitating for whatever reason, read this first.

Many people equate taking a Finnish course with learning Finnish. But there are many ways to learn Finnish; a course is just the most traditional way. It may or may not be what you need right now.

Traditional methods of learning Finnish are failing us and we need a new paradigm of learning: one that’s fun & feels good, that’s centered around our needs as individuals. So what does seeing Finnish through new eyes look like? What does it ask us to leave behind, and how do we get there?

Talk to anyone about why they’re struggling to learn Finnish and you’ll hear a variety of reasons. As someone who has struggled myself and has also helped others overcome this struggle, I have a slightly different take on why we struggle, and how we can re-frame the issue to overcome it.