Being born and raised in Brazil, I’ve spoken Portuguese for most of my life. Even though I studied English for a few years when I was a kid, it wasn’t enough to make me fluent or comfortable with the language at the time, but that was fine for me. It was only when I moved to Australia in 2017, that my “inner captions button” got switched on — and there I was, mentally subtitling myself and others… all…the…time.
I remember feeling constantly exhausted during the first years. It was like my brain was at the gym 12 hours a day. It was hard to fully understand others and be fully understood (on top of that, imagine Aussie slang being thrown at me like there was no tomorrow). For a long time, every time that I couldn’t speak the way I wanted, or couldn’t express myself the way I would in Portuguese, it made me feel frustrated, and worse… it made me feel LESS.
Now I ask myself… why?
Why did I need to compare myself so much, especially with native English speakers?
Why did I think that I had to master the language to feel valued?
Why did I feel I was not enough because of the way I spoke?
Speaking another language is HARD.
Not just because of the whole learning process – memorizing grammar rules, building a foundation with basic pronunciation and adapting to a totally different system of communication – but because it is hard to be fully ourselves. It can be really challenging to express our emotions or just act naturally while our brains are constantly over-analysing everything we say, write or hear.
Now I feel more comfortable while speaking English because of the constant exposure to the language over the years. However, I also see that it is NOT about sounding like others, but instead, improving my communication skills while respecting my own style, cultural background and individualities.
I understand that my voice helped (and helps) me navigate through life and I do NOT need to sound and act like anyone else to feel MORE. My value lies in the unique way I sound, and every single vocal variation helps me tell my story.
If you need to speak in a different language, remember:
1. You are more than the language(s) you speak;
2. The way you sound does NOT define you;
3. It is important to work on our communication skills, not to “blend in” with others, but to highlight your unique potential.
So, YES, let’s all embrace our unique voices to tell our stories… in our own ways.
Juliana
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