Heidi Lovejoy - Podcast Details

Shows

Horizon SearchCan AI Transform Your Business? Heidi Araya | Horizon Search 131Heidi Araya, an expert in process improvement and AI integration, shares her insights on how small and medium-sized businesses can leverage artificial intelligence to streamline operations, automate repetitive tasks, and increase productivity. With over 20 years of experience, Heidi explains how to implement AI in a way that aligns with your business goals while maintaining the human touch. Save hours with top business hacks every Friday: https://thesearchlight.com/subscribe https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiaraya/ ⚡️ Connect with Heidi: https://brightlogicgroup.com #horizonsearch #horizonsearchpodcast #AI #processimprovement #businessgrowth #smallbusiness #automation #productivity #AIsolutions #workflowautomation #AIforbusinesses #efficiency #businessscaling #digitaltransformation #customerexperience #timesavingtools #AIst...2024-12-2227 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 80: Celebrating Your Wins!In this Season 4 finale of Love, Joy, and Languages podcast, I share and celebrate language learning wins from listeners across the globe. Real life stories from real life language learners, inspiring us to see every bit of progress along our language journeys. In this episode, you'll hear stories from four language learners who recognize a variety of wins in their language lives. The achievements they've shared with me for this episode are inspiring for language learners of all types, ages, and levels. The languages they're celebrating include Spanish, Esperanto, Chinese, Catalan, and Occitan, plus my own wins regarding German...2024-09-0218 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 79: A Joyful Chat with a Special Guest Co-HostI invited a very special language learning and language loving friend to co-host this episode with me and chat all about the joys of language learning. This is a very familiar voice in the language learning community, and it's such a pleasure to have Kerstin Cable of Fluent Language and The Fluent Show on Love, Joy, and Languages! We had an absolute blast talking about loving languages and finding joy in learning them. This chat is extra special for me because I don't think this show would exist without Kerstin and her Podcasting 101 course. Big thanks to Kerstin for...2024-08-261h 01

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 78: Affirmations for Language LearnersAffirmations, or statements that affirm positive beliefs to you about you, are an excellent way to build yourself up. I use affirmations in many areas of my life, both general and specific, inlcuding language learning. They help remind me of my truth and keep me aligned with my morals and identity. Affirmations aren't about lying to ourselves or trying to fake it 'til we make it. They're about affirming true statements that we believe, at our core, so that we don't forget who we are, and that help us act in accordance with our true selves. Today's...2024-08-1911 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 77: Extensive Reading for Effective Language LearningIn today's episode I talk about extensive reading for effective language learning. Like I said in last week's episode, extensive input can be an excellent part of any language journey, but it can also go wrong. I feel very lucky that I didn't give up when it went very wrong for me. During my year-long project to boost my Italian to B2, extensive reading was one of my main (and favorite!) methods. Today I share a bit of my language journey and the early struggles I had trying to read in Italian, and then I share exactly what I...2024-07-2926 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 76: Good Advice Gone Wrong: Input, Input, InputIn this fourth episode of "Good Advice Gone Wrong," a segment in which I highlight some really good language learning advice that can also go wrong, I talk about input, input, input. Do all the reading and all the listening all the time! Language folk give this advice all the time, and I can't deny that it's got some amazing benefits, but it isn't a guaranteed path to success. Today I share three ways in which tons of input is great for languages bubut also three ways in which it could go wrong and has gone wrong for me...2024-07-2226 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 75: When Reality Doesn't Meet ExpectationsIt's inevitable in our language learning that the reality of where we are on our journeys or what we're able to do doesn't match up with what we expected to happen. I know for me, this usually leads to be feeling frustrated, getting mad at myself, wishing I'd made different choices, and many the guilt and shame are overwhelming. What can we do to bounce back from this? What can we do when reality doesn't meet expectations in our language lives in order to move forward in a positive and helpful way? Today I share one of...2024-07-1521 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 74: Authenticity as a Language Content Creator w/Emily HarrisToday's episode is not to be missed! I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Emily Harris, the language loving woman behind Language Travel Adoptee, a YouTube channel aimed at helping others gain confidence in their language learning through self awareness and personal growth. Emily shares a lot of her own personal experiences learning languages as a high achieving perfectionist, a transracial adoptee learning the language of her birth country, and all the very intricate intersections of her life. Today we focus a lot on authenticity in language learning, but particularly from the aspect of content creation in...2024-07-0850 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 73: Meet Your Energy Where It's AtToday's episode is just a little reminder to meet your language learning energy where it is, not where you want it to be. It's too easy to push ourselves too hard or to be hard on ourselves when we aren't pushing, especially when we start to compare the intensity of or time spent with our languages to what it was a few days or months ago. What's important is to give yourself grace and realize that any tiny thing can change our energy. We move forward in a healthier way, and we maintain a better relationship with our languages...2024-07-0105 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 72: All About Language ProjectsIn today's episode I'm talking more about what I think of language projects, the benefits of framing language activities and goals as projects, and what types of projects you could jump into in order to boost your skills, confidence, and motivation in your languages. Anything can be turned into or framed as a project, and for some it may just seem like semantics calling some of these things projects. I can't explain it, but for some reason, framing regular ol' language exercises, activities, and goals as "projects" actually makes a difference in how I approach the thing and the...2024-06-2418 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 71: B2 Exam Complete! Here Are A Few Personal ReflectionsAfter a break to finish preparing for and actually taking my Italian CILS B2 exam, I'm back with a few reflections on this project I took on to take my Italian to the next level. As I studied and prepared for this exam, I noticed a lot of differences between how I was approaching it versus how I used to study and prepare for tests. It was a much less stressful experience, and no matter what my results are, I know I've got a lot to be proud of! Links from this episode: Ultralearning by Scott...2024-06-1717 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 70: A Polyglot's Journey of Discovery, Struggle, and Finding His Way - Interview with Polyglot KubaIn today's episode I'm chatting with my dear friend, Kuba, a polyglot and passionate language learner who has a fascinating history with languages. As a native Polish speaker, Kuba learned Spanish and English in school, Hungarian at University and through immersion, and Catalan through immersion before diving into a world of self-study. After becoming a polyglot in this way then dabbling in many languages for several years, Kuba started learning Turkish and realized that it wasn't as easy as his previous languages. He knew he could learn it because he'd learned so many languages before, but he struggled in...2024-05-201h 06

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 69: Functional But Not FluentProbably all of us have, at one point or another, had a goal of being fluent in our target language(s). When we think of being fluent, we often think of easily speaking the language, not having to think about what we're going to say, and just being able to spontaneously use the words and grammar we've acquired. There's this weird place I've found myself in with German where I can use the language in all the spontaneous situations I find myself in living in a German-speaking country, and yet I'm not fluent. I am very functional in the...2024-05-1320 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 68: Planning, Confidence, and Reflection w/Bront'e Singleton of The Polyglot FoxToday's episode is one you won't want to miss! I recently sat down with Bront’e Singleton, the incredible woman behind The Polyglot Fox, to chat about her experiences learning languages and coaching others, guiding them to finding the right language path for themselves. Bront’e has a long list of languages she speaks and learns, and she is so inspiring. Bront’e shares some of the struggles she faced over the years trying to learn multiple and very diverse languages often at the same time, and she’s built her coaching program, The Polyglot Fox, out of the lessons...2024-05-0650 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 67: Let's Talk About FlashcardsWe've probably all used flashcards at one time or another to memorize vocabulary in our new languages, and I'm sure we've all hated them or at least been bored by them. Many, many language learners, coaches, and teachers bluntly tell us to stop using flashcards because they don't work. But that's simply false. It's a narrative built on the assumption that everyone uses flashcards in one very basic and prescriptive way, namely, a single word on one side in your target language, and that word translated to your native language on the other side. This isn't the only way...2024-04-2930 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 66: Manifesting in Language Learning w/Angel Pretot of French FluencyManifesting. Some people love it. Some people believe it's hogwash. Wherever you stand, the truth remains that our actions lead to consequences. When our actions are in line with our goals (something that takes conscious awareness and intention), then the consequences will be in line with our desires. So it makes sense that our actions that are aligned with our language goals will lead to the language results we want. This is exactly what we're talking about today. I am delighted to share this conversation I had with French language coach Angel Pretot of French Fluency. I...2024-04-1558 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 65: When Progress Isn't HelpfulAs language learners, we always want progress, right? We all want to move forward, learning new words and taking in the grammar. Yet, many times in my language journey, I've found myself making some progress just to look back and realize that the progress I made was actually the opposite of helpful. Instead, it was holding me back from reaching my goals faster and in a more enjoyable way. And it really comes down to hanging on to tools, methods, or resources that just aren't right for you and your goals. I'm talking here about ignoring red flags. 2024-04-0926 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 64: What I Love About Language DabblingAre you a language dabbler? Do you enjoy playing around with new languages in a fun and non-committal way? Language dabbling isn't for everyone, but I really enjoy it, and I find several benefits to dabbling that actually help me keep my main languages going. Of course there are often connections between languages that help to strengthen our understanding of them, but I've also found that language dabbling helps me prevent and work through burnout, and it keeps me curious. It helps reignite the fire and preserve the joy I need to move forward in my main languages. 2024-04-0111 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 63: Trust (but Verify) Your Language KnowledgeDo you find that you doubt yourself way more than you believe in yourself when it comes to your language knowledge and skills? I certainly do, and it isn't always warranted. No matter your level, I think we can all find a balance in our language lives where we can trust what we know and also take time to verify when we come across something in the language that doesn't seem right. The thing is, all language resources have mistakes and/or language variance. Textbooks have printing errors, tutors and teachers also make mistakes, and then there...2024-03-2511 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 62: What's Your Excuse?Have you ever noticed that the word "excuse" has grown a very negative connotation? It's far too easy to internalize the idea that we should be in our languages all the time, every spare moment of every day, and if we aren't, then whatever the reason, it's "just an excuse." While perhaps once intended to motivate, this phrase and similar others more often lead to guilt and shame, leaving us farther from our goals instead of closer to them. In today's episode I talk about the word "excuse," its negative undertone, and do by best to remind...2024-03-1817 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 61: Welcome Back to Season 4!Welcome back! Season 4 is finally here, and I'm just starting off with a quick chat about what you're going to find in these episodes and also what I've been doing with my language learning for the last four or so months. I've been doing a ton of intensive language time with both Italian and German, I've been dabbling in a couple languages, and I've been trying to find a good balance between pushing forward and resting. Today's episode is light and, well, about me, but don't worry. Season 4 will be packed with a lot of versatile content that hopefully...2024-03-1122 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 60: Celebrating Your Wins!In this Season 3 finale of Love, Joy, and Languages podcast, I share and celebrate language learning wins from listeners across the globe. Real life stories from real life language learners, inspiring us to see every bit of progress along our language journeys. In this episode, you'll hear stories from four language learners who recognize a variety of wins in their language lives. The achievements they've shared with me for this episode are inspiring for language learners of all types, ages, and levels. The languages they're celebrating include German, Turkish, Spanish, and French plus my own wins in Italian and...2023-10-3020 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 59: A Joyful Chat with a Special Guest Co-HostI invited a very special language learning and language loving friend to co-host this episode with me and chat all about the joys of language learning. This is a very familiar voice in the language learning community, and it's such a pleasure to have Lindsay Williams of Lindsay Does Languages on the show! We had an absolute blast talking about loving languages and finding joy in learning them. We talk about current language learning wins, some favorite languages and connections to them (spoiler: you may want to learn Guarani after listening to Lindsay talk about it), and what keeps...2023-10-231h 01

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 58: Sometimes We Need to Get Better FirstAre you the kind of language learner who meets something above your skill level and starts to tell yourself that you're just bad at this thing? It's too big. You're not the kind of person who can. You kinda already knew this language was too hard to begin with. I've found myself doing this loads of times while learning Italian and German, but a recent encounter with my daughter reminded me that sometimes we just need to get better first. We just need to get back to the language resources that are at our level and keep practicing. Instead...2023-10-1615 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 57: Multitasking or Monotasking?Today I'm talking about multitasking and monotasking. Multitasking, for me, is becoming something that really stresses me out. More often than not, I make mistakes and have to redo something, get easily distracted and frustrated, or completely forget what I'm doing. Multitasking affects our language learning not only when we're trying to do multiple language things at once, but also because all parts of our lives come together to affect each other. Every area of our lives that's vying for our time, attention, and thoughts, affects all other areas. So today I'm breaking down the ways in...2023-10-0929 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 56: Learning Languages w/Card Games - Interview w/Tiara Youngblood of Speak in SpadesToday's episode is an extremely joyful chat with Tiara Younbgblood of Speak in Spades. A passionate langauge learner and card/board gamer, Tiara shares where her love of games and puzzles began in childhood and how they’ve been a stable foundation of curiosity and knowledge throughout her life. She takes us on her language journey, which includes Latin, Antient Greek, Spanish, Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean. Tiara now teaches English in South Korea, and you’ll hear how she brings games into her classroom, as well as the benefits of being able to work with language students in this...2023-10-021h 06

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 55: What Really Matters?This month has been an absolute whirlwind. Things are so busy, and every day there are so many things that need my attention, between work, kids starting school, general parenting, appointments, and house chores. Honestly, it's just all too much. I recently realized, however, that as my to-do list grows but my time and energy shrink, I've started asking myself this one simple question to be really honest with myself about my expectations. "What really matters?" Some days I try to do it all, and I feel defeated (and angry, negative, powerless, frustrated) when I can't do...2023-09-2511 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 54: How Language Learning Is Making Me A Better ParentThough "parent" is in the title, this is an episode for all. Language learning was the first area in my life where I started being able to face some of my personal demons and really start on a path to self-acceptance and growth. The skills I've gained through this journey of learning languages have absolutely been useful in other areas of my life, as well, like in parenting. There are so many similarities between how I used to approach language learning and how I've approached parenting. While it may sound odd at first, this shouldn't be surprising because there's...2023-09-1832 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 53: A Note on Building Habits & RoutinesIn today's episode I'm talking about building habits and routines. This all started with me wanting to make a habit out of going to the library every week with my kids, getting books, and reading them. Sounds simple, right? But after a few weeks of the kids complaining and us bringing home books that were then never opened, I started to feel like this was a useless endeavor. I was clearly failing at such a simple activity, so I might as well just give up. This all-or-nothing thinking doesn't work for me anymore, though, so I gave...2023-09-1120 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 52: Learning, Improving, and Teaching...Deutsch mit KrisIn today's episode, I’m chatting with German teacher Kris of Deutsch mit Kris. Kris shares her story of how she got into the German language as a high school student from the Southern United States. She had the typical story many of us know growing up in a place where only one language is spoken, taking a few years of language in school, and performing really well but not being able to speak the language. Yet something happened for Kris that sparked her interest in German, and luckily, she followed that curiosity all the way to living and st...2023-09-041h 04

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 51: Set Yourself Up For Seeing Your ProgressIn today's episode I share 4 (or 4.5) tips for creating benchmarks along your language journey to guarantee that your future self will recognize and believe that you're making progress. In language learning, it's really easy to be so down in the weeds and the details of studying and practicing that progress feels slow or even stagnant. Yet, every single word we learn is a tiny bit of growth, and the more progress we see, the more we keep coming back for more. But it can be difficult to recognize that progress, especially if we don’t work toward a particular me...2023-08-2821 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 50: Listening, Speaking, and OverstimulationIn today's episode I'm talking about overstimulation and how it affects my language learning. As language learners, I think we often get the message that speaking and listening are the most important skills to work on. I’ve struggled with getting in a significant amount of speaking and listening practice in both of my languages, which comes with a lot of guilt. Lately, though, I’m coming to realize that my struggle is more than the usual fear of making mistakes, not being confident, and feeling uncomfortable when I don’t understand something or can’t find the words I’m look...2023-08-1414 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 49: Good Advice Gone Wrong: Move to a Country of Your TLIn this third episode of "Good Advice Gone Wrong," a segment in which I highlight some really good language learning advice that can also go wrong, I talk about moving to a country where your target language is spoken. I hear (or read on social media) language learners giving this advice almost daily, and I can't deny that it's amazing for immersion and natural input. There are so many benefits to learning a language while abroad, but it isn't a guaranteed path to success. Not only that, but moving abroad isn't possible for everyone, which can create a sense...2023-08-0725 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 48: Heritage Language Preservation - Interview with Dr. Veronica BenavidesIn today's episode, I'm speaking with Dr. Veronica Benavides. Veronica is a Harvard-trained doctora of education with several years of experience in creating meaningful learning environments for children. She is also the founder and CEO of The Language Preservation Project and host of Talking to Grandma podcast, both of which were created as resources for other heritage language learners and for building community around reversing the trend of language loss across generations. Veronica is a heritage Spanish speaker and also a mother raising her children in Spanish as part of a multilingual/multicultural household. In our chat...2023-07-3148 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 47: 20-Minute Language Time PlaceholderIf you’re like me, you sometimes find yourself listening to a podcast like this about language learning, in your native language or one that’s very advanced, as a way to escape the actual language learning you want to be doing. It sounds crazy to those who don’t experience this feeling, but language avoidance is a real thing for many language learners, and podcasts like this can feel great because we’re improving our general language learning by listening to shows like mine. But, I also want to honor your language time by creating space for you to study...2023-07-2424 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 46: Back to the BeginningIn this epsiode, I share my current situation with German. For a long time I felt like I was at an impasse with the language, and I needed to decide to either commit to pushing forward or circle back around to the beginning to strengthen my abilities. I distinctly remember being at this place with Italian, and that time, I pushed forward. The problem was that I did it out of fear. I was afraid of being behind where I should be. I was afraid I didn't have time to go back and review or pass through old material...2023-07-1725 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 45: Give an Immediate Boost to Your Conversation PracticeToday I share my list of words and phrases that I often switch to my native for during convo lessons. Kenny of Something Polyglot once pointed out to me that I often switch to English for things like, “How do you say?,” or “What’s the word?” Once he brought this to my attention, I started noticing lots of little phrases that aren’t part of the main conversation, so I habitually leave the conversation language to say them in my native language. Making a list of these words and phrases has been very useful for me to consciously change my ha...2023-07-1011 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 44: Language & Cultural Identity - Interview with Urmi HossainIn this episode, I share a fascinating and wonderful chat I had with Urmi Hossain, a polyglot, author, YouTuber, and a woman empowering and inspiring others. Urmi shares her history of language learning, which began in childhood as she grew up in Italy with Bengali heritage. She tells of growing up in Sicily, speaking Bengali at home and Italian in the community and how she often felt in between worlds, neither fully Italian nor fully Bengali. Urmi takes us through her path toward realization that she doesn’t have to choose between cultures and which one she identifies with, an...2023-07-0348 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 43: Language Learning JealousyOne of the biggest issues language learners have is making comparisons to others. Comparison is part of human nature, though, and I’m not here to tell you to just stop comparing because it’s the thief of joy and no one else is like you so comparisons aren’t even legit to begin with. Even though I believe those things are true, they’re also not exactly practical for everyone, and sometimes I think the more energy we give to avoiding comparisons, the more energy we actually give to making comparisons because we give energy to fighting something, which gi...2023-06-2625 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 42: 3 Quick Tips For Getting Unstuck In Your LanguagesIn today's episode, I share my top tips for what to do when you feel stuck in your languages. It's totally normal to reach a point where you don't know what to do next, what to study, or you feel uninspired, your motivation is dipping, and you feel like your learning is getting stagnant. This can happen at any point in your language journey, and I think the strategies I share today are useful at every level. Or at least, learners of all levels can find some inspiration here. Listen in to discover what I do when I'm feeling...2023-06-1911 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 41: The Value of Not FinishingWelcome back to Season 3! In this episode, I talk about how we view and use resources with respect to finishing them. In Episode 1, I talked about history of having a strong internal desire to finish every resource I use or language project I begin. I’m a bit of an extreme case, I think, because it’s been more than just wanting to finish what I started or valuing the content of the resources I find and finishing for the sake of learning the things they teach. From the beginning of my language journey, I felt behind and like I ne...2023-06-1234 min

The Actual Fluency Podcast for Language LearnersAFP 187 - Heidi Lovejoy: Perfectionism and Language LearningIn this episode of the Actual Fluency Podcast, host Kris Broholm interviews Heidi Lovejoy, the creator and host of The Love, Joy and Languages Podcast. They discuss the topic of perfectionism and its effects on language learning, mental health, and imposter syndrome. Lovejoy shares her struggles with perfectionism while learning Italian, how it affected her mental health, and her journey to overcome it. They also explore the ideal process of moving to a foreign country while learning the local language and how to approach language learning without perfectionism. Heidi's website: https://lovejoyandlanguages.com/ 2023-04-012h 07

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 40: Celebrating Your Wins!In this Season 2 Finale, I share and celebrate language learning wins from listeners across the globe. Real life stories from real life language learners, inspiring us to see every bit of progress along our language journeys. In this episode, you'll hear stories from eight language learners who recognize a wide variety of wins in their language journeys. The achievements they've shared with me for this episode are inspiring for language learners of all types, ages, and levels. The languages they're celebrating include Portuguese, Norwegian, Russian, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Welsh, and Darija, plus my own win in German. Some are...2023-02-1325 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 39: A Joyful Chat with a Special Guest Co-HostI invited a very special language learning friend to co-host this episode with me and chat all about the joys of language learning. By now you're probably familiar with my Italian teacher, Kenny from Something Polyglot, and it was an absolute pleasure to speak with him about loving languages and finding joy in learning them. Learning a language is a long road, and there are so many challenges along the way, but something that keeps us in the language learning world is all the joy we find in the process. I hope you enjoy listening into my...2023-02-061h 02

Real Talk with Lovejoy Real EstateNew House? You'll Need Window Coverings - Real Talk Episode 15 - Lovejoy Real EstateThis is episode 15 of Real Talk with Lovejoy Real Estate! A show where we talk about all things real estate with our fabulous host, Jenny Turner. This week we have Heidi the Window Lady! The good kind of window lady, we promise! Heidi talks all about her business and why window coverings are so important for your home. ESPECIALLY new homes! If you own a home and like to keep it looking beautiful, you'll want to listen to this episode!Jenny Turner:(503) 312-4642Jenny@LovejoyRealEstate.comwww.lovejoyrealestate.comHeidi Gi...2023-01-3026 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 38: Non-Level Victories in Language LearningIn today's episode, I talk about language victories we have along our journeys that have nothing to do with reaching the next level. Moving up a language level is often our overarching objective, but sometimes reaching a new level is so far away that it's difficult to recognize our progress. And progress, by the way, doesn't only show up in results. Sometimes it's easy to see these victories when they have to do with our language ability, but victories can also show up in the activity we do (or don't do) and also in the mentality we have about...2023-01-3020 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 37: Celebrating My 3-Year Soberversary (And What That Even Has To Do With Languages)In today's episode, I share a bit of the more personal parts of my life. Last week I celebrated three years of sobriety, and while it may not be obvious how this ties into language learning, I can say that the link between these two things is very strong for me. I can say for sure that my early experiences learning Italian while living in Italy had a strong impact on my self-doubt, which had a strong impact on how much and how often I drank in order to escape the stress and pressure I put on myself, the...2023-01-2328 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 36: Listener Q&A: Textbook vs. Real Life LearningA listener reached out on Instagram and asked if I would do an episode on textbook learning vs. real life. Having lived in Italy for 4 years and Germany for a 1 1/2 years to-date, I have experience learning both Italian and German while living in those countries, and I’ve also used language textbooks, as well as taken textbook-based classes in each language. I decided to present this topic in a way that highlights things I like about both learning methods. I know there's often a bias or perceived advantage to learning in-country, and even though there so many be...2023-01-1625 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 35: Happy New Year! A Year with No Language GoalsDo you set New Year's resolutions for your languages? Better yet, do you set long-term language goals no matter the time of year? For years, I tried every goal-setting method I could find, yet over and over I found myself avoiding anything I had formally set as a goal, especially in language learning. In today's episode I recount this (failed) goal-setting history of mine. This time of year, we're bombarded with all sorts of advice for setting and reaching goals with the underlying message that goals are the only way to make real progress. We went from December's tips...2023-01-0930 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 34: If I Believed in MyselfIn today's episode, I explore all the details of what my life could look like if I had more self-belief, especially as a language learner. This content is prompted by Emily Richardson of The Language Confidence Project, a daily podcast that gives language learners a boost of courage, no matter our life situations. In Episode 35 of her show, Emily talks about self-belief, and she points out that self-belief is often discussed from the point of view of someone who has already overcome their challenge, completed their quest, and proven to themselves that they can do it. However, we rarely...2022-12-1930 min

The Italian Escape: A bilingual English-Italian language podcast25 - Christmas Special: Una chiacchierata con Heidi Lovejoy | Would you like to find joy when learning languages?Would you like to find joy when learning languages? --- Ciao! Siamo Gabriele e Angelique. Benvenuti nel nostro podcast! We are passionate language learners, and we record for you the language learning podcast we’d like to play when we learn new languages Our podcast in mixed English and simple Italian helps beginners and intermediate Italian language learners enjoy engaging content about Italy, its language, and its culture from day 0 of their language learning journey. --- Today you’re in for a treat. With Christmas fast approaching, we t...2022-12-161h 22

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 33: Curiosity, Inclusion, and Representation in Language Learning Spaces - Interview with Elle Charisse of Speaking Tongues PodcastI recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Elle Charisse, the host of Speaking Tongues Podcast. Elle is a change maker in the language learning community as someone who notices issues like gaps in representation, conversations being ignored, communities being overlooked, and she does something about it, letting her curiosity of the world and of humanity guide her to creating a space for all languages, all cultures, all histories, and all voices to be heard. In our interview, Elle shares a bit about how she grew an interest in languages growing up in New York City...2022-12-121h 03

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 32: Impostor Syndrome, Part 2This is the second of a two-part series in which I talk about impostor syndrome as a language learner. I know many of us in the language learning community have experienced or do experience impostor syndrome – that feeling that we're faking it, we're frauds, we aren't deserving of the praise we receive for our achievements, and one day someone is going to discover that we really have no idea what we're doing. There's a lot of content out there about impostor syndrome, both in general and with respect to language learning, but during a recent private conversation I had wi...2022-12-0521 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 31: Impostor Syndrome, Part 1This is the first of a two-part series in which I talk about impostor syndrome as a language learner. I know many of us in the language learning community have experienced or do experience impostor syndrome – that feeling that we're faking it, we're frauds, we aren't deserving of the praise we receive for our achievements, and one day someone is going to discover that we really have no idea what we're doing. There's a lot of content out there about impostor syndrome, both in general and with respect to language learning, but after a recent private conversation I had wi...2022-11-2817 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 30: An Open Letter to Beginner MeIn this episode, I simply read a letter I wrote to beginner me. She was so excited to start her language journey, but she was also very lost. She had no idea what was ahead of her, but she jumped in head-first with a lot of motivation...and fear. I've made a lot of mistakes in my language learning journey, and it's hard not to look back and wish I'd done things differently. It would be too easy to focus on the past, realizing that if I knew then what I know now, everything would have been easier. 2022-11-2108 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 29: Sunk Costs in Language LearningIn this episode, I talk about the sunk costs of language learning -- all those resources (time, money, energy, etc) that we've put into our languages but that can't be recovered. I discuss the sunk cost fallacy, which is the idea that one should continue on the set path – the original plan – because of what’s already been invested. I think as language learners, we’re often stuck in a sunk cost fallacy mindset, continuing on the exact same path we paved because of everything we’ve already invested, not because we want to continue investing in it. Today I give thr...2022-11-1418 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 28: Good Advice Gone Wrong, Round 2In this second episode of "Good Advice Gone Wrong," a segment in which I highlight some really good language learning advice that can also go wrong, I talk about doing what you love but in your target language. I've heard this recommendation so many times in my years as a language learner, and I can't deny that it's a good, potentially fun way to gain immersion-like input. When I tried this with Italian, however, it was a big flop. I couldn't understand as much as I wanted to or thought I should, and the activities I enjoy -- the...2022-11-0718 min

My Fluent PodcastThe Glossika Challenge - 7 Learners share their story. 7 brave language learners accepted the challenge to do 3000 repetitions in one month in the October 2022 Glossika Challenge. Glossika is an AI based app/website. (Leran more about Glossika on episode 119) This is the video teaser. Don't forget to CHECK OUT #GlossikaChallenge on Twitter. The 7 brave participants are: Victoria Heidi (twitter:@LoveJoy_Lang): Podcast Love, Joy, and Languages Kenny(twitter:@Kenny_DB1983): www.somethingpolyglot.com Christina (twitter: @vuorille): C. Widmann (nouw.com) Elise Cutts (twitter: @elisecutts https://www.monoglotanxiety.com Kuba (twitter: @kubacki_): www.langatu.com Daniel (twitter: @DanielGoodson12): www.my...2022-11-0224 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 27: The Meaning of Multilingual Mastery - Interview with JamieIn this episode, I share an incredibly insightful chat with Jamie, the language coach behind Multilingual Mastery. We recently sat down together for a wonderful conversation touching on a wide range of language learning topics. Jamie shares how she got into language coaching after realizing that she’d been approaching her own language learning all wrong. She had followed all the standard advice, used all the typical resources, and even lived in the country where her language was spoken. After everything, however, she still didn’t feel fluent. Instead of throwing in the towel, she decided to star...2022-10-3154 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 26: Your Most Limited ResourceIn this episode, I talk about limited resources in language learning. No matter what language you're learning, resources directly related to learning or acquiring the language are limited (even if it seems overwhelmingly the opposite). No matter our life situation, we all have limited time, money, energy, motivation, and so on. The interesting thing about these resources, however, is that when we're low on one, we can usually work around that limitation. Podcasts, YouTube, and public libraries are just a few examples of things language learners can use when low on money. If we're low on time, we can...2022-10-2406 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 25: What Is "Fluency," Anyway?"You're been studying Spanish for five years?! Are you fluent yet?" "You lived in Poland for two years? You must be fluent now." "You study languages? Sp how many languages do you speak fluently?" "Your kids have gone to the German school for a year now. They must be totally fluent!" We've heard them all. And, while we all have a general idea of what the words fluent and fluency mean, there comes a point in our language journeys when we realize it isn't so cut and dry. There is no definitive point when...2022-10-1719 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 24: Testing a New LanguageIn this episode, I talk about my experience testing out a new language, Korean. The thing is, Korean is something I've wanted to learn for over 20 years, but I have two other languages that definitely take priority, so taking on a third language is probably not very reasonable. So I had to ask myself, "Am I thinking about this because I'm afraid of (continuing) to miss out?" "Am I afraid that I've already missed my chance, and I won't get another one?" These are very reasonable questions, especially considering the FOMO I talked about last week in Episode 23. 2022-10-1022 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 23: FOMO - Fear of Missing OutIn this episode, I share my personal experience with fear of missing out (FOMO) in language learning, as well as tips for recognizing and overcoming it. From using every resource from beginning to end, skipping nothing, doing every exercise (whether I wanted to or not; whether it was useful or not) to hoarding resources and joining all the language challenges, FOMO really disrupted my progress forward because it kept me spinning my wheels on most of the same material or topics, always afraid that I was missing specific vocabulary or grammar if I didn't do it all. I quickly...2022-10-0328 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 22: Am I Even Making Progress?In this episode, I talk about those times when we wonder if we're even making progress in our languages, even as early as the beginner level. We all know we're learning new things, acquiring new vocabulary, and figuriung out grammar structures. Yet, so often it can feel like all of our hard work isn't paying off. Maybe we feel like what we've learned is just basic stuff and not very valuable or useful. Perhaps we only see how much we don't know and what all there is left to learn, so what we have learned just doesn't seem like...2022-09-2621 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 21: Our Summer Language ActivitiesWelcome back to Season 2! In this episode, I review my summer break with the kids at home and talk about how we interacted with the languages we're learning, Italian and German. If you haven't already listened to Episode 19, give it a listen here because that's where I set my priorities for the summer. Those priorities were critical for going back and reviewing everything we did (and didn't do). I hope this episode gives you some ideas for how to interact with your languages, whether you have kids or not. But most of all, I want to emphasize...2022-09-1919 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 20: Celebrating Your Wins!In this Season 1 Finale, I share and celebrate language learning wins from listeners across the globe. Real life stories from real life language learners, inspiring us to see every bit of progress along our language journeys. In this episode, you'll hear stories from six language learners who recognize a huge variety of wins in their language journeys. The achievements they've shared with me for this episode are inspiring for language learners of all types, ages, and levels. The languages they're celebrating include French, Italian, Catalan, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and German. Some are still in the beginner phase of acquiring...2022-07-2521 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 19: Revisiting Overwhelm in Parenting, Languages, and Parenting with LanguagesIn this episode, I talk about how overwhelm has started creeping back into my life as summer break approaches, and the kids will be out of school for several weeks. When I think about my own language learning time, travel plans, keeping a clean house, preparing healthy meals, providing lots of activity time for the kids, minimizing screen time, working on their English reading and writing, while also keeping German a central language for them outside of school -- everything has started feeling completely impossible. So today I use this space to talk myself through what really matters, getting...2022-07-1818 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 18: Finding You in Your Languages - Interview with Emily RichardsonIn this episode, guest Emily Richardson tells us about her early experiences learning French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean. She has eight years of classroom experience teaching languages. After a brief spell in the Artificial Intelligence industry, the 2020 pandemic hit, and she found herself unemployed with no income, no stable home, and feeling very lost. Against financial, emotional, and personal odds, Emily started learning Brazilian Portuguese in response to the challenges she faced. Emily shares her joirney learning Brazilian Portuguese using only language exchange apps, and she shares some tips that have worked for her when finding...2022-07-1158 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 17: The Words We SpeakIn this episode, I talk about the power of the words we speak to ourselves about ourselves and our languages. Beginning my language learning journey, I held core beliefs about what that journey would look like and about myself as a language learner. Such things as, "I'm too old," "Language learning is difficult and time-consuming," and "I'm not gifted at languages" were at the center of all my beliefs about language learning and what it meant for me. I often found that the words I spoke -- both out loud and in my head -- upheld these beliefs, and...2022-07-0418 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 16: Forging a Joyful Bond With Your LanguagesIn this episode, I talk about the importance of forging a joyful bond with your languages as early as possible. My first year learning Italian, especially, was rife with pressure, self-doubt, and beliefs that language learning is hard, that it's a struggle. By the time I started learning German, though, I had worked through much of this negativity, and my first year was full of positive energy, fun, and believing in myself. Today, even though my Italian is stronger than my German, I still get nervous and hesitate when speaking Italian. I still feel a pull to use Google...2022-06-2712 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 15: Language Learning on VacationIn this episode, I talk about 5 language learning activities that I tend to do while on vacation. While I absolutely don't advocate "the grind" or doing intensive language learning tasks every day without a break, language-related activities are a part of my daily life that relax me. They ground me, and they help me recharge and reset. So for me, touching my languages daily is still part of my holiday time because it supports my relaxation. During vacation time, I don't stress about doing specific language activities, feel obligated to do them, or guilty if I don't do them...2022-06-1311 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 14: Navigating Language Learning Abroad - Interview with Sarah KnightIn this episode, I sit down with guest Sarah Knight from Language Immersion Abroad, who shares her experience navigating life as an immersion program student in France. Sarah shares her discovery of immersion as a way to learn a language and how being part of a host family in the U.S. inspired her to take the immersion leap for herself. She brings us through the emotional and linguistic process of living in an intense immersive environment, including unexpected challenges and how she worked through them without losing herself. Even though our immersive experiences are different, Sarah skillfully describes...2022-06-061h 00

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 13: Expat Parenting Language ExpectationsIn this episode, I dive deep into my experience as a first-time expat parent figuring out how to support my children in their acquisition of the community language while I learned it alongside them. Our early years learning Italian were rife with fighting, negotiating, and bribing when it came to learning Italian. I constantly felt like I was failing, and I was failing my kids. But the more those negative feelings crept up, the more I pushed myself and my kids to work harder and do more. In hindsight, it's easy to see that I wasn't failing. I just...2022-05-3026 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 12: Multilingual Parenting as a Non-Native: Learning Languages Alongside Your Kids - Interview with Nina PeacockIn this episode, I sit down with Nina Peacock, a U.S. American expat experiencing acquisition of the community language alongside her children in Japan and now in Germany. She talks about learning Japanese while her children attended Japanese preschool, and then working to keep learning it together when they moved back to the U.S. Nina describes some of the challenges she faced teaching her children a language that isn’t her native one while also no longer being immersed in the country. She shares her discovery of TalkBox.Mom, a language learning program that guides families to sp...2022-05-231h 07

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 11: My Language Learning RoutineIn this episode, I share my language learning routine. (SPOILER ALERT: I don't have one!) After seeing so many gorgeous, detailed, color-coded language study routines on social media, I tried creating my own routine, but time after time, something got in the way, and I couldn't get back on track with what I'd planned. I felt like a failure and struggled with the idea that I needed a routine way of studying languages in order to succeed. After years of negative thoughts and feelings about my lack of a language routine, I finally decided to embrace my language life...2022-05-1627 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 10: Solidifying My Language LevelIn this episode, I share a recent experience I had when I decided to organize and consolidate two years' worth of Italian notes. I have notes scattered throughout various notebooks, online documents, and miscellaneous sheets of paper. Though I love organization, I had never figured out how to organize my notes as I took them, and going back afterwards felt like a waste of time -- time that I could be spending learning something new instead. But, as I went through old notebooks, I found lengthy notes and examples of something I recently discovered I struggle with. Weeks ago...2022-05-0918 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 9: Good Advice Gone Wrong, Round 1In this first episode of "Good Advice Gone Wrong," a segment in which I highlight some really good language learning advice that can also go wrong, I talk about watching kids' TV in your target language. I've heard this recommendation so many times in my years as a language learner, and I can't deny that it's a good, potentially fun way to gain immersion-like input. When I tried this with Italian, however, it was a big flop. I couldn't understand anything, and no matter how hard I tried to make it work, it just wasn't for me. As an...2022-05-0216 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 8: Good Enough Language LearningIn this episode, I talk about my discovery of "good enough" language learning and how it led me to identify, accept, and appreciate the entire process of language learning in all its intricate moments. By focusing on communication as the goal of language, we're better equipped to settle on a good enough way of expressing ourselves in our target languages according to each situation, our current level, and our mental energy. Finding contentment -- being good enough now -- at each level along our language journeys is beneficial to making progress toward the next level, and it becomes a...2022-04-1821 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 7: Dealing with Overwhelm in Language LearningIn this episode, I talk about times when language learning becomes overwhelming. Whether there doesn't seem to be enough time for focused language study, there are too many (or not enough) resources to choose from, or our expectations aren't reasonable for our unique lives, language learning can feel overwhelming. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner in your first language or advanced in your fifth. Language learning can be overwhelming. When overwhelm doesn't pass on its own, how can we deal with it? What can we do to reduce the pressure of overwhelm and get back to focusing on...2022-04-1128 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 6: Language Learning as a Multi-Passionate - Interview with Marjolein BenschopIn this episode, I get the pleasure of chatting with Marjolein Benschop of The Language Community to talk about being a multi-passionate person and language learner. Marjolein is a Dutch Polyglot, Language Coach and MSc in Psychology of Social Relations from the Goldsmiths University, London. Marjolein has worked in various countries (the Netherlands, Spain, England and Peru), teaching and helping students learn more effectively. She has given workshops on how to learn languages while managing one’s expectations, and co-founded an online environment for language learners called The Language Community. Having managed to learn 8 languages to a conversational or ev...2022-04-041h 04

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 5: Facing Language Tasks We Tend To AvoidIn this episode, I talk about avoidance in language learning, something I really struggle with. From avoiding speaking to ignoring the book we want to read but can't seem to get started, avoidance can be a serious conflict in our lives as language learners. To make things even harder, there are numerous reasons why we avoid particular activities, and those reasons vary from person to person, activity to activity. I avoid speaking because I don't want to be judged for my mistakes. I avoid reading because I don't like the vulnerability of feeling inept or not good enough. I...2022-03-2822 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 4: Considering Other Aspects of Life for Language LearningIn this episode, I talk about all-or-nothing thinking and how this perfectionist tendency has shown up in so many areas of my life, including language learning. From cleaning house (or not) to working out (or not), an all-or-nothing mentality is at the core of when and how I do these things and whether or not I do them at all. I discuss why this way of thinking prevents me from getting things done and can lead to negative self-talk and a defeated mindset. I talk about small changes I've made in how I approach simple chores or activities I...2022-03-2130 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 3: My Story, Part 3, The PerfectionistIn this episode, I talk about my history as a perfectionist, which goes back to early childhood. I explore some of the ways perfectionism has shown up in my language learning experiences and how it led to language learning behaviors that slowed down my progress. Some of these perfectionist tendencies -- like procrastination and avoidance or all-or-nothing thinking -- led to a very rigid way of learning, which felt restrictive and frustrating. But the restrictive tendencies were symptoms of my perfectionism, and once I decided to face that root cause of my restrictive tendencies, I started making real, sustainable...2022-03-1431 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 2: My Story, Part 2, The ParentIn this episode, I talk about my history as the parent of my little language learners who have learned the community languages where we've lived. Parenting is hard, and adding a new immersion experience in the mix can get really muddy. I made so, so many mistakes trying to support my kids on their journeys -- from forcing my own expectations onto my kids to letting guilt and shame determine my reactions. Many of the things we've struggled with are common things non-native families go through, and I want to share our story in order to connect with others...2022-03-0731 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 1: My Story, Part 1, The Language LearnerIn this episode, I detail my history as a language learner, from classroom learning in high school to immersion in adulthood. I've made so many mistakes as a language learner, not just in using the wrong word or verb conjugation, but also in how I've tried learning languages. Many of the things I've struggled with are common things language learners do, and I want to share my story in order to connect with others like me and also show that no one is alone. We all have our own particular journey, and talking about what's worked or not worked...2022-02-2828 min

Love, Joy, and LanguagesEpisode 0: IntroductionWelcome to Love, Joy, and Languages! Today I'm introducing my podcast in which I'm going to talk all about the lovely world of language learning. Here, I'm going to talk about my own experiences as an adult language learner & mother of two littles learning the community language where we live. I want to talk about everything -- mistakes, failures, challenges, successes -- all of it. I'll be joined, also, by other language learners to talk about a vast array of language learning topics so that you, my listeners, can feel inspired and empowered to create a language learning journey...2022-02-2502 min

Vibrant Living Conversations#27 Heidi Markland, Ancient Spring Acupuncture | Ancient Wisdom for Holistic Health, Truly!For interview #27, I am talking with Heidi Markland, Traditional Chinese Medicine + acupuncture professional, + owner of Ancient Spring Acupuncture in Coeur d’Alene. We discuss the basics of TCM, acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, herbs, + lifestyle changes to support health + wellness. The keys to Heidi’s practices are that they are natural + promote living in alignment with nature + your unique body’s needs for long-term, sustained wellness! Her local Vibrant Living inspirations include:Dwight Dansereau, Life Center Therapies for Well BeingChristine Lovejoy, Morning Light Yoga Lindsey Sichelstiel, White Cypress Natural Health Find Heidi:Website:www.ancientspringacu.com/Instagr...2022-01-1047 min

Creepy Club PodcastMeeting No. 85 - Alton, IllinoisDiscussion: Rissa talks about Alton, Illinois, the most haunted small town in America. Discussion starts: (00:04:53) Sources: Alton, Illinois Elijah Parish Lovejoy John Wesley Harned Haunted Locations - Haunted Sites - Alton City Cemetery The Ghosthunter Girls - Alton City Cemetery NIGHT AT THE MINERAL SPRINGS HOTEL The Most Haunted Town in America The Ghosts of Alton, Part 1: Mineral Springs Mall About Us | First Unitarian Church • Alton, Illinois First Unitarian Church Investigation First Unitarian Ch...2020-07-2100 min