What I Learned about Speaking a Language as a Professional - Moving your 30s

I can't believe it's been almost two years that I've been living here in the Netherlands. And this is actually the last video that I'm filming in this space because I'm moving back to Italy, Milan. If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I've been moving a lot. And if you're new here, here's a quick backstory. When I was 17, I visited the US. In my 20s, I moved to Italy for my master's degree. And in my 30s, I moved to the Netherlands as a professional. And now I'm going back to Italy again. Each of these international experiences has taught me something. Yes, about life, but also what it really means to use English in real life. And in this video, I want to share the most important lessons I've learned, especially from living here in the Netherlands in my 30s as a professional. I created this channel to help non-native speakers use the English language in real life. This means to be able to make a positive impact and build meaningful connections in English. I've been through so many phases of this journey myself. Hating the language at school, experiencing a lot of self-doubt, struggling to express myself in real life, feeling invisible even though I could speak English fluently, and many more phases. So I know exactly how this journey feels like. But in this video specifically, I want to talk about the challenges I faced as a professional living abroad, the skills that helped me overcome them, and the big picture of what it really takes to succeed internationally in English. When I moved to the Netherlands, I didn't know many people. And making new friends or connections as an adult is very difficult. Everyone's busy. People already have their groups of friends. And especially in international environments, it takes effort to meet the right people and feel a sense of belonging. I had to learn to be more proactive in my communication, to take initiatives and ask questions, open conversations, and be the person in charge. And that's not just an English skill. It's a communication skill. Another challenge was cultural differences. For example, in the Netherlands, there were moments I felt offended, especially when people were very direct. And at first, I took what they said personally. I would think that they had a problem with me. But I've learned something important. When you're living abroad or having international experiences, you need to stay open, curious, and aware of how different cultures communicate. And know that cultural differences can impact the communication. This awareness is an important part of communication skill too. The next challenge was that even when I could speak fluently or confidently, sometimes I felt like people didn't really get me. Like I couldn't express my personality well enough. Or my ideas weren't landing. I realized it's not just about expecting everything to be clear because it's clear to me. It's not about what you say. It's about how we say it. And it's okay to say the same thing multiple times with different ways of communication. That's where the real skill of communication comes in. So here's the biggest lesson I've learned from all of this. Especially in my 30s living abroad. Speaking English fluently is not enough. Even speaking it confidently is not enough. What you really need is effective communication skill in English. It's true that fluency and confidence is the foundation for effective communication. But the ultimate goal is to be able to make a positive impact and connect deeper with other people. That's what we need to learn in real life. To use the English language for a bigger purpose. So depending on where you are in your journey, there are three main levels in your English journey. First, you need to work on speaking fluently. This is the foundation. Fluency means you can think in English without translating in your head. It's about training your brain to process English naturally with the right kind of practices. The second one is speaking confidently. This level is all about your mindset and emotions. It's not about how much you know, but it's about how you use the things that you know. And you can do that effectively when you learn how to manage your thoughts and emotions well. It's about feeling safe and confident to express yourself even in real life situations. And the final one, effective communication. This is the ultimate goal in real life where you create real connections and impact. You know how to handle misunderstanding, clarify ideas, speak professionally, and show your personality even in English, which is not your first language. Because this is the skill that actually creates real opportunities, connection, and success in real life. Not just speaking the language perfectly. If you need to speak English in real life and you're on this international journey, whether it's learning the language, living abroad, or working internationally, I hope this helps you see the big picture. I created this video for you if you want to have more international experiences and speak English in real life. Because one of the problems that I see very often is that non-native speakers are fixated on details that are not really important in real life. And they miss the big picture. Instead of spending too much time on perfecting your language skill, use this time to learn the essential real life skills in English and improve your English while working on your personal and professional growth. You don't need to be perfect. You just need to work on the right life skills. You can grow step by step with the right kind of support and system. That's why I created a full package to help you with the first stage, which is speaking English fluently with a holistic approach in real life. If you're ready to take your next step, check the link in the description. I'd be happy to guide you on this journey. Now let me know in the comment section which stage of this speaking journey is your goal. Thank you so much for watching and see you in the next video from Italy.