We’re back!I love making content with Rita Prazeres Gonçalves and you’ll be seeing more from us in 2024!This time we talked about:* Our podcasts and why we decided to create them (Rita also has a new one, The Intuitive worker).* Why people listen to podcasts and how they can help us.* What we’ve learned from the experience of creating podcasts.* How learning other languages gives us access to new content in areas that are relevant to us.* Our networking events for language professionals.Find out more on the show notes page:https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode227/

I met Lynn on LinkedIn through Carol Constant, whom some of you may remember from previous podcast episodes. Lynn Swain is a  TEDx Speaker, Trust Activator, and finalist in the 2023 Woman of Stature Awards for Coaching and Mentoring. She is the founder of the Symbiota Leadership Institute.Lynn holds a Master of Science degree in Neuroscience of Leadership from Middlesex University, and as a result,  offers a distinctive perspective on trust and performance. Her recent TEDx talk, 'A Trust Mindshift to Create a Trust Revolution,' delves into the transformative power of self-trust. Lynns impactful interventions and talks are dedicated to leaving audiences with game-changing tools. We talked about:* Lynn's recent TED talk and how it felt to prepare for it.* What's actually going on in our brain as we move from the fight or flight reaction to a more confident and focused state.*  The impact of self-trust and empathy on our ability to move past fear and think clearly.* How to get past our insecurity or the fear reaction that comes up when we try something new.* The TRUST model and How to redirect our attention and give our brain access to the resources that we need to focus and succeed.Find out more on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode226

I first met Marta online last year when she took part in my “31 ways to improve your English” challenge in January. Since then, Marta has been participating in my conversation club and earlier this year, she gave a presentation there to the group for business owners and freelancers. This was something new for Marta, but she accepted the challenge! Then she accepted a new challenge – her first podcast guest appearance in English!We talked about:* Marta’s challenges with saying “no” and what changed for her* Some of the benefits that we can enjoy when we say “no” to things that are not right for us* How knowing ourselves and our values can help us to say “no”* Tips for people who find it difficult to say “no” at work* Challenges and solutions for saying “no” in an additional language.How do you feel about saying “no”? Do you have any tips or experiences to add?Find the show notes herehttps://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode225/

Leda  is an English to Romanian Charity and Public Sector Translator whom I met on LinkedIn a few months ago. Initially I was happy to have found another Romanian connection who enjoys languages, but as I began to read more of her content, I thought she would be a good guest to bring on the podcast too!Leda loves translating texts that educate, entertain, and inspire: from articles about mental health to child protection documents and educational resources developed by charities. She also loves reading, learning languages, and having a nice cuddle with her dog, Puck.We talked about:• Leda’s interest in languages from an early age.• How reading books, including audio books, can help you to develop your language skills.• Leda’s book group on LinkedIn.• Translating children’s books into Romanian• How Leda got into doing social care, parenting, and mental health content translations.• The benefits of having a dog - I had to get Puck the golden retriever in there somewhere!Find out more on the show notes pagehttps://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode224/

Isabelle and I met on LinkedIn after she was a guest on my friend Rita Gonçalves' "The Language Worker" podcast. Isabelle is a Pronunciation Coach & Marketing Translator from English and German into French for the Tech and Cyber security industry. This is how Isabelle introduces herself:"I'm Isabelle Cottenet, a French pronunciation coach and translator.I help non native French speakers master the rhythms and sounds of the language to sound clear and confident in French. I've been delving into the relationship between languages and music for over 20 years.Today, I use a combination of tools drawn from my background in linguistics, phonetics, music, and vocal technique to create an enjoyable, efficient and supportive journey into French pronunciation for my students.I offer individual and group online classes focused on phonetics and pronunciation. I work with interpreters, translators, language instructors, but also corporate professionals, freelancers, individuals, and singers who want to improve their French pronunciation and be better understood." Find out more on the show notes page:https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode223/And visit Isabelle's website here: https://www.secureyourpronunciation.com/  

You may remember Rita Gonçalves from episode 215. The episode we did together for my podcast was actually the second part of a podcast conversation swap - and now you can listen to our first conversation as well.This is the conversation that was originally published on Rita's podcast, The Language Worker. Go and check it out if you are interested in the exciting world of language learning and working in the language industry.I love Rita's passion, enthusiasm, and her stories. This time we talked about learning other languages as an adult.The show notes are here:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode222

I've known Mira online for several years now. We got chatting because of a comment on some language-rlated post and we've had a few virtual coffees and online chats since. I thought Mira would be a good guest to bring on the podcast because of her own story, where she moved to England and needed to start using English within the school system here and later to build her international business.Mira Rutter is a Life Balance Coach & Strategist from <a href="https://ruttercoaching.com/"> Rutter Coaching.</a> She coaches female online service-based business owners to strategically manage their time & energy, develop an empowering mindset & build high-performance habits so that they can take their business to the next level and create success on their terms.She helps you create your success cycle & grow your online business with ease, fun & flow by coaching you to implement female-centric strategies and take aligned, inspired action. Connect with Mira to discover how to tap into your unique superpowers and work with your menstrual cycle.We talked about * Mira's story, her connection with English, and her language learning tips.* Learning another language by attending school in a country where that language is spoken* Techniques for making the language learning process easier, such as emersion and thinking in the target language* Professional development and identifying the language resources that will give you what you need for the situations in which you'll need to use the new language* The importance of our names and getting them right!* Mira's current business and how her early experiences help her as an international business owner now.Click here for the show notes:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode221

This is a really short episode, but it's important!What one thing can you work towards in English or another language that will be fun for you?Maybe you are learning a language for a specific reason. Maybe it isn't even your choice. But what is one thing that you can work towards that you will enjoy?I share something that I did recently and why this brought me closer to one of my goals for Romanian. How about you? Learning a language doesn't always have to be serious! We should find ways to make it enjoyable for ourselves too - even though it can be tough sometimes!If you find something that makes you feel good, it will motivate you to keep going!Here is the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode220

Diana is “a very curious woman from Venezuela and a big fan of languages!”We met on LinkedIn – it’s the place to be these days – and I want to share with you what happened when we got together a couple of weeks ago. We talked about: Diana’s story and language journey Why it’s important to have fun when you are learning languages and to find activities that are enjoyable for you Why it’s important to practise every day and not just when you go to classes How to avoid mixin up languages when you are learning several languages at the same time How using different languages helps you to highlight different parts of your personality How her knowledge of languages and her experience working with different cultures help Diana now with her work in communications How having something enjoyable to work towards can be both a motivator and a reward. Find out more on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode219

Practical advice for creating content in other languages, including the need for research and seeking help. Considering the audience and being prepared, finding a balance between overpreparing and underpreparing. Navigating feedback and minimizing mistakes, staying calm and thinking on your feet. Embracing mistakes and having fun when creating content in other languages.