Today, I'm going to be addressing a question that I get a lot.

今天我要回答一些自己常被問到的問題。

Somebody on Tumblr wrote to me and they said, "How do you stay motivated? I have terrible anxiety, and I'm always riddled with save-hel—ooh—self-hatred and self-doubt."

有人在 Tumblr 上問我「你怎麼讓自己保持動力？我常常非常焦慮，經常陷入自我仇... 自我仇視或自我否定。」

"It keeps me from doing what I love, and I feel like it's held me back and I can't do anything except to watch others move on with their lives."

「這讓我遠離自己所愛的事，我覺得這在扯我後腿而只能看著別人進步。」

First of all, to the person who said that, I really want you to understand how much you are valued; think about how many people around you love you and how you've changed the lives of others.

首先，我想對這位提問的網友說，我真心希望你可以了解自己有多重要。想想身邊有多少親朋好友愛你，想想你對他們的影響。

You really do make a difference in people's lives and you shouldn't have self-doubt.

你真的讓別人的生活變得多彩，你不該自我否定。

I understand that you're going through a difficult time.

我也了解你正經歷瓶頸。

So, I'd like to give you some practical tips on motivation on how to think about yourself more positively in light of language learning.

所以，我想提供你一些在學習語言時如何保持自我動力與積極想法的一些實用技巧。

So, first of all, here's some general things to remember when you're feeling a little down and feeling like you aren't progressing in language learning.

首先，在你覺得有些失落或覺得自己沒在進步時你要記得一些事。

First of all, and very importantly, don't force yourself.

第一，也是非常重要的一點，不要強迫自己。

You are a human being and you need breaks.

你是人，你需要休息。

You want to tell yourself, "Study 500 words a day and finish this textbook and stuff", and then you end up disappointing yourself because you're not able to reach those goals.

你告訴自己每天要學 500 字、把參考書看完，或是完成某個目標但最後卻讓自己很失望，因為你沒達成這些目標。

One little, tiny step at a time.

一小步一小步慢慢來。

It's better to do a tiny bit each day than it is to try and pile on everything and not be able to achieve your goal.

每天學一點點好過試圖一次學完一大堆，而且沒辦法達成的目標。

Remember the power of positive speaking.

要記得正面思考的能量。

Try to tell yourself, "I speak A, B, C language" instead of "I'm learning Japanese" or "I'm trying to learn Korean, but it's hard".

試著告訴自己：「我會說 A, B, 和 C 語言」，而不是「我正在學日語」或「韓語，這好難哦」這類想法。

Talk to yourself positively and tell yourself, "I'm doing a great job! Look how far I've gotten. I'm speaking Korean."

正面思考！告訴自己，「我做得很好！看看自己進步了多少。我會說韓文。」

Number two—everybody says this—but remember the reason you started.

第二點，雖然很多人都說過了，但你要莫忘初衷。

What was that flame that triggered your passion for the language in the beginning?

一開始點燃你對那種語言熱情的原因是什麼？

Also, try and envision yourself where you want to be and envision what it's like to be completely fluent in that language.

還有，想像自己達成目標後的樣子想像自己流利說著那種語言的樣子。

But don't compare yourself to others.

但不要跟別人比較。

I repeat, do NOT compare yourself to other language learners online.

我再說一次，千萬不要跟其他線上的語言學習者比較。

Rather, try and build a community with them; become friends with them.

而是要和他們建立網絡、當朋友。

If you're feeling envious or jealous towards someone who seems to be progressing faster, remember: Another person's success is NOT your failure.

如果你因為別人學得比較快而感到嫉妒記住一句話，別人的成功或失敗與你無關。

Just because someone else is more fluent or has beau—more prettier studyblr pictures than you, doesn't mean that you're a bad person or you're a failure.

別人的口說能力比你好或是漂亮... 或他們的學習筆記比你更美，這不代表你很爛，或是失敗者。（註：Studyblr 為社群網站 Tumblr 中紀錄學習筆記類型照片的名稱）

Only, only, only, compare yourself to your past self; don't think, "Oh, my goodness! James has progressed and he's done five text books this month and I've only, like, done one chapter."

絕對絕對只能和過去的自己比較，不要覺得：「噢，我的天啊，詹姆士進步了，他這個月讀完五本教科書，而我只讀完一章節。」

Don't do that; tell yourself, "Wow! look at me! I've done one entire chapter. And last month, I just learned two words!"

千萬不要這樣，反而要告訴自己：「哇！看看我！我讀完一整章節耶。上個月我才學了兩個字而已。」

Tell yourself how much you are progressing.

提醒自己進步了多少。

You could also start finding new ways to enjoy the language.

你也可以試圖發掘享受學習語言的方法。

Rather than traditional study methods—taking a course, reading a textbook—maybe you like inspirational posters and stuff.

除了傳統的學習方法，例如上課和讀教科書外，也許你喜歡勵志名言海報之類的東西。

Why don't you print out quotes in your target language?

那為什麼不把你學習該語言的名言列印出來呢？

Stick them up around your room so that when you wake up in the morning, you see this quote in Vietnamese or something on your wall.

把名言貼在房間牆壁上，這樣一來每天早上起床就能看到例如越南語或其他語言在房間的牆上。

You can even write your shopping list in that language.

你還可以用該語言寫出購物清單。

Make sure to make the language part of your life and make it exciting again for you.

記得讓語言成為你生活的一部分，並讓自己重新充滿熱誠。

Okay, enough wishy-washy, blahdy-blah; let us move on to the practical tips for us... practical people.

好的！嘮叨夠了。馬上回到實用技巧... 給實際的人。

Number one—this is something I am guilty of—I always buy new notebooks and new textbooks to, like, feel really excited about the language again.

第一點，關於這點我感到有點罪惡，我常常買新的筆記本或是教科書來讓自己重新對語言燃起熱忱。

There's nothing like opening a fresh new notebook and being like, "Yes! This is it! This is gonna be the one that I fill until the end."

沒有任何感覺比得上打開一本全新的筆記本，那感覺就像「耶！這就對了！這本筆記本最後會寫滿筆記。」

So, get yourself splurge; spoil yourself.

所以，揮霍一下吧！寵愛自己。

Get a new textbook, get a new notebook, just so you feel like it's a fresh new start.

買新筆記本和教科書，會給你一種新鮮、重新開始的感覺。

Number two, figure out what your ideal language learning style is.

第二點，找出你最適合的學習風格。

Are you an auditory learner?

你偏好聽覺類學習嗎？

Do you remember song lyrics, like, the moment you've heard them?

你是否記得歌詞就像自己剛剛聽過那首歌一樣？

If that's your learning style, incorporate it into your life.

如果是，這就是你的學習風格，運用在你的生活中。

If you're more visual, put up posters, make flashcards, use highlighters.

如果你比較偏視覺：貼海報，做字卡、用螢光筆畫重點。

Number three, start a YouTube channel or a studygram or a blog or a journal to track your progress.

第三點，創立 YouTube 頻道、IG 讀書帳號、部落格或寫日誌來記錄你的學習進度。

It's really important to track your progress because it can show you how far you've come.

記錄學習進度真的很重要，如此一來，你就可以看到自己進步了多少。

You can say, "Wow, actually, I don't feel it, but I can see in my progress that, in two months, I've improved my accent so much!"

你可能會發現「哇，我自己都不曉得，原來我兩個月內的進度那麼多，我的口音進步了好多！」

And it'll be a great source of motivation 'cause you'll want to update it.

這會是很棒的動力來源，讓你想要進步。

And the next one—which is quite interesting—be cautious but open to language learning challenges.

第四點，這是非常有趣的一點，對於語言學習挑戰謹慎但抱持歡迎態度。

Online you'll see things like "100 days of productivity" or "Joy of learning languages", "31-day language diary challenge thing"—those are fun!

你在網路上會看到一些像是「百日學習動力」、「學語言的歡樂」、「31 天日記挑戰」之類的，這些挑戰很好玩！

Those are really cool, but be wary of them because if you suffer from depression or anxiety, it can put you into a space where you get overly competitive, and you'll feel very bad about yourself if you miss a day.

他們的確很酷，但要注意的是，如果你已經感到沮喪或是焦慮，這些挑戰可能會讓你感到過度競爭，而且，如果你其中一天沒做到的話，你會對自己感到失望。

Don't make it something you have to do—only do it if it's fun for yourself and if you're capable of it.

別讓這些挑戰變成你「必須」要做的事，而是自己有能力完成這些挑戰或自己感興趣才去做。

And, finally, if you really, really don't feel like learning, fall back on immersion!

最後一點，當你真的沒有心情學語言時，退一步，沉浸在放鬆的狀態！

Change your phone to the language, change your Facebook page language settings to the language you're learning.

把手機系統、臉書語言設定改成你在學習的那種語言。

Even if you're not actively studying, because it can be mentally draining—trust me, I know—make sure language just surrounds you.

如此一來，即使沒有積極的學習，你的精神也沉浸在語言之中，相信我，這是我的親身經歷，讓語言融入自己的生活。

Listen to it, talk to your friends in it.

聽該語言或是跟朋友用外語聊天。

You don't have to sit in front of a book and study.

你沒必要整天坐在桌前讀書。

Don't do that if you don't feel like it.

如果你沒心情讀，那就別做。

So, to summarize, only do things if it makes you happy, don't compare yourself to others, only... uh... compare yourself to yourself, and pat yourself on the back for all your successes!

最後，總結一下！只做讓自己開心的事、別和他人比較和只... 和自己比較，進步後鼓勵自己！

I believe in you guys. You can do it! You are the best! Go learn that language!

我相信你們一定做得到。你們超棒的！去學新語言吧！

Bye!

掰！