Hey friends, welcome back to English Unleashed.
I'm Tom. and I'm here to help you speak English with more confidence more ease and more joy.
Today's topic is very important. We're going to talk about something many learners feel, something very real.
Fear, the fear of speaking English and building confidence in speaking.
Have you ever felt nervous when speaking English?
Do you worry about making mistakes? Do you feel shy even when you know the words?
If the answer is yes, you're not alone. Millions of people feel this way.
But here's the good news. You can overcome this fear.
Step by step. and I will show you how. So, take a deep breath and let's begin.
All right, fear is a big word, but it's also a true word.
Many learners don't just feel a little nervous.
They feel scared. They feel shy. Sometimes they feel stuck, like something inside them is saying, don't speak, don't speak.
Have you ever felt like that? It's okay.
You're not alone. So, why do we feel this way?
Why is it sometimes hard to speak English?
Let's look at some common reasons. Maybe you think like this too.
I'm afraid of making mistakes. You might think, what if I say the wrong word?
What if my grammar is not correct? What if people laugh at me?
These thoughts make you feel small. You want to be quiet.
What if they don't understand me? What if I have to say it again and again?
So maybe you say nothing. Here is another thought.
What if I sound silly? This means, what if I sound strange or like a child?
You feel a little embarrassed. You think people will judge you.
Here is another thought which is very common.
You speak and hear your accent. You think, this is not how nativist speakers talk.
Maybe my accent is bad. But, my friend, let me tell you something important.
Your accent is not bad. It is part of who you are.
It shows where you come from. It tells your story.
Your accent is okay. Now listen carefully.
All of these feelings, all of these thoughts are normal.
They are very human. Every English learner feels these things sometimes.
But here is the truth. They are just thoughts.
They are not facts. A thought is something you feel in your mind.
But dat doesn't mean it's true. just because you feel scared does not mean you cannot speak.
You can speak even if your English is not perfect, even if you feel nervous.
Let's go deeper. Let's think about fear again.
Fear is not really about English. It's not about grammar.
It's not about your vocabulary. It's not about how many words you know.
Fear is about confidence. Confidence means how much you believe in yourself.
How sure you feel when you speak. Sometimes, there is a small voice in your head.
It says, ''Be careful.'' Don't say anything.
You might say it wrong. That voice is fear. but you don't have to listen to it.
You can speak anyway. And here is the most important idea of today's episode.
Confidence is something you build. You are not born with confidence.
It doesn't just appear. You build it by trying, by speaking, by doing it again and again.
Think of confidence like a muscle in your body.
If you use the muscle every day, it gets stronger.
But if you never use it, it stays weak. When you speak English, even one small sentence, you are training your confidence muscle. every time it gets a little stronger.
Now, here is something very special. Fear is not always bad.
Fear is a sign. It means you are doing something new.
You are learning. You are growing. So, if you never feel a little scared, maybe you are not growing.
You are staying in your comfort zone. That's the place where everything feels easy and comfortable.
But to learn, you need to step outside that zone.
Even if you feel unsure, even if you feel a little afraid, you are still trying.
You are still moving forward. You are entering your learning zone, okay? your growing zone.
So next time you feel fear, don't stop. Don't give up.
Say to yourself, this is just a feeling.
I can still speak. I am learning and I am getting stronger.
Now let's talk about how we can build real confidence, not fake confidence, not big words. but simple, strong belief in yourself, step by step.
You see, confidence doesn't just appear one day like magic.
It's not something you wait for. It's something you build.
It grows slowly like a small plant. You give it time, care, and attention.
But how do you build it, really? Let's look at some clear strategies that actually work, even if you feel nervous or shy.
Technique number 1. Start small but be consistent.
Confidence grows through small steps. You don't need to do big things.
In fact, small actions are better if you do them often. you do them consistently.
For example, speaking for just one minute a day.
Thinking in English for 30 seconds. Saying a sentence quietly to yourself.
These actions feel small, but they are powerful.
Why? because they build a routine. And routines help you feel more comfortable and safe.
The more you speak or think in English, even just a little, the less scary it becomes.
It feels more normal. Like brushing your teeth.
You don't think about it. You just do it.
That's how confidence starts, by making English a part of your daily life.
Step number two, understand that mistakes are part of learning.
One of the biggest reasons people feel afraid is this.
They don't want to make a mistake, okay?
But let me tell you something important.
Mistakes are not bad. They are part of the process.
Think about babies. When they learn to walk, they fall many times, but they get up again.
It's the same with speaking English. You will make mistakes, and that's okay.
Because each mistake is a step forward. Okay?
Each mistake is a step forward. You learn something new.
You remember better next time. So don't try to be perfect.
Try to learn from mistakes, not fear them.
Mistakes mean you are trying. You are growing.
Step number three, or technique number three, Don't wait for confidence.
Make it. Create it. Okay? Many learners say I will speak when I feel ready.
But this, my friend, is a trap. If you wait for the perfect moment, you may wait forever.
Okay? You may wait forever. Confidence does not come first.
Speaking comes first and confidence comes after.
You feel more confident because you spoke, because you tried, because you said something even if it was small.
It's like building a house. You don't wait for the house to appear.
You build it brick by brick. Confidence is the same.
You create it one sentence at a time. Alright, one last strategy, maybe the most important.
Be kind to yourself, okay? If you speak English and feel nervous, it's okay.
If you forget a word, it's okay. If someone doesn't understand you, it's okay.
Don't say, I'm terrible. I can't do this.
Instead, say to yourself, I'm learning.
I'm trying. I'm getting better. Self kindness is the fuel of confidence, my friend.
It gives you the power to keep going. Because confidence is not loud.
It's not fast. It's not perfect. Confidence is quiet, steady, and kind.
Okay, now that we have talked about how to build confidence, Let's talk about the things that destroy confidence.
These are the confidence killers. They make you feel small.
They make you want to stay quiet. They stop your progress in speaking English.
But here is the good news. You can beat them. you can learn how to protect your confidence.
Let's look at the three biggest ones. Confidence killer number one, comparing yourself to others.
This is a big one. Maybe you have done it.
You hear another person speak English and you think, wow, they speak so well.
I'm not that good. Their English is better than mine.
I will never be like them. This is called comparison.
Okay? Comparison. And it's very dangerous.
Why? Because when you compare, you forget your own journey.
You forget how far you have come. You don't know the other person's story.
Maybe they've studied English for 10 years.
Maybe they live in an English-speaking country.
But your story is different. Your path is your own.
So how to beat it? Compare yourself to yourself, not to others.
Ask Can I say more today than I could last month?
Do I understand more this week than last week?
Am I trying, even when it's hard? If the answer is yes, then you are growing.
And that's all that matters. Confidence killer number two.
Negative self-talk. This is the little voice in your head that says bad things.
You try to speak English and the voice says, That was wrong.
You sound stupid. You can't do this. This voice is not your friend.
It lies. It tells you things that make you feel small.
But here is the truth. Everyone has this voice sometimes.
Even confident people. Even native speakers.
The problem is not the voice. The problem is believing it.
So, how to beat it? Speak to yourself the way you would speak to a friend.
We are kind to our friends. We are patient with them.
Say things like, I'm learning every day.
I'm doing my best. The more positive your words, the stronger your confidence becomes.
All right, and here is confidence killer number three, speaking only in safe places.
Many learners only speak English in class, or only when they feel 100% ready.
They wait for the perfect time. But real life is not perfect.
Real conversations are not perfect. If you always stay in your comfort zone, you'll never grow.
It's like staying in the shallow water and never learning how to swim.
Now, how to beat it? Try small, safe challenges outside your comfort zone.
Here are some ideas. Say hello or thank you in English in a shop.
Ask a simple question in an online group.
Send a short voice message to a learning partner.
You don't have to speak in front of a crowd.
You don't need to talk for 20 minutes. Just take one small risk every day.
And with each step, your confidence grows stronger.
Okay, and here is the final point. Confidence is like a small plant.
You must protect it. Don't let comparison, negative thoughts, or fear stop you. you are building something beautiful.
So be proud of your journey. Celebrate your small wins and speak with courage, even when it feels hard.
Thanks for listening and thanks for learning with me.
I'm Tom and this is English Unleashed. Keep learning.
Keep speaking and keep believing in yourself.
Bye for now.
