Sometimes, I feel the need to Google something like, “How to be happy” or, “How to think positively” or even, “How to become motivated/productive”. On occasion I will find something interesting (which will lead to a more specific follow up search) but usually, I’ll come to the conclusion that the answer to my self-improvement question must come from within.

What I mean is, only I know what will work for me. The Internet can give me some fresh ideas/suggestions, but when it comes to how effective they are, only I can accurately gauge that for myself.

Here they are, for those interested.

Articles of Faith

1. Even if I can’t choose native pronunciation yet, I will be able to, eventually.
2. Listening to music won’t ruin my tones.
3. The tones will one day 「split out」, just as the non-tonal sounds did.
4. Language-feeling will come, eventually.
5. Material relevant to the things I want to say will eventually show up in the immersion environment.
6. You can trust and mimic FUNBUN that has been translated into Chinese from another language.
7. Something valuable is happening when I read something I only partially follow.
8. I can pick up a massive adult vocabulary without SRSing absolutely everything. It will go in somehow.

(A few things used to be on the list, then they happened:

* I will get native handwriting, eventually, somehow.
* The character elements will 「blend together」, eventually, somehow.
* The sounds will 「split out」.
* The grammar will stop sounding weird.
* I’ll start thinking in Mando.
* I’ll read a comic with 100% one day.
* I’ll follow the plot in a novel one day.

and countless others)

So yeah, next time you have a doubt, make it an Article, and promise to check if you still doubt it 365 days hence. You almost certainly won’t. If you still do, well, maybe you were right, or maybe you need more time.

I know *exactly* what the internet would tell me if I asked about any of the above, so why bother asking?

I use “just” far too often.

But anyway, that was sort of how I learned English. I, like every kid, started with classes at school which gave me enough background to be able to sorta understand what I’m reading (with a lot of assistance) and then I discovered the internet, anime (w/ English subs) and video games and it went from there.