“Where’s the toilet paper?”
I had just returned from the grocery store.
All the bags were empty, the food was in the refrigerator, the dental floss was on the shelf, but no toilet paper…
Huh.
A few minutes later I was back at the store.
I explained the situation to the cashier, she asked who had been working, I said I didn’t remember, she asked her colleague, her colleague didn’t know anything about it, and bottom line-no toilet paper for me.
Oh well, it was only 120 crowns.
I thanked them and went back to the toilet paper aisle to buy some more.
I know what you’re thinking, “Gee, this Mr. Vig guy leads a life of adventure…”
But here’s what I didn’t tell you: I did this all in Czech.
And for me, that is an adventure.
And I must say, it went rather smoothly.
Now, let’s compare this to a situation a few months earlier.
I was at the Foreign Police.
Sitting across from me was a lady who was not happy.
You see, I needed this lady to give me my Czech visa, but I was missing a document.
And at that moment my Czech was not very smooth.
Not very smooth at all…
What was the difference?
Situation one: toilet paper.
The story in my head: Who cares.
Situation two: visa.
The story in my head: If she doesn’t give me that piece of plastic I’m screwed!
You see, when you feel stress your brain releases adrenaline, your arteries become smaller, less blood goes to your brain, and less blood means less oxygen.
In other words, instant stupid.
And just because of a story in my head…
So if you’re the type who gets nervous when you speak English, what’s the story in your head?
Is it a story that’s helping you or hurting you?
And would it be possible to change it?
Here’s a story I recommend for my students: “It’s just practice.”
Every time you speak, you’re just practising new words.
Make sense?
Good!
Now go practice.
