Do you ever just need a fresh start? I’m at that place in life right now. Not only did we just re-launch ESLbasics.com, but we just kicked off a new semester at C.U., and I’m literally days away from having my first child. Fresh start, indeed. Fresh starts are exhilarating, exciting, and nerve-wracking, but almost always, they’re worth it.

Many language learners feel like they are constantly starting over with new words, new ideas, and new cultures. Language learning is the ultimate fresh start! Since we can remember, we have spoken a language fluently. Most of us can’t go back in our memory banks to remember a time when words didn’t flow fluently. To start over with a brand new language is in some ways, taking the role of a vulnerable child, waiting for someone to guide us into understanding. It’s perfectly normal to feel both excited and terrified at the same time. The important thing to remember is to just keep going. Keep learning. Keep absorbing. Keep starting over. Fresh starts will rarely let you down. They push you to new heights, and help you discover more of who you are.

Take those first steps into greater understanding of your second, third, and fourth languages. It will always be worth it.