The InFluency Podcast

519. Rediscovering your identity in English: Interview with my student, Valentina

June 12, 2026Ā·40 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

If you've ever felt funny, smart, and expressive in your first language, but timid, or smaller the moment you switch to English, this conversation is for you! In this interview, I spoke with Valentina, a longtime student of mine, to talk about something almost every English learner feels but rarely has the words for: the gap between who you are and how you show up in English. We get into the difference between the language gap (knowing more than you can say) and the identity gap (not feeling like yourself), why your English behaves differently depending on the room you're in, and how letting go of who you "should" be is the thing that finally sets your voice free. This one is tender, honest, and full of permission. I loved every minute of it. šŸ’› To join our community, check it out here! Beyond Community → https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

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