Stepping out of my comfort-zone to a become a better communicator
I am a strong communicator – these are the kinds of roles I’ve always chosen, as they reflect who I am and my natural drive. I’ve recently taken the step to start sharing more personal insights and more about who I am on my various plattforms, which, honestly, is a bit outside my comfort zone. I’m usually the one with “straight foward, to the point, and short captions”. I’m highly social in all my professional interactions, but I’m not used to “branding” myself this way. I’ve always maintained a bit of distance and have a strong sense of privacy that acts as a kind of shield. Which feels a bit divided for me, as I love being “authentic”—something you’ll always get from me “IRL.” Now I’m bringing that rawness to my social media platforms as well, though still with some boundaries.
Go.Go.Go…
Ready to take the next step as a communicator, outside my comfort zone, which is incredibly beneficial for my growth – and, of course, adds a little excitement to life. So the first question that came to mind when I decided to go on this journey was; what language should i communicate in? And it wasn’t an easy choice.
So, Swedish vs English.
“Why does she write all her posts in English; we’re in Sweden after all!” Well, it’s all about being able to communicate to a bigger audience.
Let me explain 🙂
I have an international background. I was born in Sweden, but my parents weren’t. At home, we mixed Swedish, English, Hindi, and Punjabi. And sometimes my mom would throw in Swahili words, which I long thought were Hindi or Punjabi. Outside of home in Sweden it was all Swedish. I also went to school in English-speaking countries as a child and later lived in English-speaking countries as a young adult. My extended family is spread around the world, and we’ve always communicated in English. I think in both Swedish and English, but I usually write in English.
A way to communicate & connect with more people
I’m incredibly grateful that in recent decades, English has become more widely accepted in various settings in Sweden. I love Swedish; it’s the language I was born into and mostly grew up with, but my upbringing also made English one of my strong suits. It feels natural for me to communicate with people both in Sweden and internationally at the same time.
We Swedes are great at English, so it’s no big deal! My clients are both Swedish and English speakers.
Which language are you most comfortable with? Is it more than one? Which language(s) do you think in? Do you see yourself as a great communicator?
If you want to dive deeper into the topic on English as a communications tool watch these Ted Talks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dum2Z4B3js https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXPJVwwEmiM
My name is Gigi Uberoi, and I am a Mindset Coach, Public Speaking Coach, and Health and Fitness Coach.
