I feel like there comes a moment in life when you realize what your brain actually wants and needs to be happy.
For me, one of those things is creativity and learning new things. Lately, I’ve been trying to learn French.
It all started as a little game with Duolingo. I thought, “How difficult can it be? I already know the basics of Spanish grammar and understand Spanish pretty well.” Then I stumbled on some TikToks of Finnish people saying that French is extremely difficult, and suddenly I wanted to be the person who would just try to learn as fast as they could.
I have been following a language teacher who teaches French to Spanish speakers and Spanish to French speakers quote some tine. That way I can learn vocabulary and concepts. I’ve also mixed in some TikTok lives where random people walk through Paris talking in French. I just listen and try to pick up words. It’s working surprisingly well.
I think part of the reason it’s going fast for me is that I already know three languages: Finnish, English, and Spanish. Some concepts I get from Finnish, some from English, some from Spanish. That mix makes learning French feel playful rather than painful. For example, when French speakers talk about the color of the evening sky or a specific shade, I can understand the distinction because Finnish has words for both concepts. In English, you might just use “dark."
One funny thing that sparked my curiosity about different language groups was the word “lemon.” In English, it’s lemon. In Spanish, it’s limón. In Finnish, it’s sitruuna. In French, it’s citron. That led me to dig into the history of citrus words and where they come from. I even realized that some of the Swedish I learned in school, lessons I hated because they were mandatory, gave me tiny insights. For instance, the word for ice cream in Swedish is “glass,” which comes straight from French as it's "glace".
It’s funny how now, after 20 years, I finally know why the Swedish word for ice cream is “glass.” Back in school, I was so confused in Swedish class. Why were they calling it that? I never bothered to look it up at the time. That was in the early 2000s when I was learning Swedish at school. But now I have the answer, and it’s also really fascinating to see how all the languages are connected.
I don’t know if I’ll ever need to speak French fluently and that’s okay. Even just reading, listening, and understanding is enough. It keeps my mind busy in a joyful, creative way.
The other thing I need to feel happy is creativity. I’ve been trying to get back into photography and I’ve seen how much people enjoy looking at photos on TikTok. So I turned one of my old accounts into a place where I can share my photos. I don’t use Instagram anymore. It just doesn’t feel enjoyable. Here I can post photos, write little reflections in both Spanish and English, and improve my Spanish at the same time.
Right now, AI helps me check my grammar in English and Spanish, but I don’t ask it to write my text. When you create your own writing and just let AI polish it, that’s the golden ratio. You’re creating, but you can get help. AI cannot replace a human voice.
So that’s what I’m doing right now. Learning French, taking photos, sharing little thoughts, and making myself happier and more creative. If you want, feel free to check out my TikTok account
Most of the time it’s just a photo with a small note or thought, but for me it’s a way to practice creativity and enjoy the moment.