(This is a video from Facebook) The appeal is made by Dan Bilak 🇺🇦🇨🇦, just off Territorial Defence patrol on the Left Bank of the Dnipro, for “just a little bit more” from NATO and the West in terms of air defence support. Well and calmly argued in just under 5 minutes of your time. And if Dan’s persuaded you, REPOST LIKE CRAZY!

(This is the answer I have on Quora when I saw the question "Is Russia actually losing the war in Ukraine?") ⁠ ⁠ I'm partial and not objective (I'm Ukrainian and am not political), but here're my 2 cents:⁠ ⁠ It does seem like Putin indeed is losing the war here.⁠ ⁠ I know that a lot of ordinary Ukrainians (like my mom and aunts, and neighbors) were scared as shit when he attacked. They were sure we'd be conquered and would get stuck behind the iron curtain. We were pretty sure the US and other countries would express concern and wouldn't do anything to stop the invasion.⁠ ⁠ But the first days of the war showed that the enemy is not as strong as they would make you believe. Yes, they kill and injure a lot of people, civilians included, but they've become a laughing-stock here.⁠ ⁠ We hate them, we make jokes about them, we fight them, and we support everyone fighting them.⁠ ⁠ I've never seen such mutual support among my own people. I've always considered us as peaceful, a bit passive people who only cared about their own business. I'm happy I was wrong.⁠ ⁠ There are so many volunteers to fight that we have a queue, and I've heard that people were giving bribes to join the military.⁠ ⁠ I live in the relatively quiet region of Ukraine, and on the home front we are doing everything we can to help: provide things, food, money to territorial defense forces, cook for and give shelter to the refugees from other regions. I've been hosting families fleeing Kharkiv in my apartment, and I know my friends and colleagues were doing the same.⁠ ⁠ I'm amazed by the support I get from my friends from abroad (and no, they are not NATO, they are online teachers, just like me). I'm moved by the help the international community has shown us.⁠ ⁠ The losses Russian army is experiencing and the feeling of cooperation among us gives me hope as we are getting stronger.⁠ ⁠ So, as a non-expert, non-historian, non-analyst, I say we are winning.

On Facebook, you can choose your relationship status: single, married, in a relationship, divorced, etc ...⁠ ⁠ Learning English is essentially being in a relationship with it.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ How successful you are in mastering English usually depends on how steady your relationship with it is.⁠ ⁠ ⁠What's your relationship with English?⁠ ⁠ A) Married: English is a solid part of my daily life. That's my lifestyle. Use it every day.⁠ ⁠ B) In a relationship: I'm doing it. I'm doing it a lot. It's going somewhere.⁠ ⁠ C) It's complicated: I'm doing it sometimes. Sometimes I stop. It's inconsistent and it's messy.⁠ ⁠ D) I'm free and single: I haven't started/resumed learning yet. I'm not ready. I don't see how⁠ ⁠ Please tell me about your relationship with English. ⁠ ⁠ #howsyourEnglish #learningEnglish #inarelationship #communitylearning ⁠ ⁠ Photo by The HK Photo Company on Unsplash

When I was in high school, I had a huge crush on Tom Cruise. ⁠ ⁠ Yes, I know. ⁠ ⁠ Now I don't understand what I saw in him. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ But then ...⁠ ⁠ Then, I collected any posters I could find, and I put them up on the wall of my room. ⁠ I watched any movie he starred in (at that time, there were no streaming services like Netflix or SweetTV). ⁠ I tried to find any information about his life from magazines.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ My crush lasted a few years. ⁠ ⁠ Eventually, I grew out of it. I realized that I was more in love with his characters than with the man himself, so I became more interested in the people around me.⁠ ⁠ Well, his movies changed, too - they became more commercial. The first movie I saw him in was "Rain Man". I loved "The Color of Money", "Born on the Fourth of July", "A Few Good Men". Yes, I still like a good "Mission Impossible" movie, but his older roles were really memorable and remarkable.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Have you had a crush like this? ⁠ ⁠ I'm pretty sure you did when you were young and green 😎 ⁠ ⁠ But would you mind sharing such a story?⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Come to my private party 'Love and Pigeons" (remember the movie with the same name?), and let's talk about our crushes and passions we've experienced:⁠ ⁠ Your good dates and bad ones. ⁠ Your love at first sight. ⁠ That time when you fell head over heels. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Let's have a good time and make some good memories, together.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ It's gonna be on Sunday at 4 pm. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ If you're interested, the link is in my bio/profile.⁠ ⁠ No preparation is necessary. Just come and enjoy the party. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #theEnglishParty #StValentinesDay #loveis #learningCommunity #funwithEnglish #languageenvironment

⁠ I ask all people who come to my consultation: "Tell me, what one thing would really help you with English right now?" ⁠ ⁠ Most people ask for resources. A few asked to explain something in English. Some ask for my opinion on something. ⁠ ⁠ Recently, someone asked me for a "step-by-step instruction to learning English".⁠ ⁠ My first reaction was "if there was such an instruction, everyone would already know English". ⁠ ⁠ But the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking about what you can't learn English without. ⁠ ⁠ I know people who have been trying to learn English for years. ⁠ They find a new app, try it for some time, later drop it. Then try some cool website or podcast or Netflix. Try it, quit it. Start again. ⁠ ⁠ So they think it's their fault - no talent for English. ⁠ Or they think they haven't found the perfect method or platform or app that will work for sure. ⁠ ⁠ But from my 20 years of experience, I can tell you one thing:⁠ You can't improve your English without creating an English environment.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ If you have it, ANY platform, method, and/or teacher would work. Without it, NO platform, method, and/or teacher would, because you'll quit. ⁠ ⁠ And no, I don't mean moving to Canada or the UK for the environment - ⁠ ⁠ Some people call it a system. Some - a habit. ⁠ ⁠ But it's not only the routine or the resources. It's both, but also - what you do with resources, and the people that help you learn. ⁠ ⁠ I call it environment because it includes all those things:⁠ 1. make it routine, do it for some time (longer than 4 months)⁠ 2. resources (choose 1-2)⁠ 3. actions (do the work, make sentences - anything YOU do, not the podcast, movie, or website)⁠ 4. find people who will make/help you learn (get their support, guidance, and feedback)⁠ ⁠ I try to help my readers and clients create such an environment that makes learning English easier. ⁠ ⁠ So instead of looking for a shortcut to English, ask yourself this:⁠ ⁠ 🏡 What kind of environment do I need to create so that learning English becomes inevitable?⁠ ⁠ #languageenvironment #surroundedbyEnglish #learninghabit #watchyourEngloish⁠

As I promised, the January #roundup is here:⁠ ⁠ I was depressed in December, and one of the things that helped me was a new habit I started (on the advice of @hubermanlab - I started taking walks in the morning. It really helped with the depression, but I noticed some other cool perks, too:⁠ ✦ more exercise (which I am usually too lazy to do), ⁠ ✦ more inspiration (I always come up with ideas after my walks).⁠ ✦ more learning (because I listen to podcasts or courses). ⁠ Doing it in the morning after waking up was a game-changer. I only skipped once when I had a fever. ⁠ Good job, Tania 🎉⁠ ⁠ Another thing I changed is from a monthly newsletter to emails every other day. And the emails changed, too. I make them shorter (under 3 minutes) and focused on one thing/story. Thanks @robandkennedy for the advice!⁠ It works better for me, because I'm less stressed about writing, and more conversational about what I do. ⁠ It works better for my readers, too, because it's building up a habit of reading something interesting and useful, in English. ⁠ BTW, if you don't get my emails yet, you can sign up now (link in bio).⁠ ⁠ In our movie club, I started to create a "romantic" mood with the movies we've been watching: "Shakespeare in Love", "The Holiday", "Pride and Prejudice". Partly - because of St Valentine's Day (and our fan fun party), partly - because everyone wants something uplifting in winter, comfortable and cozy, and romances are just what the doctor ordered. If you're looking for a good way to spend your Saturday morning, join us for a movie discussion. Check out the link in today's story or send me a DM.⁠ ⁠ I created my first digital product - a Movie Workbook. It's ideal for people who are not ready to come to the speaking club but do love learning English with movies. It's fun and easy to do, has an answer key, and is very useful if you want to improve your English skills. ⁠ ⁠ And I managed to catch a cold, even though I spend 95% of the time indoors. I am already feeling better (4 days later) and only have a slightly weird nasal voice. ⁠ ⁠ Phew! Was it a good month? I feel like it was. ⁠ ⁠ ❄What about you? What was January like for you?⁠ ⁠

I started my monthly roundups on the advice of someone I follow and respect who said (not a quote, just my interpretation):⁠ ⁠ You don't have to write something deep., meaningful, problem-solving, or perfect for your readers. It's OK to document what you do and what you struggle with.⁠ ⁠ And turns out, more readers than I expected actually relate to that. ⁠ ⁠ They like catching up in DM saying "I did that too" - or "Hope you'll get it right next time". It's always inspiring to get such messages and they give me the strength to move ahead and do more for my folks.⁠ ⁠ These #roundups are a good reminder for ME - about what seemed important at that time. Looking back at some of them, I can't believe I worried about the stuff I can't even remember now. Or glad that I noticed the beauty or kindness that would have been forgotten otherwise. ⁠ ⁠ And they are a sample of the habit I'd like each language learner had: of keeping a tiny #journal (in English) - be it daily, weekly, or monthly. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠I was planning to write my January roundup here, but I feel like I'm running out of space. So maybe I'll just share my next post.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ 🎈BTW, I'm planning a party in February, too. I'll write more later, but if you'd like to get notified about it, ask me in DM or leave a comment below saying "Let's party"⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #learninghabit #tinyjournal #documentyourlife #letsEnglishparty #watchyourEnglish #tetianabilokin #Fenruaryevent⁠

What do you do in the 2 minutes after you put your kettle on? ⁠ ⁠ You may take an empty cup out and spoon the sugar and coffee ...⁠ ⁠ I open my laptop and do THAT THING.⁠ ⁠ "That thing" can be anything.⁠ ⁠ But usually, it's something that you know you'd better do it (for your better future). But you postpone it because it's not urgent. ⁠ ⁠ It's usually something complicated, long-term, or not very exciting. ⁠ ⁠ For me, it was cleaning my online notebooks and folders. Or doing a course I bought and haven't finished. Or exercising. ⁠ ⁠ I knew it would help me, but I never had time for it. ⁠ ⁠ There's always something more urgent, right?⁠ ⁠ So I tried this:⁠ ⁠ ⚡I promised myself to spend 2 minutes on it (while the kettle is boiling) and after that, I can stop. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Turns out, as soon as I got into it, I wanted to continue. ⁠ ⁠ I usually did - sometimes for 10 more minutes, sometimes for 20. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ The trick is to prepare everything in advance - so you don't waste the 2 minutes looking for file, waiting for it to open, scrolling to the necessary page, etc. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ You jump in. Swim for 2 minutes. Get out (if you want). ⁠ ⁠ Enjoy your coffee.⁠ ⁠ I'm telling you: this way I made more progress than promising myself to "do the course next Monday" (which I was telling myself for 7 months). ⁠ ⁠ 📦I've created a movie worksheet you can do for 2 minutes (or more) for a couple of days, with great activities and the answer key. It's only $4 (114 UAH) and is easy to get. Check the link in bio or ask me about it in DM.⁠ ⁠ -----------------⁠ ⁠ Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash⁠ ⁠ #LearningHabit #dailyEnglish #WatchYourEnglish #TetianaBilokin #MovieWorksheet #productivitytips #everyotherday⁠

[🇺🇦 and 🇺🇸 in the carousel] Одна з речей, яку я забула включити у свій список побажань на 2022 рік - це невдачі.⁠ ⁠ Але чому комусь захочеться переживати невдачі? Навіщо вносити їх у список побажань?⁠ ⁠ Невдачі є частиною розвитку .⁠ ⁠ Якщо я уникаю невдач, занчить я не наважуюсь. Я не дію. Я зволікаю.⁠ ⁠ Тому найкращий спосіб бути схожим на людину, якою я хочу бути, — це не ховатися від невдач, а шукати їх.⁠ ⁠ Я прагну отримати 15 відмов. Це означає, що я, скоріш за все, зробила 20 пропозицій.⁠ Книга, написана мною, буде надто непопулярна. Це означає, що я її закінчила і принаймні ще одна людина її прочитала.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Ну, ви зрозуміли.⁠ ⁠ Я бачу, скільки учнів соромляться своїх помилок в англіському мовленні.⁠ ⁠ Кожного разу я хочу сказати (іноді й кажу, але, мабуть, недостатньо):⁠ ⁠ Ви гарно справляєтеся. Я розумію, що ви кажете. Ви змінюєте свій розпорядок дня, щоб зробити англійську частиною свого життя. Ви докладаєте зусиль, щоб виразити свої думки. Ви робите більше, ніж інші. Ваші помилки в англійській - це нормально і неминуче.⁠ ⁠ Єдиний спосіб перестати робити помилки – це припинити намагатися, експериментувати, рухатися.⁠ ⁠ Вони є сигналом вашої сміливості, вашого характеру, ваших результатів.⁠ ⁠ Отже, колекціонуйте свої помилки та невдачі. Носіть їх з гордістю.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #WednesdayMotivation #resolutions2022 #collectYourFailures #learningEnglish #EnglishforAdults #WatchYourEnglish #TetianaBilokin #CollectYourFailures #YouAreEnough #мотивуймося #помилкитаневдачі #вивченняангліської #англіськадлядорослих #похвалітьсебе⁠

🇺🇦 / 🇺🇸 Я раніше не робила списків на новий рік - що я хочу чи планую зробити чи досягнути. Під небажанням це робити ховався страх - що в мене не вийде виконати задумане, що я порушу своє слово. ⁠ ⁠ Але моя подруга (і життя загалом) переконали, що не варто до новорічного списку задумок ставитися надто серйозно. ⁠ ⁠ Щось виповниться, щось ні (або виповниться через рік-два) і нікому не треба почуватися невдахою.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Це як гра, в якій є кілька квестів, і лише пара з них впливають на розвитой сюжету. Решта - щоб було не нудно, щоб краще пізнати світ, і "просто по приколу".⁠ ⁠ Отож, цьогорічний список написано (карусель) ⁠ Я знаю, що зроблю не все. Але цікаво буде подивитися, стосоно чого старатимуся найбільше. ⁠ ⁠ А ви записуєте, що хочете зробити в новому році? ⁠ ⁠ ⦿⁠ ⦿⁠ ⦿⁠ ⁠ I didn't use to make a list of New Year resolutions - what I wanted to do next year. Under the reluctance, there was a hidden fear that I wouldn't be able to achieve the planned, or that I would break my word to myself. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ But a friend of mine (as life in general) taught me that I was taking these resolutions too seriously. ⁠ ⁠ Some items on the list will come true, some won't (or maybe in a year or two) - and there's no need to feel like a loser. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ It's like a video game where you have a dozen quests, and only a couple of those affect the storyline. The rest are there to feed your curiosity, to broaden your horizons, and just for a laugh. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Also, I renamed "New Year Resolutions" into "2022 Bucket List" and it feels less daunting. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ And so, my 2022 bucket list is written (check out the carousel). ⁠ ⁠ I know I won't complete everything. But I wonder which items I'll try my hardest to complete.⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠ And you: do you make a bucket list?⁠ ⁠ #newyearresolutions #2022BucketList #англійськадлядорослих #WatchYourEnglish