Much respect to you, Benny, and thanks for sharing. I know it's hard to talk about things like this publicly when you have an audience that sees you a certain way. But we appreciate the openness and authenticity, and it reminds the rest of us that we don't need to hide things about ourselves or our lives to keep other people happy. You're the O.G. and being a real person certainly doesn't change that.
Really appreciate you dropping a comment Paul! I've seen you completely explode in recent years with consistent quality uploads. Glad that an "OG" like myself hasn't been forgotten yet by the modern faces of Language Learning RU-vid :) Huge congrats on passing the 1M milestone!
Huge respect mate. From inspiring people not to be afraid of learning a language, to not being afraid of opening up about their mental health. And great to hear you're on the road to recovery now! Thank you.
Much respect to you, Benny. I can only imagine how hard this was to record. I've endured an unexpected divorce, myself, and the stress from debt remains a struggle still. My heart goes out to you, one person to another. Never forget the enormous number of friends and fans you've collected, and they care for you for who you are. If you are the resilient Irishman I believe you to be, you will recover. Stay strong, you're on the right path. Thank you for including us on your journey, I can't wait for the next adventure!
Hey Benny! Back in 2015 I was a young marketing executive, and I had to give a talk at MicroConf. It was my first conference talk ever, and I was talking about how to write successful email courses. I used your 'speak in a week' course as one of my examples. I emailed you ahead of the conference, asking for your thought processes when you write, and you got right back to me! Your email was really useful and helped me write a better talk. It went down really well. Thanks so much for helping me, a complete stranger. I'm glad (and not surprised) to see so many others reaching out and offering their own support and encouragement to you now. All the best man :)
There is nothing more courageous than honesty and vulnerability. I'm grateful to be a part of the Fi3M team. You continue to inspire me, Benny. Wishing you peace on your path.
Thanks for working as hard as you do, Elizabeth. It truly makes a difference and eases my burden more than you'll ever know, and has been a part of helping me heal faster :)
I am so proud of you for opening up and being so vulnerable about your story. Best wishes on the new phase and hopefully we'll be able to catch up in person soon!
Thanks so much, Fê! I miss hanging out, and hope we get to do it again ASAP!! Our friend group was one of the few things keeping me sane in New York, and the only memories I look back on fondly in my time in the city. Looking forward to making more memories again!
Powerful video Benny. Thank you for sharing your story. My Spanish language learning journey started two years ago with your 30 day challenge. Today I find myself working remotely from Mexico - A situation that I enjoy immensely and that never would have happened without that first 30 day challenge. You are making a difference in the lives of others. Thank you for all you do. Hope to see a lot more great content from you in the near future…
I haven't touched my language learning mission for two years due to personal problems and burn out. Two days ago, I picked up the brilliant Language Hacking: German and wondered, "what happened to Benny?" Bless you, Benny. Everything is going to be fine ❤
This was amazing - thank you for sharing, Benny! Believe it or not, your book (Language Hacking Spanish) is what got me through severe clinical depression (also in 2018). It gave me the opportunity to travel abroad to Spain & Latin America where I met new people and saw the world in a different light and I know you've touched thousands of other people with your inspirational work. I'm so glad you're feeling better and look forward to whatever you decide to do in the future.
Wow! That's absolutely incredible... As you saw in this video, I poured my heart and soul into that book. The best I would hope for, would be that it successfully inspired people to learn the language, but to see that it made other significant differences in your life like that is really touching. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Benny, Life is full of good and bad moments. Sometimes the bad times are hard to get over. I used to work as a manager, and I used to have a company. In those moments, I planned to grow economically and get married my ex-fiancee to make a family. To make a long story short, after certain events, I finished living on the street for a weak in another country as a refugee (without anything and alone). The point is that there is always a new day that allows you to restart again. It is like a new page. What I did, was remember my life 15 years ago when I was a random person without a job, without company, without a fiancee, and it was all fine. I was happy.
Mad, mad respect for you Benny. Thank you for sharing your heart and soul with us. I look forward to language learning from you and rooting you on as well.
I've been in NYC (Manhattan / Brooklyn) since 2018 and can totally relate to the gloominess, expensiveness, and crampedness of the city. You're incredibly strong for coming on here and spreading more of your story on such a personal level. I originally found you online and was so inspired by your professional story, shortly after joining Fluent in 3 months I started to travel to other European countries and do things I didn't think I could do. You've been such an inspiration to me and a lot of other people. Wishing you nothing but the best during these times and can't wait to see you doing what you love once more. Best wishes Benny :)
For people going through similar issues, this is a very good video to watch. Thank you for posting this one. I just happened to stumble across it and glad I watched.
I found out about you only this month while I was studying Learning How to Learn. Watching this video reminds me that it is essential to feel that it is okay not to be OK and toxic positivity. Huge respect for you 😊
You are a champion Benny! Thank you for articulating the most painful things in your life. It’s not how you are knocked down that matters really, it’s how you get up! You have helped me, and I am sure many others. Thanks again
I understand the courage this took my friend. Languages send you to people which can help you heal. You’re in my prayers. Now you have to ask yourself, what’s next? Then you do it with passion and kindness. Support thrown back at you brother...
Hi Benny, this is such a powerful video. The honesty with which you describe the last years of your life is incredible and a lesson for all of us. If we want to heal, we need to be honest with ourselves on what went wrong. Six years ago, I was recovering from surgery and couldn't work or do anything for a long time. That's when I started watching your videos and was blown away by your energy and the wonderfully insane challenges you took on. That's when I realized that I'd been ignoring my passion for languages and your videos inspired me to come back to what was truly important to me. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who looked at you and thought " yes, that's it, that's what I want out of life!" Your energy is one of the reasons I got back to my true passions and started my own business. Benny, get well soon. You've been missed.
Thank you, Benny! You served as a role model for me when I first found your site in 2014 and I've missed your online presence in recent years. If anything, you're even more of a superstar now for being honest and demonstrating a brutal lesson for all of us: we're each only human! Thank you, Benny, and welcome back! I hope to see things pick back up as you're ready.
That's some hard years. Thank you for your candor and vulnerability, we've all had a hard time in various ways but the details help us connect. Here's to solid footing on a good road to recovery!
You're pretty much the reason I do what I do. It's always nice to see that your heroes are human too. I wish you luck Benny! I'm so sorry to hear everything you've gone through, but it's good to hear that things are looking up!
This has made me seriously reconsider my approach to language learning and quitting my job and becoming a full time polyglot, (I only speak 3 languages atm anyway) it definitely seems much infinitely harder to make a living whilst also having a work-life balance. I imagined myself in the same spot as benny in this video a few years down the line and the mere thought of it made me shiver let alone the fact I am dealing with depression myself at the moment and am on medication. Much respect to you Benny and I hope for you a speedy recovery with everything. Thanks for the video, it has been an eye opener.
Thank you for being so honest and open about what's going on. It was sad to hear that you went through all of that, but I'm also glad that it's turning around for you. You got this, Benny! ✊
Your strength and determination to get through this shines through. Your journey will undoubtedly give others struggling, hope and support. Be proud of what you are doing here, stay strong, and be kind to yourself. You've got this. Huge respect to you.
Much respect to you Benny. I hope things are smoothing out and you feel better. I appreciate your honesty and how much bravery it may have taken to post this video. I wish everyone was as humble and lovely as you.
Very true, there is a misconception about generally positive people not getting depression. Stay strong, Benny, I am glad you are making progress and feel like you are finding some ground under your feet again. Looking forward to seeing more from you.
I am very happy to see you have been overcoming such troubles lately! I wish you all the best!
2 года назад
Been following your blog and videos since +10 years ago when I was into language learning. Glad to hear you're back on track, remember, what has happened should stay in the past, chin up and keep up the good work and building things you care for. Un abrazo desde Venezuela, Benny!
Thank you for such a brave sharing. I too, like so many others, have been following you for years. I so totally know what it feels like being on meds for depression, and not feeling like myself. Thank goodness have been off them for years now but I can't imagine doing videos under that cloud! I'm so sorry about your troubles but it sounds like you're in a better place now, and having been to Austin a few times, you've definitely chosen a great place to land. Thank you for all the work to promote language learning that you've done! And if you ever get back to producing any content on Irish, there are SO many Irish language communities for learners now - it's a treasure mine! Working on my Irish during Covid especially has helped to keep me a bit saner. Guíonn mé sonas duit.
Thank you for your honesty, Benny. It's not easy to open up like this to people. You are a huge inspiration to so many people, myself included. I hope that things get better for you and that everything turns around for you soon. We all love you so much! ❤️🥰
Respect to you Benny for sharing such an open and personal account of your struggles. Wishing you every success on your recovery and look forward to hearing more of this story ( and , yes, the stuff I originally subscribed for too 😀) Best wishes, P
Thanks for this many people have had similar experiences. After highschool I felt extremely burned out and alone. Even been hospitalized for depression, I’m 20 now and doing much better. This gives us perspective that no matter how successful a person is everyone has their own struggles.
Move abroad for a period bruh,... so a easier country and the setting will already set you up again... look up and hang in there... you are too young to be burnt by frustration and depression already...
Wow. I can't imagine how much courage you had to muster up to share this. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that. You probably don't see it yet but I can tell that you're stronger for it and more mature. I wanted to comment on the "weird grief" you said you're feeling right now. It's not weird at all. You're mourning the loss of the love and the marriage you never thought would end. Nothing weird about that. Anyway thank you for sharing. I'm sure your story will help a lot of people.
Benny! I am so happy to hear from you. I love your honest video. I did my undergrad in San Antonio. I know you will love central Texas. You have been such a positive influence on the many people who want to learn a new language. Welcome Back! 😃
Benny, I was aware that you were struggling - but I had no idea of the full extent. Thank you for being open and honest about these extremely difficult and personal topics. I'm happy to hear about your progress, and I can't wait to see more of the old Benny in the near future
Thanks for that Kris! I'm feeling more like myself every day and can't wait to upload loads of fun videos, even if with an extra hint of hopeful wisdom in what I've learned from this experience.
Benny! This just made me respect you even more! I’ve been following you for years and my hearts goes out to you! I wish you the best in everything you do. Keep moving forward, Benny!
Love and respect Benny -- it was a pleasure to meet you for some drinks in Oslo in 2013 and one of the highlights of my time in Norway. Appreciate you and looking forward to hearing from you more in the future. Thanks for openly sharing your journey - best of luck as you continue your adventure.
Hey Benny, I started to follow you, when you published 'fluent in 3 months' years ago. You were a huge inspiration in my own language learning experience. I am glad to hear that you are on your way to recovery. All the best and keep fighting! This community loves you! Peace
Sending you much love from North Texas. This is a lot, but you are making it through these transformations. We believe in you! Please don’t stop believing in you. You are darling. Good to see you.
I’ve never heard of you, I’ve never had a strong interest in foreign language. I don’t know why your video popped up out of nowhere but it was needed. Thank you.
Good to see you addressing this topic Benny - glad to hear you saying you're getting yourself back together. I've been battling with my own demons in the dark over the years and certainly vouch for the fact that we learn loads of stuff during these times, so whilst it doesn't help when you're in the depths of depression, cling onto the knowledge that you'll come out of it having grown stronger. All the best mate. Kevin (Kevin from the Japanese Katakana word song video ;-) )
Hi Benny, I briefly met you at LangFest in 2018. You were one of my first language learning inspirations and it was an honor to meet you there. I had no idea you were going through all this back then. Sending you love!!
When i decided to become a polyglot it was because of you Benny, you were one of the few that took the time to learn my target language which is Dutch. Your videos captivated me and i even joined the fI3M challenge and had an opportunity to work with your staff. NY is overrated as i myself lived in NY and hated it. I feel you, i hear you, i understand you in many more ways you can imagine and i know its not easy to put yourself out there for people to judge you on a personal level rather than a professional level. Im sure pretty much everybody that once watched your videos or subscribed to your channel is because you inspired them, including myself. Let all the positive messages inspire you and give you fresh air to inspire you again and continue the journey you once started. Con mucho cariño y amor.
First of all, I want you to take a hand and give yourself a big pat on the back for coming out on the other side. I am so proud that you never threw in the towel and gave up on life. You are a remarkable human being who I had the pleasure to meet face to face at one of your book tours back in 2014. [ Still one of the best experiences I've ever had ] I have also suffered with debt, depression , feeling so low and insecure that you feel the life has thrown you one misery after another but I also came out stronger on the other side. I am debt free, depression and anger free, I have been living in Tianjin, China for the past four years now and I have turned myself around to a completely different human being. I have started to teach myself the piano, I been working on getting back into a consistent routine for my Mandarin Progress. The speaking side of the language is progressing nicely but reading and writing is slowed down but that doesn't stop me from keep continuing. I look back at your Mandarin Challenge videos as well as other RU-vidrs who speak Mandarin for inspiration to keep going on the path. I am thoroughly enjoying the journey I am making so far. Don't ever feel like you are a failure! Don't ever give up ! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Your friends, family , fanbase and every other language learner who look up to you as a motivational hero are 100% behind you on your recovery. Looking forward to seeing your posts, that cheerful Irish personality of yours continuing the path of positivity and coming back to a new better version of yourself. We love you ! Keep smiling :)
Thanks for being so real! It takes a lot of courage to post a video like this. Your video has helped me. Glad to see you doing what you've got to do to get better. It's really inspiring.
As someone who has gone through depression and a number of the things you talked about, my heart goes out to you and I can promise it only gets better. Thanks for sharing your story and continuing to inspire honestly even when it’s tough. Your courage in sharing you struggle is admirable and I won’t forget it!
It's March 2021, I've just seen this post and I have to say that I'm really, really sorry to hear that you're having to sail some rough seas. We all gotta cry sometimes, but I sincerely hope that you feel better soon and can once again appreciate that the sun also shines for you. To use metaphors from the Martial Arts, you can be up against the ropes or even go down, but the fight isn't over until you go down and don't get back up. You'll be fine. Take care and Be well.
I knownits so difficult to admit defeat. But not admitting and not facing it is harder in the long run. It's corrosive and toxic and destructive to you and the people who love you. So glad you are back on track. I just bought your book 'language hacking Spanish' and decided to watch a few videos about you and stumbled across this cleansing of yourself. I'm happier now having purchased your book and wish you the best. Thanks.
Hey, Benny, you were and STILL ARE a great inspiration to me. I think even more now, just can't imagine how tough it was for you to get through all of these eventualities. I will be waiting to watch your next language adventures! Eu até estranhei, vi que você não estava mais enviando vídeos no seu canal, nem publicando conteúdos. Que dureza! De qualquer forma, estou feliz de te ver aí segurando as pontas e planejando a retomada com novos projetos. Vai com tudo! Um abraço de São Paulo, Brasil!
Respect mate, takes a lot of balls to do what you just did. Nice to see you smiling at the end of the video. Stay strong and positive, sounds like you're on the right path, whatever that may be!
My hat is off to you for being so open and transparent. I'm proud of you Benny and you do have one hell of a support network to help you. Keep on kicking, bro, you've made a HUGE impact in A LOT of our lives. We need and want you to be around, so you do you, and come back to your passion when you're on the mend
Good on you man keep the head up and remember dealing with the bad things is accomplished One Day At A Time. Thats what keeps me going in the direction.
I’m so sorry for what you went through. It’s a lot for one person to handle. I can feel the pain in your voice. I’m happy you’re on the road to recovery. ♥️
Respect for being so open, huge courage to say it out and especially respect for making it back onto the recovery path, many don’t hence don’t take it as granted though you are not there fully yet ! Cheers from Romania and all the best !
Thank you for sharing. You are really truly someone very special. Best to you each and every day, Benny Lewis! You have done so much to inspire me and thousands of others. If just an ounce of that could come back to you, you will be well and fine for the rest of your days.
Alas! firstly I'm sorry about what has happened in regard to your marriage. Secondly, I would like to appreciate your courage for being real and coming up with your personal life story which is inspiring. it's not your fault and you simply should ignore the things which are out of your control. I send you my brotherhood vibes, words of courage, and much respect for being a strong person. I read your newsletter and decided to come here I mean it was worth my time. Looking forward to reading your more interesting newsletters. Thank you.
good luck benny! honestly, it was a little bit of a shock to see you like this- but don't get me wrong, the good kind of shock, and you're point about toxic positivity is very insightful. personal note: i've been a fan for a long time,- all of my language learning missions are partly inspired by you. whatever people say about you selling out or whatever, you've gained a lot of respect from me, at least.
Thank you for your transparency keep your head up, praying for you. It's because of finding your videos encouraged me to learn a language and how fun it can be.
Balls of steel mate…in the same way that you levelled up with your language hacking, you have put your heart on your sleeve for all to see - man I wish I could tell you face to face how much you have helped me, I would love to have a beer with you and just shoot the breeze and remind you that regardless of the content of this video, you are an awesome human being - you are an inspiration!
