I didn’t expect a 21-day English-only challenge to mess with my brain this much. I mean, how hard could it be? I speak decent English at work, I write emails without Googling “synonyms for regarding,” and I’ve survived multiple client calls without sweating through my shirt.

So when PlanetSpark’s coach casually suggested, “Try immersing yourself for 21 days—speak only in English,” I thought: Arre, easy.

Spoiler: It was not easy.
It was hilarious, awkward, humbling… and strangely life-changing.

Here’s my day-by-day style journal of the madness.

Day 1–3: The “Who Even Am I?” Phase

I started confidently. Too confidently.
On Day 1, I marched into my kitchen and told my wife, “Please hand me the… the… cylindrical water-holding… container?”

She stared at me.
“You mean the bottle?”

Yes. Yes, that’s what I meant.

My brain glitched like a buffering YouTube video. Words I used daily suddenly evaporated. Hindi kept trying to jump out, but I swallowed it down like a guilty secret.

By Day 3, my daughter had declared, “Papa is speaking like Google Translate got tired.”
Rude. Accurate.

Day 4–7: The Confidence Crash

This was the stage where I regretted all my life choices.

At work, I hesitated more. I circled around sentences like a confused tourist. I said “basically” 42 times in one meeting because I couldn’t find replacements.

And when my manager asked a simple question—
“What’s the status on the deck?”

I answered, “Yes, I am extremely status-ing it.”

I still can’t look at him properly.

My PlanetSpark trainer, Priyanka, assured me I was just going through the “dip”—the painful part where your old patterns break.
It didn’t feel like patterns breaking.
It felt like my brain uninstalling itself.

Day 8–10: The Funny Mishaps Peak

This phase deserves its own Netflix comedy special.

Mishap #1:
I told my cab driver, “Can you please decrease your speed’s enthusiasm?”
He laughed so much he actually slowed down.

Mishap #2:
At the grocery store, I asked for “the round green thing that cries when you cut it.”
Onion. I meant onion.

Mishap #3:
I tried flirting with my wife in English. Let’s just say… English is not a romantic language if you’re still learning.
“Your presence is… emotionally temperature-increasing.”
She still calls me Mr. Temperature.

But secretly, I noticed something:
I was thinking faster.
I was reaching for English words automatically, not forcefully.
The struggle was becoming… fun.

Day 11–15: The Unexpected Breakthroughs

This stretch felt like my brain suddenly upgraded to version 2.0.

Breakthrough #1: Thinking in English

I heard my inner monologue speaking in English.
Not perfect English, but English.

That’s when I realised:
PlanetSpark’s immersive activities weren’t just improving fluency, they were rewiring mental habits.

Breakthrough #2: Confidence Shoots Up

I stopped translating in my head.
Sentences came smoother.
Meetings felt less like exams and more like conversations.

One colleague even told me, “You sound sharper these days.”
I took it as a compliment.
Probably was.

Breakthrough #3: Real Conversations Felt Possible

I had a 20-minute discussion with a friend about movies—entirely in English—without once getting stuck.

Did I misuse a few phrases?
100%.
Did I care?
0%.

Day 16–18: The “OMG I’m Actually Good at This!” Stage

This stage was pure gold.

I started using new vocabulary I learned in class:
articulate, compelling, perspective, narrative…

At home, this made me sound extremely annoying.

When my daughter refused to eat dinner, I told her,
“You must consider the nutritional perspective here.”
She rolled her eyes so hard she saw her brain.

PlanetSpark sessions at this point became my favourite hour of the day.
Debate activities, storytelling prompts, on-camera practice—
They made me feel like I was learning a real skill, not “just speaking English.”

Day 19–21: The Transformation Hits

By now, speaking English felt natural.
Not forced.
Not awkward.
Not exhausting.

What I noticed:

• I sounded more confident in meetings

• I expressed ideas clearly

• I felt less afraid of “slipping up”

• I started enjoying conversations

• I didn’t overthink grammar every second

On Day 21, I recorded a 2-minute self-video—something I dreaded earlier.
When I watched it back, I didn’t cringe.

Okay, maybe 10% cringe.
But compared to my Day 1 video?
This was a TED Talk.

What 21 Days Did to My Brain

Honestly?
More than I expected.

It:

• rewired my thinking process

• reduced my hesitation

• made English feel “mine”

• boosted my overall communication clarity

• gave me confidence I didn’t know I was missing

• made me want to speak, not hide

The biggest change?
I stopped worrying about being perfect.
I started focusing on being understood.

Why PlanetSpark Made the Difference

I could have done this challenge alone—but I would’ve quit by Day 4.

PlanetSpark gave me:

• Structure → daily activities that sharpened fluency

• Coaching → my trainer corrected me without making me feel silly

• Exposure → speaking, listening, thinking exercises

• Accountability → I didn’t skip a single session

• Fun → debates, stories, prompts, video practice

It wasn’t boring textbook English.
It was real-life English.
The English grownups actually need.

Would I Recommend the Challenge?

Absolutely yes.

You don’t need perfect English to start.
You need the willingness to sound a little ridiculous for a while.
Because on the other side of that awkwardness?
A more confident, expressive, fearless version of you.

And trust me—
that version is worth meeting.