Pratique du Shadowing: Stay Positive During Hard Times | Easy English Podcast Conversation in Daily Life | Learn English - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

Have you ever felt like life was testing you again and again?

Today we're talking about exactly that and how to stay positive even then.

Hello, welcome.

This is your cozy place to learn easy English through real-life conversation.

I'm Sarah.

And I'm Mike.

So, how are you today, Sarah?

I'm good, thank you.

A little tired, though.

I had a busy weekend.

Oh, no. Busy how?

Just running around, honestly.

No time to relax at all.

I feel that.

Well, mine was actually the complete opposite.

Oh, yeah?

Tell me.

Quiet.

I stayed home the whole time.

Cooked a little.

Read a book.

That sounds so peaceful.

It really was.

Just slow, you know?

Slow days like that are underrated, honestly.

They really are.

Okay, enough about us.

Right, right.

Let's talk about today's topic.

Today we're talking about something everyone needs sometimes.

What's that?

How to stay positive during hard times.

Oh, this is a good one.

It really is.

Life gets hard for everyone at some point.

Exams, work, family, health.

So many things can feel heavy.

Exactly.

And today we want to help you talk about all of that in English.

Not just talk about it, but also learn some real tools to feel a little better.

This episode is for anyone who's had a rough week or a rough month.

Or even a rough year, honestly.

Okay, fair enough.

If that's you today, you're in the right place.

Before we continue, a small thing.

Go ahead.

If you're enjoying these conversations, subscribing really helps us keep making them.

And if today's topic feels useful, sharing it with a friend means a lot, too.

Even a simple like on the video helps more than you'd think.

We're a small podcast, so every bit of support matters.

Okay, that's enough of that.

Let's get back to you, our listeners.

Actually, we love reading your comments.

We really do, every single one.

So here's a small question for today.

Tell us in the comments, where are you from and what are you doing right now?

Maybe you're on a bus.

Maybe you're cooking.

Maybe you're in bed.

We'd love to know.

It makes this feel like a real conversation.

Okay, now let's really get into today's topic.

Let's start simple.

What does staying positive actually mean to you?

For me, it doesn't mean being happy all the time.

No?

No, it means still having a little hope even when things are hard.

I like that.

It's not about ignoring the problem.

Exactly.

It's about not losing yourself completely inside the problem.

That's a beautiful way to say it, honestly.

Thank you.

I've had a lot of practice thinking about this lately.

Have you been going through something?

A little bit, yeah.

Work has been heavy.

I'm sorry to hear that.

It's okay.

We'll get to that a bit later, actually.

Okay.

Take your time.

Let's talk about hard times in general first.

Sure.

What usually makes a time feel hard for people?

Stress, mostly.

Too many things happening at once.

Stress.

That feeling of pressure when life feels like too much.

Exactly.

And sometimes feeling overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed.

When something feels bigger than what you can handle.

Those two words together describe most hard times, honestly.

They really do.

What else?

Worry about the future, not knowing what's coming next.

That uncertainty can be exhausting on its own.

It really can, even without anything bad actually happening yet.

100

Just the not knowing is heavy sometimes.

101

Exactly.

102

So how do people usually try to feel better during hard times?

103

Some people talk to friends, some people distract themselves.

104

Some people just push through it silently, too.

105

That's actually the option I used to choose for a long time.

106

Really?

107

Yeah, I thought staying quiet about it made me stronger.

108

Did it work?

109

Not really, honestly.

110

It just made me tired.

111

That makes sense.

112

Can I ask you something, Mike? Of course.

113

Did you ever feel like your own goal was attacking you?

114

Attacking me?

115

That's a strong word.

116

I know, but that's really how it felt to me sometimes.

117

Okay, now I'm curious.

118

What do you mean?

119

Like the goal itself becomes the thing causing you pain.

120

Instead of motivating you.

121

Exactly.

122

It just sits there, reminding you that you haven't reached it yet.

123

That's such an interesting way to put it.

124

I actually felt that with my job for a while.

125

Tell me more if you want to.

126

I had this goal of getting promoted.

127

A common goal, honestly.

128

Very common.

129

But somewhere along the way, I stopped enjoying the work itself.

130

What happened?

131

I was so focused on the promotion, I forgot to actually like what I was doing.

132

That's such a real feeling.

133

And then I felt guilt, too, on top of everything.

134

Guilt?

135

Why guilt?

136

I felt guilty for not being happy when I technically had a good job.

137

Oh, that's heavy.

138

It really was.

139

Like, I wasn't allowed to feel tired or unhappy.

140

But feelings don't really ask for permission, do they?

141

No, they really don't.

142

I learned that eventually.

143

What changed for you?

144

I started separating my worth from that one goal.

145

How did you do that?

146

I reminded myself that I'm not just my job title.

147

That's powerful.

148

It helped a lot, actually.

149

Slowly.

150

Can I share something, too, actually?

151

Please do.

152

I went through a hard time last year when I was learning to run this podcast.

153

Oh, I didn't know that.

154

I felt like I wasn't good enough compared to bigger podcasts.

155

The comparison trap again.

156

Exactly that.

157

I almost quit, actually.

158

What stopped you?

159

I remembered why I started, to genuinely help people learn English.

160

That's such a strong reason to hold on to.

161

It really was in that moment.

162

I'm really glad you didn't quit, honestly.

163

Me too.

164

Otherwise, we wouldn't be here talking to you right now.

165

Let's talk about some real practical things people can do.

166

Yes.

167

Let's give our listeners something useful today.

168

First one, talk to someone you trust.

169

Simple, but so important.

170

Keeping everything inside makes it heavier.

171

Second, write your feelings down, even just a few lines.

172

Write it down, putting your thoughts on paper, out of your head.

173

It helps more than people expect.

174

It really does.

175

Third idea?

176

Take small breaks, even during a hard day.

177

A five-minute walk, a cup of tea, something small.

178

Small breaks aren't lazy, they're necessary.

179

I love that sentence, honestly.

180

Fourth, remind yourself of one good thing, even a tiny one.

181

Even something as small as good weather or a nice meal.

182

It doesn't need to be big to count.

183

Fifth idea, for me this time?

184

Go ahead.

185

Separate your identity from your struggles.

186

Can you explain that a bit more?

187

You are not your bad week.

188

You are not your failed exam.

189

You're a person going through something, not defined by it.

190

Exactly that.

191

That's such an important reminder.

192

I needed to hear it myself, honestly, before I could say it to anyone else.

193

That's often how the best advice works.

194

It really is.

195

Sixth idea, try a few slow, deep breaths when things feel too much.

196

Deep breaths.

197

Simple, but it actually calms your body down quickly.

198

It sounds too simple to work, but it really does help.

199

It really does.

200

Seventh and last one?

201

Try writing three things you're grateful for.

202

Even on a hard day, three small things are usually still there.

203

A messy cup of coffee, a song you liked, a short text from a friend?

204

Exactly.

205

Gratitude doesn't erase hard times, but it softens them a little.

206

That's such a lovely way to put it.

207

Let's talk about students for a second, since many of our listeners are learners.

208

Good idea.

209

Exams can feel like a very hard time, too.

210

Definitely.

211

What would you say to a stressed student right now?

212

I'd say, one exam doesn't define your whole future.

213

That's true, even though it doesn't always feel

214

that way in the moment exactly the feeling is real

215

but the fear is often bigger than the truth the fear is bigger than the truth i really like

216

that line thank you it's something i remind myself often too

217

let's also talk about comparison

218

because it connects to this topic oh comparison is such a

219

big one comparing your hard time to someone else's perfect life online

220

but you're only seeing their highlight reel not the full story

221

highlight reel the best moments only not the full story exactly everyone has hard times even

222

if they don't show it that's such an important thing to

223

remember it really is it helped me feel less alone honestly

224

let's bring this back to language learning for a a second too.

225

Yes, since staying positive matters here too.

226

Learning English can feel hard sometimes, especially at the beginning.

227

Mistakes, forgetting words, feeling shy to speak.

228

All of that is completely normal.

229

It really is.

230

Progress isn't always visible day to day.

231

But it's happening, even when it's slow.

232

Just like everything else we talked about today.

233

Let's do a small role play to practice today's topic in conversation.

234

I love these.

235

Okay, go ahead.

236

Imagine a friend says, I feel like everything is going wrong right now.

237

I'd say, that sounds really hard.

238

Do you want to talk about it or just have company?

239

That's such a kind response.

240

Sometimes people don't want advice, just presence.

241

That's such an important distinction.

242

Now you try, Sarah.

243

Someone says, I don't think I'll ever reach my goal.

244

I'd say maybe not today or even this year, but that doesn't mean never.

245

Gentle but honest.

246

I like that.

247

Honesty with kindness, I think, is the goal.

248

Here's a listener question we received before this episode.

249

What did they ask?

250

What if I feel positive one day and completely hopeless the next?

251

Oh, that's such a real question.

252

Isn't it?

253

Let's answer it honestly.

254

That's completely normal, actually.

255

Feelings aren't a straight line.

256

They go up, down, sideways, sometimes all in one day.

257

Staying positive doesn't mean never feeling low again.

258

It means allowing the low days without losing all hope completely.

259

That's such a healthy way to think about it.

260

I think so, too.

261

Let's talk about celebrating small wins, too, since it connects here.

262

Yes.

263

Even finishing this episode today is a small win, for both of us.

264

I love that framing.

265

Celebrate small wins, recognizing progress even in small amounts.

266

It keeps hard times from feeling completely hopeless.

267

Exactly.

268

Hope doesn't need to be huge to be real.

269

Hope doesn't need to be huge to be real.

270

That's beautiful.

271

Thank you.

272

I really believe that.

273

Let's also talk about asking for help, too, since some people struggle with that.

274

Asking for help isn't weakness.

275

It's actually quite brave.

276

Brave, not weak.

277

I like that reframe.

278

It took me a long time to believe that myself.

279

A lot of important lessons take time, don't they?

280

They really do.

281

Let's be honest about something, too, before we finish.

282

What's that?

283

Sometimes none of these tips work immediately, and that's okay.

284

That's true.

285

Some hard times take real time to heal.

286

If a hard time feels too heavy, talking to a professional is always a brave, valid option.

287

Not every hard time can be solved with tips in a podcast episode.

288

And that's completely okay to admit.

289

It really is.

290

We just want to be honest with you.

291

Let's quickly highlight some of the vocabulary from today's conversation.

292

Good idea, since a lot of it came from real feelings, not just a list.

293

First, stress.

294

That feeling of pressure when life feels like too much.

295

Example, she felt a lot of stress before her exam.

296

Next, overwhelmed.

297

When something feels bigger than what you can handle example he

298

felt overwhelmed with all his work this week next guilt feeling bad about something even

299

when you didn't really do anything wrong example she felt guilt

300

for resting even though she needed it next phrase push through it continuing even when things are difficult example

301

I pushed through the hard week one day at a time.

302

Next phrase, highlight reel, only the best moments someone shows, not their full life.

303

Example, social media is often just people's highlight reel.

304

Next, write it down, putting your thoughts on paper, out of your head.

305

Example, writing it down helped me understand my own feelings.

306

Let's add a few more useful words before we go.

307

Good idea.

308

We have a couple more from today's stories.

309

Burnt out.

310

Feeling completely exhausted physically and emotionally from stress.

311

Example.

312

I felt burnt out after months of overworking.

313

Next, breakthrough.

314

A sudden moment of understanding or progress after a hard struggle.

315

Example.

316

Talking to my sister was actually a breakthrough for me.

317

Next, reframe, looking at the same situation in a new, more helpful way.

318

Example, I tried to reframe my failure as a lesson instead.

319

Hold on to hope, continuing to believe things can get better even during hard times.

320

Example, even on my worst days, I try to hold on to hope.

321

Ten powerful pieces of vocabulary all connected to real feelings from one honest conversation.

322

Let's add two more since we mentioned them earlier, too.

323

Good catch.

324

Deep breaths.

325

Slow, calming breathing used to reduce stress quickly.

326

Example.

327

She took a few deep breaths before the interview. And grateful.

328

Feeling thankful for something, even something small.

329

Example.

330

I felt grateful for my morning coffee even on a hard day.

331

Twelve pieces of vocabulary now, all from real, honest conversation.

332

Let's read a quick message we got from a listener before this episode.

333

What did they say?

334

They said, I started using small wins every day, and it really helped me.

335

That's amazing to hear, honestly.

336

It really is.

337

That's exactly why we make this podcast.

338

To help real people with real English and real life.

339

Exactly.

340

If you have your own story, we'd love to hear it too.

341

Seriously, don't be shy.

342

Comments always.

343

Alright, let's recap everything we talked about today.

344

We talked about what staying positive really means, not ignoring pain, just keeping a little hope.

345

We talked about stress, feeling overwhelmed, and even guilt.

346

We talked about comparison and the danger of the highlight reel.

347

We shared real stories, mine about the podcast and yours about your job.

348

And we gave practical tips, talk to someone, write it down, take small breaks, celebrate small wins.

349

That's a lot of real English and real life advice in one episode.

350

It really is.

351

I feel like this one meant a lot to both of us.

352

It really did.

353

If today's episode helped you even a little, we'd love to know.

354

Tell us in the comments, one hard thing I'm going through right now is… Or if you'd rather keep it light,

355

one small win I had this week is… Either one is welcome.

356

We read every single comment.

357

We really do, and we love responding when we can.

358

If this episode felt useful, please consider subscribing.

359

It helps us keep making honest conversations like this one.

360

And if you know someone going through a hard time, maybe share this with them.

361

It might be exactly what they need to hear today.

362

One last thing before we truly say goodbye today.

363

What's that?

364

If this episode felt like a warm conversation with a friend, that was completely intentional.

365

We want this podcast to feel like a place you can come back to.

366

Whenever you're having a hard day or even a good one.

367

We'll be right here having these honest conversations with you.

368

Same time, same cozy place next episode.

369

We can't wait to talk with you again.

370

Thank you so much for spending this time with us.

371

This conversation meant a lot, honestly.

372

Keep learning, keep speaking, and keep a little hope even on hard days.

373

Especially on hard days.

374

Take good care of yourself today.

375

And remember, a hard time is not a life sentence.

376

It's just a chapter, not the whole story.

377

Beautifully said, Mike.

378

I meant every word.

379

We'll see you in the next conversation.

380

Bye for now.

📺 Même chaîne

How to Introduce Yourself in English | A2 English Speaking Practice

Education

General

TeensHigh School Students+3

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?

Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.

Technique du shadowing : lire le guide complet étape par étape →

Pratique du Shadowing: Stay Positive During Hard Times | Easy English Podcast Conversation in Daily Life | Learn English - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

How to Introduce Yourself in English | A2 English Speaking Practice

How To Stay Positive During Hard Times | Easy English podcast | B1-B2 Listening practice

Real Life English Conversation | English Shadowing Practice A2–B1

Don’t Waste Your Life | English Podcast for Easy Conversation in Daily Life | Learn English Fast

Stop Thinking Start Talking | Easy English Podcast for Conversation Practice B1 | Daily Life English

Talk About Your Weekend In English | Easy English Podcast For Conversation in Daily Life

How to Talk About Simple Happiness in English | Everyday English Conversation Practice

English Speaking Practice for Everyday Life | Modern Technology Conversation (A2-B1)

Improve Your English Just by Listening | 40 Minutes of Real English Listening Practice (A2-B1)

English Podcast for Learning English Conversation | Real Daily Life English | A2-B1 English Podcast

English Podcast For Easy English in Daily Life | How to Really Ask "Are You Okay?"

Talk About Mindset | Easy English Podcast Conversation in Daily Life | Learn English Fast

How to Stay Motivated in Life - Easy English Conversation for Beginners

À propos de cette leçon

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?