Shadowing Practice: How I stopped feeling lonely FOREVER (and you can too) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Kies een oefenmodus
Elke modus opent een volledig scherm oefenruimte.
185 zinnen
Als zinnen te kort of te lang zijn, klik op Bewerken om ze aan te passen.
1
Oh my god, she got engaged?
2
To who?
3
Damn, that ring is so pretty.
4
Wait, I know these girls.
5
When did they get closer and why wasn't I invited?
6
I literally have 2,000 followers,
7
but I don't even talk to anybody.
8
I should just start on following people.
9
We know this feeling so well,
10
constantly surrounded by people yet still painfully lonely.
11
But you're not crazy.
12
For most of my life,
13
I felt like the side character too,
14
seeing people I knew hang out with each other yet never being invited.
15
Watching people at school get into relationships,
16
but waiting for someone to ask me out.
17
I knew people liked me,
18
but why did I feel so alone most of the time?
19
If you've ever felt like this and wondered why no one seems to notice you,
20
I have the answer.
21
And it's not some generic self-help advice that doesn't actually work.
22
After years of struggling with chronic loneliness,
23
this is how I reversed my thinking and lifestyle to overcome it
24
and how you can do the same so that you'll never feel lonely again.
25
But first, we need to understand why do we feel lonely?
26
Loneliness is complicated and it can have many causes such as loss,
27
breakups, moving locations, etc. But in essence,
28
loneliness happens when there is a disconnect between the relationships we want to have and the relationships we actually have.
29
Despite having several friends, you might still feel lonely because you feel you lack meaningful relationships.
30
And this is why most people these days are lonely.
31
Statistically, one out of every four adults worldwide experienced loneliness,
32
with 30% of Americans aged 18 to 24 saying that they were lonely every day or several times a week.
33
With this era of social media,
34
it has undoubtedly made us the opposite of social.
35
Despite having tons of followers and online connections,
36
we lack meaningful relationships in real life,
37
and this was exactly how I felt.
38
In high school, I definitely had friends.
39
There were people I talked to every day,
40
and we would even hang out after class.
41
In college, I literally lived in the most social dorm on campus
42
and I made it an effort to make as many friends as I could my first year.
43
But at night when everyone else had going out plans, I had none.
44
I was hoping someone would invite me to hang out,
45
but that text never came.
46
I spent so many nights going to bed early wondering why I had no real friends.
47
I mean, did these people just not care about me the way I cared about them?
48
And it got me thinking,
49
why do I care so much?
50
I mean why did I place so much value in other people more than myself?
51
And so fast forward a few years later,
52
I graduated, moved back home,
53
left all my friends across the country,
54
and basically had to restart my life.
55
All of a sudden, I was by myself again,
56
but it felt different this time.
57
I was alone, but I wasn't lonely.
58
And so these are the exact things I did that helped me overcome my chronic loneliness and finally get meaningful relationships.
59
The biggest reason I felt so lonely back then was because of this power dynamic I created in my mind.
60
That all my friends and the people I knew were more important,
61
more outgoing, and more likable than me.
62
And that's the biggest problem right there.
63
Because you cannot devalue yourself to get other people to like you.
64
The truth is, I was just as important,
65
just as outgoing, and just as likable as everyone else, if not more.
66
So this is your reality check.
67
You have to build up your self-esteem to overcome your loneliness.
68
You cannot be insecure about yourself and expect massive change.
69
The other thing I realized is that my loneliness has nothing to do with other people and them ignoring me.
70
It has everything to do with myself.
71
I am the reason I'm lonely.
72
Because how can I expect other people to like me when I don't even like myself?
73
How can I expect other people to want to get to know me when I don't even know who I am?
74
We tend to blame external things as the root of our problems when really 99% of the time it starts from within.
75
And so finally, that is when I began to build a real relationship with myself.
76
Because at the end of the day,
77
the only person that is going to give the most shits about you is you.
78
Everyone is only thinking about themselves.
79
And I realized it was time I started to think about myself for once.
80
Who is Allison?
81
What does Allison like to do for fun?
82
What makes Allison happy?
83
And it scared me because I couldn't even answer my own questions.
84
I was just so disconnected from myself because I was so focused on getting other people to like me.
85
So remember, the first step to overcoming loneliness is to build a real relationship with yourself.
86
You need to fall in love with you.
87
Figure out everything that makes you happy and go do them.
88
You don't need to wait for anybody else.
89
Like for me, it was writing,
90
cooking, going to cafes alone,
91
window shopping, and truthfully, I felt guilty doing some of these things because it felt almost selfish and in vain.
92
But really, when you prioritize your own needs and wants,
93
it is the opposite of selfish.
94
Because you no longer need anyone to fill the void.
95
Nobody can fulfill you except you.
96
Not even your boyfriend or girlfriend.
97
And until you believe this,
98
you will keep being disappointed again and again.
99
Remember, loneliness isn't about needing more people.
100
It's a sign that you've abandoned yourself.
101
When I think back to those nights in college when I was alone in my dorm on a Friday night,
102
the biggest emotion I actually felt was resentment.
103
Resentful that my friends could just forget about me and our friendship.
104
It felt like everyone was so fake and didn't actually value me the way I valued them.
105
When I graduated and moved back home, the resentment followed me.
106
I had just started YouTube and wanted nothing more than to have a content creator friend.
107
But after months of checking my DMs, no one reached out.
108
I literally thought, well, I guess I just don't have enough followers yet.
109
Everyone must think I'm a scrub.
110
But you see, neither of these situations were actually reality.
111
The thing that was keeping me lonely were these negative thought patterns and having a victim mentality.
112
To overcome loneliness, I had to stop sitting around feeling sorry for myself and actually take action.
113
I had to stop waiting and start reaching out to people.
114
It sounds like common sense,
115
but in practice, it's actually extremely scary because I used to think that people just didn't want to hear from me.
116
And I hated the thought of getting rejected.
117
It like, it terrified me.
118
But you know that cheesy inspirational quote that says,
119
you miss 100% of the shots you don't take?
120
Well, it's actually 100% the truth.
121
You cannot wait for someone to check in on you because that is the self-fulfilling prophecy that only reinforces your loneliness.
122
You will be waiting for days, weeks, months.
123
You cannot rely on other people to fix your problems for you.
124
No one is coming to save you,
125
so you need to save yourself and reach out to them.
126
Because the reality is all the fears and negative thoughts you have about other people are never actually true.
127
If anything, most people are happy to receive a text from someone else.
128
People like to be invited to things because it makes them feel wanted.
129
So be that person that takes initiative first.
130
The worst thing that can happen is they say no and if they do then move on to the next person.
131
It is not that deep.
132
Connection starts when someone is brave enough to go first so I chose to be that person.
133
I started to DM random girls in my city that I wanted to be friends with.
134
Yeah not everyone responded but eventually I met some really amazing woman that I still talk with to this day.
135
Reaching out is a muscle and you have to train it,
136
but it is the secret to how I overcame my loneliness.
137
Only you have the power to change your situation because being lonely has nothing to do with other people.
138
It has everything to do with you.
139
However, if I'm being honest,
140
the real secret to how I overcame loneliness wasn't going on solo dates or even reaching out to strangers.
141
It was actually finding purpose outside other people.
142
It sounds crazy like, Alison,
143
how could you ever give people that much control over your life?
144
But I legitimately used to believe that my goal in life was to be liked by as many people as possible.
145
Because without their opinions of me, who was I?
146
I needed to know how others felt about me so that I could decide how I felt about myself.
147
It's messed up, but subconsciously that's how a lot of people think.
148
I had just gotten out of a two
149
and a half year relationship my last semester in college and that breakup made me realize that I had lost all purpose.
150
I had no boyfriend anymore,
151
no friends, and no identity and it terrified me that it had gotten to that point.
152
So when I moved back home after that semester,
153
I did the one thing I had been neglecting my whole life.
154
I started YouTube and suddenly there was no more time or energy to spend feeling sorry for myself.
155
I was so swept up in writing,
156
filming, and editing content for the 17 people who were subscribed to me at the time.
157
It sounds pointless, but at the time,
158
that was my saving grace.
159
Realizing that I actually wasn't alone and could connect with thousands of other people across the world became my motivation.
160
Purpose gives you something to wake up for,
161
something bigger than waiting for someone to text you back.
162
It shifts your focus from who's thinking of me to what impact can I make today.
163
The more I poured into my purpose,
164
the less space my loneliness had to grow.
165
You have to understand that your purpose is not determined by how other people feel about you.
166
It's how you feel about yourself.
167
It wasn't until I stopped living for other people and started living for myself that the loneliness began to fade.
168
So if you keep giving others the power to control how you feel,
169
you will forever stay lonely.
170
But if you give yourself the freedom to build a meaningful relationship with yourself,
171
you will be surprised at how many people will want to build one with you.
172
If you're feeling lonely right now,
173
it does not mean you're broken.
174
It does not mean nobody likes you.
175
It's just a wake-up call to find a more meaningful connection with yourself.
176
And if you're having trouble getting started,
177
I want you to write down three ways you can make yourself happy this week and do one of them.
178
And if that means making the first move with someone,
179
then do it because you never know if they're also waiting to.
180
If any of this resonated with you,
181
then leave me a comment below and let's chat.
182
I read everything you write,
183
so consider this as your first step to overcoming loneliness.
184
As always, thank you so much for being here and I'll see you in the next one.
185
Bye!
App downloaden
Alles wat je nodig hebt om vloeiend te spreken
AI UitspraakScoor elke zin
IPA OefeningBeheers elk geluid
WoordenschatBouw je woordenschat op
WoordenspelLeren terwijl je speelt
Zelfde Kanaal
B11
you probably wear too much makeup (the ONLY routine you’ll ever need)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B19
how to have the BEST GLOW UP this summer | 10 it girl beauty + lifestyle tips
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B24
how to find your spark again.
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
why doesn’t life feel the same anymore?
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
what i eat for GUT HEALTH & CLEAR SKIN | anti-inflammatory, simple meals
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
How to get back into a routine after falling off | realistic week living alone
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
10 HIGH MAINTENANCE beauty habits that will make you look LOW MAINTENANCE
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
the reason you always feel behind
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B13
My simple BUT EFFECTIVE skincare routine!
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B27
“i don't have time to make content" | how I stay RIDICULOUSLY consistent on social media
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
i stopped trying to have the perfect morning routine (and i've never been happier)
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B114
"i'm bored but overstimulated" | 10 low effort hobbies to get off your phone
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B29
How to stop GIVING UP on your routines and ACTUALLY stay consistent
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B110
The Everyday Routine That Made Me Fall in Love With My Life Again
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B27
week in my life getting my sh*t together | mid-year declutter, organizing, apt finds
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
How to INSTANTLY be more attractive (without saying a word)
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
23 Life Lessons I Learned the Hard Way (so you don’t have to)
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
cozy self-care diaries ⛅️ | key west vacay, beach days, & much needed recharge
American AccentTravel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B29
underrated things that will make you *extremely* attractive in 2026
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
How to ACTUALLY make the most of your 20s (without burning out) | Filmed on Insta360 GO Ultra
American AccentUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Aanbevolen Video
B26
120 zinnen
To Anyone Feeling Lonely
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B24
271 zinnen
how I’ve changed in a year (& why I feel more myself than ever)
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
167 zinnen
Why I left America for good
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B27
318 zinnen
How to Enter Your Independent Girl Era ✨ Become the Girl Who Needs Nobody
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B115
32 zinnen
SEtalk: Stop Saying "I'm So Busy"
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
134 zinnen
I stopped outsourcing my life to other people’s opinions.
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B212
137 zinnen
I used to be insecure and envy others. Here's my advice.
American AccentBusiness EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B25
179 zinnen
What to do if you're feeling lost or stuck in life | Reflect, Reset, Realign
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
63 zinnen
Do you Feel Lonely Tonight? We Are Here To Help
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B212
38 zinnen
Take 3 Minutes For Yourself (Life-Changing Advice)
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les
Deze spreekles op niveau B2 is gebaseerd op de video “How I stopped feeling lonely FOREVER”. Deze woorden komen het vaakst terug: loneliness, lonely, felt, relationship. Deze video bevat 185 zinnen en 1967 woorden om na te spreken. Het gesproken deel duurt 10:08. De spreker praat snel, ongeveer 194 woorden per minuut, dus reken op verbonden en ingeslikte klanken. 86% van de woorden hoort bij de 3.000 meest gebruikte Engelse woorden; de rest kun je beter vooraf bekijken.
Belangrijke woorden in deze video
De 15 moeilijkste woorden uit de video, met uitspraak en betekenis:
| Woord | Uitspraak | Betekenis |
|---|---|---|
| loneliness zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈloʊnlinəs/ | eenzaamheid |
| meaningful bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ˈmiː.nɪŋ.fl̩/ | zinvol |
| follower zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈfɒləʊə(ɹ)/ | volger, navolger |
| dormitory zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈdɔɹ.mɪˌtɔɹ.i/ | slaapzaal, slaapcel |
| outgoing bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /aʊtˈɡəʊɪŋ/ | ontslagnemend |
| resentment zelfstandig naamwoord | /ɹɪˈzɛnt.mənt/ | misnoegen, wrok |
| breakup zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈbɹeɪk.ʌp/ | relatiebreuk |
| fulfill werkwoord | /fʊlˈfɪl/ | vervullen |
| semester zelfstandig naamwoord | /sɪˈmɛstɚ/ | semester |
| selfish bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ˈsɛlf.ɪʃ/ | egoïstisch, zelfzuchtig |
| resonate werkwoord | /ˈɹɛz.əˌneɪt/ | resoneren |
| cheesy bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ˈt͡ʃiːzi/ | oubollig |
| statistically bijwoord | /stəˈtɪs.tɪ.kə.li/ | statistisch gezien |
| restart werkwoord | /ˈɹiːˌstɑɹt/ | herbeginnen |
| reinforce werkwoord | /ˌɹiː.ɪnˈfɔːs/ | versterken, vergroten |
Phrasal verbs die je zult horen
| Woord | Uitspraak | Betekenis |
|---|---|---|
| build up werkwoord | opstapelen | |
| figure out werkwoord | uitvogelen, er achter komen | |
| go out werkwoord | naar buiten gaan | |
| mess up werkwoord | verrommelen, in de war brengen | |
| wake up werkwoord | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | wakker worden, ontwaken |
| write down werkwoord | opschrijven, neerschrijven |
Zinnen om te herhalen
Korte, volledige zinnen uit de video die je in alledaagse gesprekken kunt gebruiken:
- When did they get closer and why wasn't I invited?
- I was alone, but I wasn't lonely.
- I am the reason I'm lonely.
- You don't need to wait for anybody else.
- Because without their opinions of me, who was I?
Grammatica in deze video
De structuren die de spreker het meest gebruikt, met de exacte woorden uit de video:
| Structuur | In de video |
|---|---|
| “Used to” used to + werkwoord — een vroegere gewoonte of toestand die niet meer klopt | used to think · used to believe |
| Lijdende vorm be + voltooid deelwoord — het gaat om wat er gebeurt, niet om wie het doet | being invited · be invited · be liked |
| Present perfect have/has + voltooid deelwoord — iets uit het verleden dat nu nog telt | you've ever felt · you've abandoned |
Uitspraak om op te letten
De spreker gebruikt 28 samentrekkingen en verkorte vormen, zoals don't, wasn't, you're. Spreek ze kort uit, zoals je ze hoort.
- De klanken “sh” en “zh”: selfish /ˈsɛlf.ɪʃ/, inspirational /ˌɪnspəˈɹeɪʃənəl/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/
- Lange woorden — let op de klemtoon: dormitory /ˈdɔɹ.mɪˌtɔɹ.i/, prioritize /pɹaɪˈɒɹ.ə.taɪz/, statistically /stəˈtɪs.tɪ.kə.li/, inspirational /ˌɪnspəˈɹeɪʃənəl/, mentality /mɛnˈtæləti/
Klanken die Nederlandstaligen lastig vinden:
- Stemhebbende eindmedeklinker — /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/ niet verscherpen: prioritize /pɹaɪˈɒɹ.ə.taɪz/, scrub /skɹʌb/, surround /səˈɹaʊnd/, fade /feɪd/, void /vɔɪd/
- /æ/ — opener dan de Nederlandse “e”: devalue /diːˈvæljuː/, mentality /mɛnˈtæləti/, abandon /əˈbæn.dən/, cafe /ˌkæˈfeɪ/
- /g/ — een harde plofklank, geen Nederlandse “g”: outgoing /aʊtˈɡəʊɪŋ/, neglect /nɪˈɡlɛkt/
Zo oefen je met deze video
- Luister de hele video één keer zonder te spreken en noteer de woorden die je niet kent.
- Begin op 0,75× snelheid, spreek zin voor zin na en ga terug naar normale snelheid zodra het makkelijk gaat.
- Neem jezelf op en vergelijk met het origineel; let daarbij op woorden als loneliness, meaningful, follower.
Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?
Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.