Shadowing Practice: it's okay to be alone while finding yourself. - Learn English Speaking with Video

Les maken...
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And I believe we really do struggle more in our heads than we do in reality.
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My biggest enemy, the biggest enemy I really have is my mind when I'm alone.
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So when I'm alone, I really have this conflict.
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I really have the situations when I'm at war with myself.
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I'm at war with my brain.
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And when my brain sometimes simply is telling me to give up, when my brain sometimes simply is telling me some things it shouldn't tell me.
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And I'm at war with myself and I am the only one who's really capable
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and I'm really the only one who can make it possible
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and who can do something against this war and who can win this war.
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You need to reach that state of mind where you're completely fine with being alone for a specific time.
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Because being alone is nothing bad at all.
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I truly believe that being alone for a specific amount of time is nothing bad at all.
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Even if you're in this kind of isolation, and if you're isolating yourself, do whatever you need to do
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and do whatever you think is good for you to improve yourself
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and to find out what you really want for your life and if that means you're isolating yourself for six months
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then it means that
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and then it's completely okay just make sure you don't lose yourself just make sure
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while you're isolating yourself you're doing the best you can every single day to improve your life,
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to improve your mindset to still show to the people around you
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that you love them that they matter and that they still are important to you.
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There's nothing at all that's wrong with isolating yourself for a specific amount of time
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and when you feel this loneliness be aware
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that this won't be forever use this time to self -reflect
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use this time to find out what you really want in life use this time to improve yourself
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and don't waste your time with people who don't know your
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worth don't waste your time with people who don't want to be part of your life
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but who know exactly where to find you don't don't struggle with
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please stop thinking so much and stop worrying
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so much about things you can't control you can't control everything
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you can't control how people act how people treat you how
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people are behaving around you you can't control the whole world
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and you will never be able at all to control what
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happens the only thing you can do is do the best
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you can every single day is spreading positivity is spreading kindness is spreading good things into this world
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and it will all come back to you it almost works
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like a magnet you can make a big difference on this planet only by existing
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and this is something you really need to understand Because you,
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by existing, by loving people, by doing good things, by being a good person,
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by being kind, by spreading positivity, by spreading kindness, by spreading a lot of positive things,
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spreading humanity, spreading a lot of fun,
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spreading so many good things that it becomes almost impossible to not enjoy life and to not become happy.

Speaking Goals for This Clip: Mastering Authentic Self-Talk

This video is perfect for language learners aiming to boost fluency in natural, reflective speech—a key milestone for real-world communication. The dialogue’s focus on inner thoughts and personal growth provides a rich template for practicing conversational rhythm, emotional expression, and connecting ideas logically. Use it to refine your ability to articulate complex feelings, a skill critical for confident speaking.

Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions for Daily Conversations

  • "I'm at war with myself" – Ideal for describing internal conflict.
  • "make sure you don't lose yourself" – A common way to emphasize self-awareness.
  • "spreading positivity/kindness" – Phrases that add warmth to discussions about impact.
  • "it works like a magnet" – A vivid metaphor for cause and effect.
  • "stop worrying about things you can't control" – A practical piece of advice for any context.

These phrases are versatile and can be adapted to personal stories, advice-giving, or self-reflection—essential for speaking practice.

Fix Your Weak Spots: Rhythm and Intonation in Reflective Speech

The video’s slow, deliberate pace makes it ideal for pronunciation practice and mastering the "flow" of thoughtful speech. Notice how the speaker pauses before key points (e.g., "And I believe…") and stresses words like "really" and "completely" to convey emphasis. To improve, try the shadowing technique: repeat the dialogue aloud, mimicking the rhythm and intonation. This trains your mouth to form natural sounds and helps you internalize the cadence of English self-talk. Focus on reducing "flat" delivery—use rising tones for questions (even internal ones) and falling tones for statements to sound more authentic.

By practicing with this clip, you’ll not only build vocabulary but also develop the confidence to speak about personal growth—an area where many learners struggle. Remember: every repetition brings you closer to fluency.

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.

Shadowing-techniek: lees de volledige stap-voor-stap-gids →