Shadowing Practice: Joy Will Find You — If You Let It | David Larbi | TED - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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If you're able to, please close your eyes.
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Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
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Relax your shoulders.
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Unclench your jaw.
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Take another deep breath in and another breath out.
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You can open your eyes now.
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My name is David.
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I'm a poet and author.
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I write about the things that bring me joy.
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You'd be surprised just how often that means I pick up my pen and use my voice.
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Whenever I have a truly bad day, frustrating as it may be, it's a matter of time until my next smile.
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Good things are coming to me.
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That may sound glib.
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It may sound naive.
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Life is far more complicated than that.
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I won’t argue with you.
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I know that that's true.
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No one makes it through their whole life intact.
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If you talked to every pillow I've had in my life, you would hear about plenty of tears.
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If you stole my journal from my hotel room, you would read about plenty of fears.
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If I'd had the emotional literacy when I was younger, you'd have heard me articulate pain.
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I do all I can to avoid all of those states, but I'm sure that I'll feel them again.
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I'm saying all this with a smile on my face.
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Not because I don't understand language.
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I just know there's far more for my feelings in store.
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I look on the bright side.
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It's a habit.
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Because even in the very worst of times when it seems that I'll always feel down, I've learned over time, in the darkest of skies, there will come a break in the clouds.
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I don't think that it's naive at all to look for joy in the everyday.
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In fact, if I'm ever to be truly content, it seems to me to be the only way.
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There is nothing too small to be happy about.
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I mean, truly, nothing at all.
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And because I take small joys most seriously, they stack up to be rather tall.
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You see, if I saw "real" happiness as the big headline news events, I'd have maybe one a month if I'm lucky.
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And between them, what would I do then?
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I think of the day that my sister was born, of the singular joy that day was.
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Moments like that, the joy's beyond belief.
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They’re so immense, they almost have to be one-offs.
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Some things have to exist at that scale to be truly appreciated.
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That doesn't mean my reserves of joy can't be regularly topped up and updated.
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Because joy is not just a fanciful thing; it's a whimsical, powerful tool.
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It's a thread of resilience woven into our lives.
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When there are cracks in things, joy brings light through.
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Even if my happiness isn't total.
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Even when I don't think I deserve it.
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Finding the small joys in every day is a practice that's always so worth it.
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It's easier on some days than others.
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It takes effort, that I won't deny, but I am deserving of my own best efforts.
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Life is effort. Why wouldn’t I try?
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I spent far too long believing that joy was for someone more deserving than me.
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I spent even longer believing contentment was ambition's worst enemy, when in fact we matter because we exist.
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We deserve joy by virtue of this.
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And contentment means that any ambition that follows is the healthiest kind that exists.
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I'm capable of finding moments of joy.
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There are plenty of opportunities.
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And if I can find joy wherever I am, then where I am, joy shall be.
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Next time your drink is the perfect temperature or your fork holds the perfect bite.
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Next time you put on your favorite socks or adjust so you’re sitting just right.
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Next time you stumble across a great song that you haven’t heard in a while.
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Next time you catch eyes with a stranger who offers a nod or a genuine smile.
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When you stretch your body and relax it again.
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When you take a deep breath and you sigh.
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When you get to relax at the end of a long day.
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When you turn your face up to the sky, remember, life is made of the average days, and each one offers joy aplenty.
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The smallest joys are the simplest to find.
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And they add up more often than any.
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I always pay attention when a small joy grabs me.
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Some say easily pleased, I say frequently happy.
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Because you deserve it.
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Because I do too.
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In our everyday, may joy always shine through.
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Thank you. (Applause)
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Context & Background

In the TED talk titled "Joy Will Find You — If You Let It," speaker David Larbi, a poet and author, dives into the essence of finding joy in everyday life. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, he shares his understanding of happiness, emotional resilience, and the importance of recognizing small joys amidst life's complexities. Larbi emphasizes that joy is not solely reserved for grand events but can be found in daily moments, serving as a powerful tool for emotional wellness. This perspective encourages listeners to cultivate a habit of looking for positivity, no matter the circumstances.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "I look on the bright side." - This phrase suggests optimism and encourages a positive outlook.
  • "It takes effort." - A reminder that effort is essential in achieving happiness and success.
  • "There is nothing too small to be happy about." - Highlights the importance of appreciating even minor joys.
  • "I'm deserving of my own best efforts." - A powerful affirmation of self-worth and personal growth.
  • "Finding the small joys in every day." - Encourages mindfulness and the practice of seeking happiness in daily life.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use shadow speech techniques from David Larbi's talk, follow this detailed guide for your English speaking practice:

  1. Listen Carefully: Start by listening to the video without distractions to fully grasp the essence of David's message.
  2. Transcribe Short Segments: Select smaller portions of the video to transcribe. This will help you understand the pacing and emotional undertones of his speech.
  3. Repeat and Imitate: Play short segments and pause after each phrase. Use shadowspeaks techniques—repeat what you hear, imitating his tone and facial expressions to improve your delivery.
  4. Practice Aloud: Gradually increase the length of the segments. Focus on rhythm and clarity to enhance your pronunciation and fluency, especially in the context of IELTS speaking practice.
  5. Reflect on Meaning: After shadowing, take a moment to reflect on the content. Consider how the messages of joy and resilience can be applied to your own life.

Through this focused shadowing guide, you can enhance your speaking abilities while absorbing the insightful themes presented by David Larbi. By immersing yourself in his words, you’ll cultivate both language skills and a deeper understanding of the importance of joy in life.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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