Shadowing Practice: My gentle self-care habits as a highly sensitive person - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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I am not a sensitive person.
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I am not a sensitive person.
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At least that's what I told myself.
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Because in the cultures I grew up in, being sensitive was seen as weak and vulnerable, as if those are bad traits.
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But here we are, 33 years later, I realized that I'm not just sensitive, but highly sensitive.
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And knowing this, so much of my life started to make sense.
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This is why I always felt uneasy in loud and crowded settings.
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Why I'm so drawn to dimly lit restaurants with soft background music.
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Why I need a whole weekend and a half to recharge after socializing.
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And why I tear up so easily, even when I'm happy.
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Highly sensitive people, we feel everything.
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But that's the beautiful thing about us.
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Our senses are heightened and we experience the world in a more intimate way.
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We are the artists, the thinkers, the empaths of the world who are attuned to the details of life and I see that as our superpower.
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If you can relate to any of this, you know that this world was not designed for people like you and me.
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But instead of trying to fit in, I realized that we need to find ways to thrive in our own unique way.
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So today, I wanted to share with you some of the ways
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that I take care of myself and navigate the world as a HSP.
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My mom told me that even as a kid, when she asked me to do my homework, I would start by cleaning my room.
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That should have been my first clue.
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Clean, tidy environment is everything for HSP, since we absorb everything that's around us.
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It's been kind of hard lately because we're moving and everything is everywhere,
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but still taking a few minutes in the morning and evening to maintain this chaos calms my soul.
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If you've ever worked in a restaurant, you know that there's opening duties to prepare for the day and closing duties to close up the restaurant.
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And that's exactly what I do.
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In the evenings, we load the dishwasher, take out the trash, put away the clothes.
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And in the mornings, I put away the dishes, make a to-do list, set my intentions, and prep for the day.
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The goal is to make sure that the mess never gets too overwhelming, and this system seems to really work.
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Most of my life, I was functioning at a level which felt impossible to sustain.
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It felt like I had to stretch myself so thin to work three jobs and have a healthy social life, go to all the work functions and family gatherings,
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and somehow still make time to be healthy and active?
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I eventually realized that it's up to me to place some boundaries and rearrange my schedule to meet my needs,
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which meant that I actually had to schedule in my rest days as well.
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Now if I have a busy week, I'll block off that weekend to recharge.
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I try to schedule my meetings Monday through Wednesday so
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that I can have a peace of mind towards the end of the week.
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And I tell myself that I am never, ever obligated to socialize or go out if I don't have the mental capacity for it.
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I heard that at HSP we need to take self-care to another level, and I couldn't agree more.
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Setting boundaries, taking breaks, even naps, and unplugging.
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We are naturally intuitive, and if we lean in and actually listen, I think we'll know exactly what we need to not just function but to thrive.
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I feel like a lot of HSB are also empaths.
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Our heightened sensitivity allows us to understand others on a deeper level, so much that sometimes we experience their feelings as if they were our own.
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I am usually the listener in the conversation, which I honestly don't mind.
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But over the years, I've also learned that I cannot take on everyone else's emotions and energies while neglecting my own.
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Maybe this is why I've always loved journaling, painting, playing music.
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Because it's not only therapeutic, but it's also a way to sort out whatever's going on internally.
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Before I continue, I want to thank the sponsor of today's video, BetterHelp.
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As a highly sensitive person, I tend to pick up on the subtle cues and the nuances in life,
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which also means that I analyze and make deeper connections on things that others might overlook.
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So for me, it's been really helpful to have a therapist I can talk to just to process all of this information,
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and I feel like now I can better put into words exactly what I'm thinking or feeling.
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BetterHelp is really easy to get started, just go to their website and answer some questions, and you'll be matched with a licensed therapist usually within 48 hours.
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I think the best part is that you can do it from your phone, computer, phone call, or video chat, whatever is the most comfortable for you.
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If you want to try it for yourself,
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you can visit betterhelp.com slash malamalife or choose malamalife during the signup process and enjoy a special discount for your first month.
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Thank you so much to better help for sponsoring this video.
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Some things in my home that make my senses extremely happy.
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My silk pillowcase, coconut scented candles, noise cancelling headphones, soft bedroom lamp, my vinyl player, just to mention a few things.
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I never understood why I cared so much about these little details, but I guess it's because we take in everything that's around us like a sponge.
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The lighting, the sounds, the textures.
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These things not only matter to us, but affects our mood, how we act, how we feel, our mental state in general.
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I encourage you to step in each one of your rooms and pay attention to how you feel.
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Is the lighting too white?
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Would a carpet soften your steps?
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Have you considered blackout curtains or white noise machines.
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I know I can't always control my environment when I go out in the world, so I've created my home to be a clutter-free, cozy, and pleasant sensory experience.
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As mentioned earlier, when I was working those three jobs, I would come home exhausted, and to unwind from a crazy day, I would binge watch my shows,
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movies, or scroll on my phone until I fell asleep.
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And I'm not trying to shame anyone for doing this
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because sometimes we just don't have the energy for anything else and we just want to turn off our brains.
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But I would consider this to be more of a distraction disguised as a relaxation
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because we're constantly feeding very over stimulated mind with bright lights, alerts, gossip, new information.
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Now when I've had a hectic day, the first thing I do is unplug.
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Absolutely necessary for HSP.
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Maybe make myself a cup of herbal tea, take a hot shower.
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I love getting into bed with fresh sheets and cozying up with a good book.
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And I also need a lot of alone time.
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This is my ideal reset at the end of the day,
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and I can definitely feel it the next day that my mental and physical battery has been charged.
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After graduating college, instead of stepping into a career right away, I saved up and went solo backpacking for about two and a half months.
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And to this day, I feel like it was one of the best decisions I've made.
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When all my peers were job hunting, two months seemed like a long time to take off.
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But in the grand scheme of things, what's two months?
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Yet it was probably the most transformative time in my life.
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I had a chance to slow down, get to know myself, and figure out what direction I actually wanted to go.
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We are told that we should constantly push ourselves forward to get the results, but I find it so ironic that the aha moments come to me when I play,
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travel, exercise, or go for long walks.
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And I think it's because our minds can wander freely to explore outside of the box.
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So if you're feeling stuck or not sure what your next moves are, I hope you give yourself permission to take some time off.
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Connect with yourself.
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The concept of falling behind is such an illusion, and taking this time to recalibrate might lead you to an unexpected path better suited for you.
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If you haven't read the book The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron, I definitely recommend it.
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Also, let me know if you're a highly sensitive person and what you do to take care of yourself.
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Thank you guys so much for watching and take care until next time.
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Why practice speaking with this video?
This video provides an authentic insight into the life of a highly sensitive person (HSP) and the unique ways they practice self-care. By engaging with this content, learners have the opportunity to not only understand the context better but also to mimic the speaker's style and expression. Speaking context is vital for language learners, as it allows them to recognize emotional subtleties and tone, which can be essential elements in effective communication. By practicing shadow speech, you can develop your conversational skills, enhance your emotional expression, and improve your ability to articulate personal experiences. This can especially benefit those who want to connect more deeply with others and be understood in various social settings.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The speaker utilizes several key grammatical structures and expressions throughout the video. Here are a few notable examples:
- “I realized that I’m not just sensitive, but highly sensitive.” - This structure emphasizes a progression in understanding, which can be useful for learners to express personal growth.
- “We need to find ways to thrive in our own unique way.” - The use of need to indicates necessity, a vital aspect in expressing obligation and advice.
- “I heard that HSP we need to take self-care to another level.” - Here, the use of indirect speech adds depth to the conversation, providing a way to share ideas without being overly assertive.
- “It’s been kind of hard lately...” - This colloquial phrase reflects an informal tone, making the conversation relatable and engaging for learners practicing shadowspeaks.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As with any language, certain words and phrases can present pronunciation challenges. Here are some tricky elements from the video:
- “Sensitive” - Be cautious with the syllable stress to ensure clarity; it’s pronounced as sen-sit-ive.
- “Empath” - This term can be mispronounced; practice saying it with emphasis on the first syllable: EM-path.
- “Recharge” - When spoken quickly, it can sound like “re-charged”; focusing on the soft 'd' ending will help maintain clarity.
- “Therapist” - Tonal shifts can occur here; ensure that it sounds distinct: ther-a-pist, not ther-eh-pist.
By practicing these nuances through shadow speak, learners can enhance their pronunciation and build a more confident speaking ability. Utilizing a shadowing site or partnering with others for practice can further aid in mastering these intricacies.
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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