Shadowing Practice: Why Am I Even Alive? | Muniba Mazari Speech | Inspiring Women of Goalcast - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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I was 18 years old when I got married.
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I was 18 years old when I got married.
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I belonged to a very conservative family,
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a Baloch family, where good daughters never say no to their parents.
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My father wanted me to get married,
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and all I said was,
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if that makes you happy, I'll say yes.
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And of course, it was never a happy marriage.
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Just about after two years of getting married,
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about nine years ago, I made a car accident Somehow my husband fell asleep And the car fell in the ditch
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He managed to jump out,
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saved himself I'm happy for him But I stayed inside the car
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And I sustained a lot of injuries The list is a bit long
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Radius ulna of my right arm were fractured The wrist was fractured Shoulder bone and collar bone were fractured.
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My whole rib cage got fractured.
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But that injury that changed me and my life completely was the spine injury.
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Many people came to rescue.
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They gave me CPR.
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They dragged me out of the car.
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And while they were dragging me out,
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I got the complete transaction of my spinal cord.
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Those two and a half months in the hospital were dreadful.
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I was at the verge of despair.
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One day doctor came to me and he said,
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well, I heard that you wanted to be an artist,
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but you ended up being a housewife.
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I have a bad news for you.
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You won't be able to paint again.
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Next day doctor came to me and said,
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your spine injury is so bad.
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You won't be able to walk again.
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I took a deep breath and I said, it's all right.
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Next day, doctor came to me and said,
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because of your spine injury and the fixation that you have in your back,
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you won't be able to give birth to a child again.
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That day, I was devastated.
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I started to question my existence.
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Why am I even alive?
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So what kept me going was one day I asked my brothers I know I have a deformed hand
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but I'm tired of looking at these white walls in the hospital
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and wearing these white scrubs bring me some colors bring me some small canvas I want to paint
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so the very first painting I made was on my dead
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bed where I painted for the very first time what an
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amazing therapy it was without uttering a single word I could paint my heart out.
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I could share my story.
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People used to come and say,
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what lovely painting, so much color.
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Nobody could see the grief in it.
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Only I could.
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And that day I decided that I'm going to live life for myself.
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I am not going to be that perfect person for someone.
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I am just going to take this moment and I will make it perfect for myself,
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that I'm going to fight my fears.
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So I wrote down one by one all those fears
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and i decided
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that i'm going to overcome these fears one at a time you know what was my biggest fear divorce
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but the day i decided that this is nothing but my fear
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i liberated myself by setting him free and i made myself emotionally
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so strong that the day i got the news
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that he's getting married I sent him a text that I'm so happy for you and I wish you all the best.
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And he knows that I pray for him today.
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Number two was, I won't be able to be a mother again.
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And that was quite devastating for me.
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But then I realized there are so many children in the world.
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All they want is acceptance.
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So there is no point of crying go and adopt one and that's what I did
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I gave my name in different organizations different orphanages
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and I waited patiently two years later I got this call
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from a very small city in Pakistan I got a call in this
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and are you money by Mazzari there is a baby boy
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and would you like to adopt I could literally feel the labor pain yes yes I am going to adopt him.
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I am coming to take him home.
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And that day, I was two days old and today he's six.
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You know when you end up being on the wheelchair,
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what's the most painful thing?
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People think that they will not be accepted by the people because we in the world of perfect people are imperfects.
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So I decided to appear more in public.
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I started to paint.
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I have done a lot of modeling campaigns I decided
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that I'm going to join the national TV of Pakistan as
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an anchor person I became the national goodwill ambassador for UN women Pakistan
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and now I speak for the rights of women children I
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was featured in BBC hundred women for 2015 I'm one of Forbes 30 under 30 for 2016.
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So when you accept yourself the way you are, the world recognizes you.
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It all starts from within.
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We have this amazing fantasy about life.
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This is how things should work.
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This is my plan.
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It should go as per my plan.
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If that doesn't happen, we give up.
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I never wanted to be on the wheelchair.
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Never thought of being on the wheelchair.
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This life is a test and a trial.
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And tests are never supposed to be easy.
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So when you are expecting ease from life,
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and life gives you lemons,
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then you make the lemonade,
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and then do not blame life for that.
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It is okay to be scared.
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It is okay to cry.
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Everything is okay.
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But giving up should not be an option.
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They always say that failure is not an option.
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Failure should be an option because when you fail, you get up.
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And then you fail and then you get up and that keeps you going.
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Embrace each and every breath that you are taking.
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Celebrate your life.
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Live it.
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Don't die before your death.
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Real happiness lies in gratitude.
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So be grateful, be alive and live every moment.
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Thank you.

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Context & Background

The speaker, Muniba Mazari, shares her powerful story of resilience and self-discovery following a life-altering car accident. At just 18, she faced societal pressures while navigating a troubled marriage. The accident resulted not only in severe physical injuries but also in emotional turmoil, forcing her to reevaluate her purpose in life. Despite doctors' bleak prognosis regarding her ability to walk, paint, and become a mother, Muniba found solace in art as a means to express her grief and ultimately embrace her identity. Her journey exemplifies the importance of finding one's voice and passion, making her story a poignant lesson for anyone seeking inspiration.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "Why am I even alive?" - A powerful existential question when grappling with difficulties.
  • "If that makes you happy, I'll say yes." - A phrase reflecting the cultural expectations and the desire to please family.
  • "I was at the verge of despair." - A vivid expression of deep sadness and hopelessness.
  • "I want to paint." - A simple yet profound statement about pursuing one’s passions.
  • "I'm going to live life for myself." - A declaration of autonomy and self-empowerment.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the shadowing technique for improving your English speaking and pronunciation skills, follow these steps while watching Muniba Mazari's inspiring speech:

  1. Listen Actively: Play the video and listen to Muniba's speech without any interruptions. Pay attention to her intonation and emotion.
  2. Choose Short Segments: Break the speech into manageable segments. Start with a sentence or two, focusing on her tone and pronunciation.
  3. Repeat Aloud: Replay the selected segments and mimic Muniba’s speech. Focus on imitating her clarity and emotional delivery.
  4. Record Yourself: Use audio recording tools to capture your voice while shadowing. Compare your pronunciation with the original audio.
  5. Practice Consistently: Regularly revisit the speech and practice. The more you shadow Muniba’s words, the more you’ll improve your English pronunciation and fluency.

Incorporating this practice into your routine can significantly enhance your English speaking skills, making it easier to express complex emotions much like Muniba does in her heartfelt narrative. This engaging shadowing site offers a platform for you to implement these techniques and further enhance your english speaking practice.

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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