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Self-Improvement
Self-Improvement

Learn English: meaning of self-improvement

Date: Jan 14 2020

Themes: Health, How To

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Do you ever feel like you need a change in your life? Could it be that you want to study a different subject in school? Or do you feel like you need to move to a new place? Perhaps the change you need is within yourself.

Sometimes simple self-improvement is the key to change. Improving yourself can look like many different things. You can take a class to learn a new skill, or begin a new exercise routine to be healthier. Self-improvement is about making yourself better, and then feeling better, too.

Lily tells Marni that she has been feeling stressed out and doesn’t know what to do. Learn more in today’s English lesson about self-improvement.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Lily

Lily

Marni

Marni

Lily:  Marni, I just feel like I’m such a hot mess right now. I don’t know what to do with my life. I’m just so stressed out.

Marni:  Oh, no. What’s wrong? Do you think you need a little self-improvement somehow?

Lily:  Yeah, maybe. I’ve been looking in on a bunch of different books. Like this New Age author I’ve been reading who is trying to improve me from within. It’s like this big experiment. I don’t know if it’s working or not.

Marni:  Do you think it’s about self-acceptance? Do you just need to accept yourself as you are? I think self-care is really important. Take care of yourself. Love yourself. And honor who you are.

Lily:  That’s kind of the content of what this book is saying. Like you should accept yourself for who you are. And make yourself the priority as far as your self-growth is concerned. I don’t know…

Marni:  Lily, we’re all a work in progress. But we just have to learn and grow together, and accept who we are. And you’re going to do fine in life.

Lily:  Thank you, Marni.

Marni:  You’re welcome.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Lily has not been feeling very good lately. Maybe working on self-improvement will help her feel better. She says that she’s been reading books by a New Age author to get ideas on how to improve herself from within. It’s been an experiment so far, and she’s not sure if it’s working.

Marni thinks it’s a good thing that Lily is making self-improvement a priority. She thinks that if Lily can learn to accept herself, then she’ll be able to feel better. If everyone understood that we are all a work in progress, then we wouldn’t be so stressed out.

Do you feel like you need self-improvement? How would you work on improving yourself from within?

 

Comments

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arwaalmalki

Sweden

sometimes i fell i am in a hot mess but i love my sefl and alwayes make my self the priority 

04:51 PM May 18 2020 |

GWTA

GWTASuper Member!

Germany

I´m good enough

04:46 PM Jan 14 2020 |

JohnBrooke

Australia

Self-improvement is must to go extra miles. I try to improve by many ways , one of that is, reading books a lot.

06:05 AM Jun 06 2019 |

Belosnejka

Russian Federation

sure! english is always a good idea! especially writting skills!

05:45 AM Mar 01 2019 |

dilenny

dilenny

Dominican Republic

Yes i do.  I would work estuding more englush. 

04:23 AM Feb 10 2019 |

Sunflower69

Germany

I think self-improvement is really important for me. I’m not very confident with my life situation, I need to change things and thinkings. I need to accept myself, such how I are.

03:09 PM Jan 30 2019 |

1 person likes this

TrinhHan

TrinhHan

Viet Nam

i really need self – iprovement. i have to change myself, don’t be lazy, and work everything as rule set

09:36 AM Jan 30 2019 |

1 person likes this

bluesky97

bluesky97

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Every one needs self-improvement!!


I think humans must try new things in their life to have a better life!


We say if water remains  in one  place it will be fetid water!


Live healthier, do new hobbies, learn new skill, change your work if it dosent satisfy you, end up your relationship if it makes you sad.


Just move 😉

05:40 AM Jan 30 2019 |

xin7

xin7

Chile

ya9out


I feel like you and Lily. Lately I’m stressed out. I’m not sure what way I should follow in my life. I’ve been thinking of changing my career. Hopefully we will find our place :)

11:52 PM Feb 18 2015 |

ya9out

ya9out

Morocco

I try to do self-improvement but im feeling so lost, i can’t decide what i want or what i need in this life. Really im lost, i want change my job but i don’t know wich way i must follow, i can said i don’t know even my capacities to go farward.


And im sorry for my worst level in english.

02:39 PM Feb 13 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

Dear albasel1975 & englishteacher24/7,


Thanks your great encouragement !  It means me a lot !


They are really good and useful friends ! :)


Take care yourself ! and Have a nice day ! :)

12:43 PM Feb 13 2015 |

albasel1975

Germany

@Ditti My dear friend,


Thank you very much for your comment and for clicking the word ” Like” on my comment.


Now let me reply your question : ” do you think that anybody can imporve only by chatting, reading and listening on the internet (for example on this page ) without a teacher ? And what level do you need when you can improve in this way without teacher controlling ?”



why not !! When we live in a country where people don’t speak English, and when our job has no relation to English Language, and when we have no space for taking some courses in any one of the English language centers , we resort then to the ” VIRTUAL WORLD”..


For example, we here in English baby, we practice writing, reading, some of us go super member and can practice speaking and listening.


Here you will be able to practice using English… 


I see that your English is not that bad Ditti, it’s great … and I think you reached the stage of self-learning , you can improve your English yourself…


I see that our precious teacher ” englishteacher24/7” agrees with me

07:08 AM Feb 13 2015 |

englishteacher24/7

United States

Julito, you nailed it, the bottom line is: use it or lose it!


Ditti, yes by all means you can learn English without a teacher. However, there are some things you will need a teacher to help you understand.


Analyze how children communicate their language, if they’re cold they first say, “I cold” which is very understandable.  But with a teacher they learn to say: “I am cold.”


Ditti, very good comment!

01:07 AM Feb 13 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

@S&W and albasek1975,


I have just read your comments about learning English and I liked them very much. I am really obsesses with the English. I try to do something for imporving my skills. If miss a day without practising I am angry with me because I fell losing a lot. But sometimes it seems hard as I can’t use it at my work and there isn’t any necessity to use it. Although it is good when I experince my improving but sometimes I feel it is not enough.


Anyway do you think that anybody can imporve only by chatting, reading and listening on the internet (for example on this page ) without a teacher ? And what level do you need when you can improve in this way without teacher controlling ?


Maybe I was a bit obscure but I I hope they understand what is question ! :-)

albasel1975

Germany

@S&W  .... Excellent !!! Brilliant comment ! I do admire the simile you created. 


Practice makes perfect… I always say it to all my friends on English,Baby : If you want to brush up your English and learn much more, this is the right place for you!

05:07 PM Feb 12 2015 |

3 people like this

 julito

julito

Argentina

Talking about self-improvement  , i remember when i first popped up in English,baby`s that my writing skills were  very poor , but practice make perfection , though i still i  need  to hone up  my skills  i can notice that i am not afraid of  making mistakes  while writing down my thoughts , and mistakes are welcome . I encourage  people that like this page that  if they feel like that put on writing their thoughts more often.   

03:56 PM Feb 12 2015 |

S&W

S&W

China

Dear shoba,thank you for liking my comparison.I read yours everyday.you are a great mother.I am so happy to learn english with you guys here.take care.

02:33 PM Feb 12 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



Hi dear S&W,


I like your comparison of brushing up our English with brushing our teeth. It sounds funny, yet it makes sense too.


Best regards~



01:57 PM Feb 12 2015 |

S&W

S&W

China

@albasel1975,you wrote”when you think that you reached the highest level and you mastered the Language, and when you stop to read, listen ..etc. I think your English will rust….”


I read the above words and what coming to my mind was brushing teeth.If we want to keep it white and bright ,we need to brush teeth everyday.If not,When smiling,things will be terrible.

01:08 PM Feb 12 2015 |

albasel1975

Germany

Self-admiration is the first enemy to self-improvement…if you see yourself perfect, you will stop at where you are…you will never hope for better…


But if you always see yourself as material that can be renewed and modified , you will be one of the elite gradually.


Let me, give you an Example…


In learning English – for instance – when you think that you reached the highest level and you mastered the Language, and when you stop to read, listen ..etc. I think your English will rust….


you need to brush your English all the time.. since English is renewable itself.


In short, self-improvement is an inner process, aiming for a better, happier life. It is a process of inner change, adopting a positive mindset, getting rid of negative habits, and building new, positive ones.



05:47 AM Feb 12 2015 |

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