ESL Podcast 522 - Developing a Healthy Mind
to get the most out of life - to enjoy life as much as possible; to experience the act of living with maximum enjoyment and success
Why are we spending so much time at the office? If we quit and travel the world, we'd get the most out of life.
to live life to its fullest - to enjoy life as much as possible; to experience the act of living with maximum enjoyment and success
Jeremiah tries to live life to its fullest, never saying "no" to a new opportunity.
fad - something that becomes popular very quickly and remains very popular for a short period of time, but then becomes unpopular and almost disappears
When I was a kid, having pet rocks was a big fad.
lifestyle - a way of living; the way that one lives one's life, including how one spends one's time and what one values
Zoran decided to change his lifestyle. He quit his high-paying job as a corporate lawyer and instead began working with poor children in faraway countries.
fulfilling - satisfying; giving one a feeling of completion, happiness, and pleasure; meeting one's needs
It must be very fulfilling to work as a nurse and spend all day helping sick people feel better.
to go through a phase - to experience a certain period in one's life when one is very interested in a particular thing
Most little boys go through a phase when they love learning about dinosaurs.
to dwell on - to spend a lot of time thinking about something, especially if it makes one sad or angry
Why do you always want to dwell on the things that you did poorly? Wouldn't it be better to focus on your successes?
to live in the moment - to focus on what one is doing right now, enjoying the present and not worrying about the past or future
It's good to plan for the future, but sometimes it's equally important to live in the moment and enjoy what you have.
negativity - one's tendency to see the bad or negative side of things and believe the worst about things, or believe that bad things will happen; pessimism
I think it's difficult to be around Lubijana, because her negativity is very depressing. No matter what happens, she thinks it's a bad thing.
to appreciate - to recognize and enjoy the goodness in something; to value something; to realize the goodness and importance of something
I really appreciate your willingness to help me move the piano. That's so nice of you!
to practice - to follow a group of rules or guidelines that tell one how to live one's life
I know that Lorie's family is Muslim, but is she a practicing Muslim?
mindfulness - an awareness of what one is doing and what is happening around oneself; the act of paying attention and being aware of the moment
This article says that people who eat with mindfulness, instead of eating in front of the TV, eat less food and have fewer problems with obesity.
mantra - a phrase that one repeats many times, usually quietly, to control one's thoughts, have focus, and become calmer
When things aren't going well, Al repeats a mantra: "Tomorrow is a new day."
to calm - to give someone a feeling of peace and relaxation, especially after one has been very angry, worried or stressed out
They tried to calm their baby by giving her a bath and playing quiet music.
meditation - the practice of controlling one's thoughts to try not to think about anything and become very calm and relaxed
Sabrina tries to find time for five minutes of meditation each morning, before she has to start thinking about her job and kids.
judgmental - often sharing one's opinion about whether other things, and especially other people's actions, are good or bad; having strong, critical opinions about people and things
Ms. Fritz is so judgmental! Wherever we go, she spends the whole time criticizing what other people are wearing.
close-mindedness - not wanting to listen to or accept other people's opinions or ideas, because one wants to keep one's own beliefs
The way he refuses to listen to other people talk about their religion is a good examples of his close-mindedness.
to buy - to accept, believe, or adopt; to listen to what another person says and decide that it is a good idea, or to begin doing what another person is doing
I don't think you'll get anyone to buy your ideas about time travel.
hocus pocus - something that is impossible or false; a set of ideas or beliefs that one thinks are silly or nonsense
He says he can teach us how to make $10,000 a day, but it's just hocus pocus.