This episode is part two of the episode How to Answer, "Why Should We Hire You?" In this episode, you will increase your English vocabulary for everyday conversations in your personal life or work. You'll learn seven definitions for the phrases and idioms I used in the last episode. You'll also get some homework at the end so you can continue to improve your English communication skills. 

If you currently work or want to work with native English speakers from the U.S., you won't want to miss it!

Episode originally published on September 4, 2020.
Transcript at https://www.express-to-impress.com/hit-the-ground-running-phrase/.
Infographics for this episode at https://www.pinterest.com/ExpresstoImpress/. 

Express to Impress

Hit the Ground Running and Other English Phrases

I will tell a short story about a job I had in customer service. 

Remember that I teach Spanish on italki, you can book a class for more information you can look at it on my profile :)

Colombia

Choques culturales ( parte 2 )

If you see someone sitting alone in a restaurant, you might assume they're waiting for someone, or perhaps they're grabbing a quick lunch on their break.

But more and more people around the world are purposely dining alone.

Japan has a special word for this: ohitorisama, which refers to people confidently doing things alone without worrying about what others think.

A recent survey found that 23% of Japanese people eat out alone, up from 18% in 2018. And in the US, solo dining reservations have risen 29% over the last two years, according to restaurant reservation site OpenTable.

OpenTable CEO Debby Soo thinks remote work is one reason for the increase, with people looking for a break from their home offices.

The increasing popularity in solo dining comes as more people are living alone. In 2019, the Pew Research Center found that 38% of US adults ages 25 to 54 were living without a partner, up from 29% in 1990. In Japan, single households now make up one-third of the total; that’s expected to increase to 40% by 2040, according to government data.

Growing interest in solo travel — particularly among travelers ages 55 and over — is also leading to more meals alone.

But Soo thinks there could be more to it than that.

"I think there's a broader movement of self-love and self-care and really … enjoying your own company," Soo said.

As a result, many restaurants are redoing their seating, changing their menus and adding other special touches to appeal to solo diners.

But some aren't always happy to seat one diner. A Michelin-starred London restaurant caused a stir last year when it started charging solo diners the same price as two customers. The restaurant, which has 34 seats, offers an eight-course menu costing about $280 per person.

Other restaurants say it's worth seating one person because solo diners will often come back and eat there again.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Party of One: Solo Dining Increasing in Popularity

Português Fluente foi produzido para aprendizes de português como língua estrangeira. Neste episódio você vai conhecer a autora brasileira Cora Coralina e ouvir um de seus poemas. 

Português Fluente com Cynthia

Cora Coralina

Comprensión Auditiva del idioma Español.

Spanish México

¿Cómo se toma El Mezcal?

Deep and Relaxing Meditation For Reprogramming Limiting Beliefs

Limiting beliefs are deeply ingrained thought patterns or beliefs that hold us back from reaching our full potential and achieving our goals. 

These beliefs are often negative and self-defeating, leading us to doubt ourselves, avoid challenges, and hinder our personal growth and success. Limiting beliefs can manifest in various areas of life, such as relationships, career, health, and personal development.

Self-sabotage: Limiting beliefs create a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading us to engage in behaviors that validate those beliefs. For example, if someone believes they are not good enough to succeed in their career, they might avoid taking on new opportunities or promotions.

Fear and avoidance: These beliefs often instill fear and anxiety, making us avoid situations that challenge our beliefs or might lead to personal growth. As a result, we miss out on valuable experiences and opportunities.

Lack of confidence: When we hold onto limiting beliefs, our self-esteem and confidence suffer. We underestimate our abilities and hesitate to take on challenges, which can hinder progress and success.

Negative mindset: Limiting beliefs create a negative mindset, where we focus on what we can't do rather than what we can achieve. 

Overcoming limiting beliefs is essential for personal growth and achieving success. Here are some steps to challenge and change limiting beliefs:

Awareness: Recognize and identify your limiting beliefs. Understand how they are influencing your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Questioning: Challenge the validity of these beliefs. Look for evidence that supports and contradicts them. Often, you'll find that many limiting beliefs are based on unfounded assumptions.

Reframing: Replace limiting beliefs with empowering and constructive beliefs. Focus on your strengths, accomplishments, and potential.

Send me a message and let me know how it started to influence your Confidence.


The Habits of Professionals Growing Into Strong, Confident English Communicators

Meditation For Reprogramming Limiting Beliefs

안녕하세요. 2026년 2월 4일. 오늘도 여름입니다.
Hello, February 4, 2026. Today is summer again.
Today, I boiled potatoes. I found five potatoes I'd forgotten on the veranda. I washed them thoroughly and peeled them. I carefully cut off the sprouts. I cut the potatoes in half, placed them in a large glass bowl, and microwaved them for about 6 minutes. I love using the microwave when cooking. It's so convenient! I boiled the potatoes warm and plan to eat some and save some for later. Do you like potatoes? They seem like a versatile ingredient that can be cooked in many ways.

〈365일 한국은 여름〉 안녕하세요. 2026년 2월 4일. 오늘도 여름입니다.
오늘은 집에서 감자를 삶았습니다. 사실 요리를 하려고 계획한 건 아니었어요. 베란다를 정리하다가, 잊고 있었던 감자 다섯 개를 발견했거든요. “아, 이거 지금 안 먹으면 안 되겠다”라는 생각이 들었습니다.
먼저 감자를 하나씩 꺼내서 깨끗하게 씻었습니다. 흙이 조금 남아 있어서 물로 여러 번 씻어야 했어요. 그다음에는 감자 껍질을 벗겼습니다. 감자에 싹이 나 있는 부분이 있어서, 그 부분은 칼로 꼼꼼하게 잘라주었어요.
껍질을 벗긴 감자는 반으로 잘랐습니다. 그리고 큰 유리그릇에 담아서 전자레인지에 넣었어요. 약 6분 정도 돌렸는데, 생각보다 아주 잘 익었습니다. 저는 요리를 할 때 전자레인지를 쓰는 걸 좋아해요. 불을 쓰지 않아도 되고, 무엇보다 정말 편리하니까요.
따끈하게 익은 감자를 꺼내서 몇 개는 바로 먹고, 몇 개는 나중에 먹으려고 따로 남겨두었습니다. 아무 양념 없이 먹어도 감자는 맛있는 것 같아요. 배도 부르고, 마음도 좀 편안해졌습니다.
여러분은 감자를 좋아하시나요? 감자는 삶아 먹어도 맛있고, 구워 먹어도 맛있고, 다른 재료랑 같이 요리해도 잘 어울리는 식재료인 것 같아요.
혹시 여러분이 좋아하는 감자 요리가 있다면 알려주세요. 저도 다음에 한번 만들어보고 싶어요.
내일도 여름에서 만나요. 안녕.

365 days of Summer in Korea

Do you like potatoes? 감자를 좋아하시나요?

aujourd’hui : hoje, today
ce matin : hoje de manhã, this morning
cette après-midi : hoje à tarde, this afternoon
ce soir : hoje à noite, tonight
cette semaine : essa semana, this week
cette année : esse ano, this year
ce mois-ci : esse mês, this month
en ce moment : neste momento, at the moment
maintenant : agora, now
actuellement : atualmente, currently
le matin : de manhã (pela manhã), in the morning
l’après-midi : à tarde, in the afternoon
le soir : à noite, in the evening

Professeur Maxime

Les adverbes de temps (1)

Postal Service to Honour Music Group Iron Maiden (with transcript for study)

Transcript. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nFFcL5CZnHy4rudTejlkcll2V8wedSh-/view?usp=drivesdk