Idioms. Click the highlighted words to hear the pronunciation.

Goose bumps (poner la piel de gallina)caused by a physical or emotional sensation 

"I was so touched by the movie that I started getting goose bumps all over my arms."
"When she told me that she loved me, I got goose bumps."
"I get goose bumps anytime I'm scared."
"John told us a story and everyone got goose bumps."

A: "Did you watch the speech?"
B: "No, I missed it. Was it good?"
A: "It was so touching that I got goose bumps everywhere."

It Serves You Right: If you say "it serves you right", you're telling someone that their problem is the result of their own bad behaviour.You got what you deserve." (=Te lo mereces)

"It serves you right. You were not nice to him."

"It serves him right. He can't expect to win when he cheats during the game."

"It serves you right. You got what you deserved."

A. "Can you believe Kim got fired from work?"
B. "Serves her right. She was always late or calling in sick."
A. "I guess you're right, but I hope she finds a new joB."
B. "Me too."

Idioms. Click the highlighted words to hear the pronunciation.

Goose bumps (poner la piel de gallina)caused by a physical or emotional sensation 

"I was so touched by the movie that I started getting goose bumps all over my arms."
"When she told me that she loved me, I got goose bumps."
"I get goose bumps anytime I'm scared."
"John told us a story and everyone got goose bumps."

A: "Did you watch the speech?"
B: "No, I missed it. Was it good?"
A: "It was so touching that I got goose bumps everywhere."

It Serves You Right: If you say "it serves you right", you're telling someone that their problem is the result of their own bad behaviour.You got what you deserve." (=Te lo mereces)

"It serves you right. You were not nice to him."

"It serves him right. He can't expect to win when he cheats during the game."

"It serves you right. You got what you deserved."

A. "Can you believe Kim got fired from work?"
B. "Serves her right. She was always late or calling in sick."
A. "I guess you're right, but I hope she finds a new joB."
B. "Me too."

Introduction to thoughts and feelings: Self-esteem

Self-esteem is your opinion of yourself. Everyone lacks confidence sometimes but people with low self-esteem are unhappy or unsatisfied with themselves most of the time. Low self-esteem can cause problems including depression and anxiety.

Self-esteem building

Self-esteem is strongly related to how you view and react to the things that happen in your life. Suggestions for building self-esteem include:

• Talk to yourself positively – treat yourself as you would your best friend. Be supportive, kind and understanding. Don’t be hard on yourself when you make a mistake.
• Challenge negative ‘self-talk’ – every time you criticise yourself, stop and look for objective evidence that the criticism is true. (If you feel you can’t be objective, then ask a trusted friend for their opinion.) You’ll realise that most of your negative self-talk is unfounded.
• Don’t compare yourself to others – recognise that everyone is different and that every human life has value in its own right. Make an effort to accept yourself, warts and all.
• Acknowledge the positive – for example, don’t brush off compliments, dismiss your achievements as ‘dumb luck’ or ignore your positive traits.
• Appreciate your special qualities – remind yourself of your good points every day. Write a list and refer to it often. (If you feel you can’t think of anything good about yourself, ask a trusted friend to help you write the list.)
• Forget the past – concentrate on living in the here-and-now rather than reliving old hurts and disappointments.
• Tell yourself a positive message everyday – buy a set of ‘inspirational cards’ and start each day reading out a new card and carrying the card’s message with you all day.
• Stop worrying – ‘worry’ is simply fretting about the future. Accept that you can’t see or change the future and try to keep your thoughts in the here-and-now.
• Have fun – schedule enjoyable events and activities into every week.
• Exercise – it is such a good boost to the brain for all kinds of things but especially in combatting depression and helping you to feel good. Targets need to be step by step, such as starting with a walk round the block once a day, enrolling at a local gym class or going for a swim.
• Be assertive – communicate your needs, wants, feelings, beliefs and opinions to others in a direct and honest manner.
• Practise the above suggestions every day – it takes effort and vigilance to replace unhelpful thoughts and behaviours with healthier versions. Give yourself time to establish the new habits. Keep a diary or journal to chart your progress.

Introduction to thoughts and feelings: Self-esteem

Self-esteem is your opinion of yourself. Everyone lacks confidence sometimes but people with low self-esteem are unhappy or unsatisfied with themselves most of the time. Low self-esteem can cause problems including depression and anxiety.

Self-esteem building

Self-esteem is strongly related to how you view and react to the things that happen in your life. Suggestions for building self-esteem include:

• Talk to yourself positively – treat yourself as you would your best friend. Be supportive, kind and understanding. Don’t be hard on yourself when you make a mistake.
• Challenge negative ‘self-talk’ – every time you criticise yourself, stop and look for objective evidence that the criticism is true. (If you feel you can’t be objective, then ask a trusted friend for their opinion.) You’ll realise that most of your negative self-talk is unfounded.
• Don’t compare yourself to others – recognise that everyone is different and that every human life has value in its own right. Make an effort to accept yourself, warts and all.
• Acknowledge the positive – for example, don’t brush off compliments, dismiss your achievements as ‘dumb luck’ or ignore your positive traits.
• Appreciate your special qualities – remind yourself of your good points every day. Write a list and refer to it often. (If you feel you can’t think of anything good about yourself, ask a trusted friend to help you write the list.)
• Forget the past – concentrate on living in the here-and-now rather than reliving old hurts and disappointments.
• Tell yourself a positive message everyday – buy a set of ‘inspirational cards’ and start each day reading out a new card and carrying the card’s message with you all day.
• Stop worrying – ‘worry’ is simply fretting about the future. Accept that you can’t see or change the future and try to keep your thoughts in the here-and-now.
• Have fun – schedule enjoyable events and activities into every week.
• Exercise – it is such a good boost to the brain for all kinds of things but especially in combatting depression and helping you to feel good. Targets need to be step by step, such as starting with a walk round the block once a day, enrolling at a local gym class or going for a swim.
• Be assertive – communicate your needs, wants, feelings, beliefs and opinions to others in a direct and honest manner.
• Practise the above suggestions every day – it takes effort and vigilance to replace unhelpful thoughts and behaviours with healthier versions. Give yourself time to establish the new habits. Keep a diary or journal to chart your progress.

Small habits can reap big benefits

According to a new book, just a few small lifestyle changes can make you happier and healthier

Good health: regular yoga sessions can work wonders 

Victoria Lambert

7:31AM GMT 04 Mar 2013

1 Comment

Were you relieved to learn that simply getting up from your desk regularly is more effective than vigorous gym routines at preventing type 2 diabetes, according to research reported last week? If so, you’ll love the energy guru Oliver Gray’s theory that good health is all about sweating the small stuff.

Like the University of Leicester experts – who found that reducing sitting time by 90 minutes per day, just by getting up more often, could lead to important health benefits (including reduced cholesterol and blood sugar levels) – Oliver recommends thoughtful, albeit tiny, adjustments to our daily routines to boost energy and improve quality of life.

Oliver, who has just written a book Energise You (energiseyou.com), explains: “Changing your daily habits can be hugely significant – but not painful. For example, people get put off exercise when they connect it to hour-long sessions in the gym. But being active at home is just as powerful. You need to move around as much as possible – about five minutes every half-hour is manageable.”

He adds: “Try to do something every morning – a 20-minute walk or a

20-minute yoga session. Research shows that people who exercise in the morning are much more consistent exercisers long-term. Once the day gets under way, it is easier to get distracted.”

Related Articles

• Do you need pills to face the office? 
  26 Feb 2013
• Only willpower can shrink our ever-growing waistlines 
  18 Feb 2013
• How to say no 
  04 Mar 2013

This is just one of Oliver’s golden rules. The others include having a light evening meal: “If you eat a big portion in the evening you don’t digest it so well, so sleep is affected” – and staying away from technology for at least an hour before bed.

“Modern computers are very stimulating to the nervous system, so you are less likely to get a good night’s rest. I also suggest 'early to bed, early to rise’ at least four times a week. Between 10pm and 1.30am is when the best sleep happens.”

Oliver points out that a good night’s sleep means you can get up earlier, creating more time to have a healthy breakfast and perhaps take that 20-minute walk. “It sets up a virtuous cycle and a positive energy flow; it kick-starts the day.”

One of his favourite tips – others will be dispensed at the Vitality Show in London on March 22 at an energy workshop – is drinking Matcha green tea from Japan, which contains 137 times the antioxidants of regular green tea, plus the amino acids theophylline and L-Theanine, which can stimulate the brain, helping concentration. Oliver suggests you drink Matcha as part of a “super hydration” routine. “You need to get lots of liquid every day, principally from water and herbal tea, for optimum health.”

When it comes to food, he recommends replacing fast-release carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta with slow-release carbs such as oats or quinoa, and green vegetables. Combine this with protein for a three to four hour energy boost.

Meanwhile, if you’re reading this article while also checking your emails and perhaps completing a quick manicure, stop. Oliver warns that everyone (especially women) multitasks too much these days. What was a talent is now information overload. “Do one thing at a time well,” he cautions. So don’t get disrupted.

And do take a tech break at lunchtime. Leave your screen and move about. Don’t take your BlackBerry with you.

“We spend the whole day near a screen – on the phone, iPad, TV, or PC. Unglue yourself a bit. Steal back some time and space,” Oliver says.

“Improve your health and energy levels with small changes. Try to start three new good habits a month, and you’re on the right track.”
The telegraph.

Small habits can reap big benefits

According to a new book, just a few small lifestyle changes can make you happier and healthier

Good health: regular yoga sessions can work wonders 

Victoria Lambert

7:31AM GMT 04 Mar 2013

1 Comment

Were you relieved to learn that simply getting up from your desk regularly is more effective than vigorous gym routines at preventing type 2 diabetes, according to research reported last week? If so, you’ll love the energy guru Oliver Gray’s theory that good health is all about sweating the small stuff.

Like the University of Leicester experts – who found that reducing sitting time by 90 minutes per day, just by getting up more often, could lead to important health benefits (including reduced cholesterol and blood sugar levels) – Oliver recommends thoughtful, albeit tiny, adjustments to our daily routines to boost energy and improve quality of life.

Oliver, who has just written a book Energise You (energiseyou.com), explains: “Changing your daily habits can be hugely significant – but not painful. For example, people get put off exercise when they connect it to hour-long sessions in the gym. But being active at home is just as powerful. You need to move around as much as possible – about five minutes every half-hour is manageable.”

He adds: “Try to do something every morning – a 20-minute walk or a

20-minute yoga session. Research shows that people who exercise in the morning are much more consistent exercisers long-term. Once the day gets under way, it is easier to get distracted.”

Related Articles

• Do you need pills to face the office? 
  26 Feb 2013
• Only willpower can shrink our ever-growing waistlines 
  18 Feb 2013
• How to say no 
  04 Mar 2013

This is just one of Oliver’s golden rules. The others include having a light evening meal: “If you eat a big portion in the evening you don’t digest it so well, so sleep is affected” – and staying away from technology for at least an hour before bed.

“Modern computers are very stimulating to the nervous system, so you are less likely to get a good night’s rest. I also suggest 'early to bed, early to rise’ at least four times a week. Between 10pm and 1.30am is when the best sleep happens.”

Oliver points out that a good night’s sleep means you can get up earlier, creating more time to have a healthy breakfast and perhaps take that 20-minute walk. “It sets up a virtuous cycle and a positive energy flow; it kick-starts the day.”

One of his favourite tips – others will be dispensed at the Vitality Show in London on March 22 at an energy workshop – is drinking Matcha green tea from Japan, which contains 137 times the antioxidants of regular green tea, plus the amino acids theophylline and L-Theanine, which can stimulate the brain, helping concentration. Oliver suggests you drink Matcha as part of a “super hydration” routine. “You need to get lots of liquid every day, principally from water and herbal tea, for optimum health.”

When it comes to food, he recommends replacing fast-release carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta with slow-release carbs such as oats or quinoa, and green vegetables. Combine this with protein for a three to four hour energy boost.

Meanwhile, if you’re reading this article while also checking your emails and perhaps completing a quick manicure, stop. Oliver warns that everyone (especially women) multitasks too much these days. What was a talent is now information overload. “Do one thing at a time well,” he cautions. So don’t get disrupted.

And do take a tech break at lunchtime. Leave your screen and move about. Don’t take your BlackBerry with you.

“We spend the whole day near a screen – on the phone, iPad, TV, or PC. Unglue yourself a bit. Steal back some time and space,” Oliver says.

“Improve your health and energy levels with small changes. Try to start three new good habits a month, and you’re on the right track.”
The telegraph.

Weather idiom: soggy

Soggy= thoroughly wet (empapado)

Tomatoes make sandwiches soggy.

I forgot my umbrella today, and now my jacket is really soggy.

There’s a hole in my shoe, so my socks are really soggy.