This is an All Ears English episode.
Are you starting something new?
Two idioms to get the ball rolling.
Welcome to the All Ears English podcast downloaded more than 200 million times.
Are you feeling stuck with your English?
We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American host, Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz, and Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, USA.
When you ask a friend about something new they've started.
It's one of the best ways to connect in English.
Today, learn two idioms that will help you shake things up when it comes to your English conversations.
Plus, you'll hear about a special offer to start something new today.
Lindsay, how are you?
Hey, Aubrey, I'm feeling great.
How are you?
What's going on?
Excellent.
Excellent.
I have a question for you.
Okay.
It's fall, right?
I feel like fall is such a good time for starting new things.
People are starting school.
Maybe we're starting fitness goals.
But so my question is, what about you?
Have you started anything new lately?
Oh my gosh, that's a great question.
I am dreaming of starting a dance class.
I want to, because I'm not a very good dancer, never really have been.
And I would love to take like a hip hop dance class or just a modern dance class and video, or it didn't happen.
Have you ever heard that expression?
People are like pictures or it didn't happen or like video or it didn't happen.
You're saying like, I want to see some video.
I'm not going to send you a video.
I want to see video posted on our social media.
I love that though.
That's so fun.
It's an aspiration.
So let's see if I can do it.
But yeah, that is something.
That's my big thing for the fall.
So let's make sure I commit to that.
What about you, Aubrey?
Are you doing anything, committing to anything new this September?
You know, I am going to recommit to something I stopped doing.
We have a indoor bike, a Peloton, and I was really good about doing a ride most days.
And I'll bet it's been two weeks since I did a ride.
So I need to start back up again.
Right.
I need to recommit.
I miss it.
I really loved it.
And I feel it affecting me physically, too.
I'm like breathing heavily as I get up to the top of the stairs.
I'm like, oh, boy.
OK, I need to get. back into the swing of things.
Well, it's funny because we were on our fluency party last night and we were talking about exercise.
And a lot of students said that they were in an exercise lull at the moment, which actually kind of surprised me because it's been summer.
You know, but people are busy with work and life and still busy.
And sometimes when it's really hot out, you don't feel like working out.
Oh my gosh.
Especially where you live.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I love that word lull.
Just kind of like a lower amount of activity.
Yeah.
And that happens to the best of us.
So we're there with you.
All of you listeners, if you're in an exercise lull, we'll do this together.
Jumpstart our fitness routines.
We'll do it together.
A good little challenge there.
That's a bonus for today, by the way.
Lull.
It's a lull.
It's a, as you said, it's kind of a lapse in activity.
It's when something goes down, something slows down or kind of stops.
Yeah.
And we also hear this a lot.
If people are talking about being out on a ship and there are like waves, there's a lot of like, there's a storm and then the calm after the storm, they'll call that a lull.
Yes.
That's just like slower lack of activity or lack of movement.
Right.
So we use that in lots of different ways.
Be sure to get the app if you don't have it.
That'll definitely be helpful. in the app.
Oh, for sure.
For sure.
Yes.
I love it.
And so what are we getting into today, Aubrey?
What are we going to teach our listeners in this very special bonus episode?
What are we talking about?
This is such a great connection skill to ask something.
Ask someone, a friend or a coworker about something they have started or are about to start.
People get excited about new goals or something they've started recently.
So we're going to teach you guys two idioms that are really fun for talking about something new.
Yes, and the reason we're getting into this is that you guys know that All Ears English is sponsored by Rosetta Stone.
So this is a special episode.
We're gonna talk about.
What can we do to really get our language learning started this fall, and how can we talk about it?
It's really a connection skill when we commit to something.
We just had a little connection moment there where I said I want to pick up a dance class.
And now you learned that I'm not a dancer.
And now we can go on about that skill, right?
Starting something new is inspiring.
So it's a connection moment right here.
Absolutely.
And if someone asks you like what's something new that you've either started or about to start talking about, starting to learn a new language is the perfect answer, right?
So, if you haven't right, you're learning English, but think of all the other languages you could pick up and at least learn a little bit.
Be ready to travel somewhere.
And this app we've started using Rosetta Stone is so perfect for that.
So we want to make sure that you guys are aware of this special offer that they are giving to All Ears English for a limited time.
Yeah.
And maybe you've heard us mention it in the last few episodes, the last couple of months, but this is the time right now.
This is the key moment.
You know, maybe your kids are going back to school.
They're getting aligned with their goals.
This is the time to go over and get this special deal that we have.
So right now guys, All Ears English listeners can get Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership now for 40 off.
Yes, that's just 179 for unlimited access to 25 different language courses for the rest of your life.
So guys, you can redeem your 40 off at rosettastonecom.
Slash A-E-E today and use coupon code A-E-E.
And I'll just go ahead and spell that to make sure our listeners can type that into their URL.
Right,
It's R-O-S-E-T-T-A-S-T-O-N-E dot com slash A-E-E.
So go over there now, guys.
Grab that special deal.
Get on board with starting something new, right?
Because this is kind of what makes life alive, right?
It makes us alive.
It's refreshing, right?
I remember when I started learning Arabic back in the spring, I just felt so refreshed.
Absolutely.
Right.
You don't want to have nothing to say when someone says something new you're doing lately.
Right.
Pick up a new language with Rosetta Stone.
So you have something interesting to say.
An app like this is a great way to learn new phrases like the ones we're going to teach you today.
Right.
You're learning this great way to connect with friends and coworkers.
And then you have the vocabulary to do it in lots of different languages.
All right.
I love it.
So assuming you guys are going over getting that special deal done.
From Rosetta Stone.
Now we're going to give you the expressions to talk about getting started with the language.
Yeah, with a new language.
Absolutely.
Good stuff.
All right.
So it could be English, of course, that you guys are working on, or it could be another language, right?
Maybe we want to expand beyond learning English.
We want to learn something else.
There are 25 languages over there.
Aubrey, what's the first expression for our listeners today?
All right.
This idiom is get the ball rolling, which just means to get started with something new.
So, for example, you might want to say I've been wanting to learn to play the guitar and I finally got the ball rolling and signed up for a class.
So it's just a really fun way to say you've gotten something started, that you've started something new.
And I find that mentally there's a real it's about the endowed progress effect.
If we can do something to get the ball rolling, because I look at a task sometime and I think, oh my gosh, how do I even start?
Do you get that, Aubrey?
Oh, yeah.
It's so easy to procrastinate when there's a lot to do or maybe the first step is very challenging.
It's so easy to put it off like, oh, I'll do that later.
It's hard.
But then if you know what that first step is like for example, in this case it's signing up over there with Rosetta Stone
If you know what that first step is, you just do that step and you're already... making progress.
It sounds silly, but I actually think there's a mental shift we can create if we do those things.
Absolutely.
Well, and then you're investing in yourself that creates so much more motivation.
Now you're like, okay, you know, I've got this lifetime membership.
Now I'm going to dedicate a certain amount of time each day to actually move forward with this goal.
Or another example we've talked about this on the podcast before.
Another example would be if you have a project, just setting up a spreadsheet and making columns of how you're going to track whatever you're doing, if you're a spreadsheet type person yes absolutely yeah yeah yeah, for sure, for sure.
Whatever it is, you need to feel like an outline or a map.
Maybe get a whiteboard.
Go buy the whiteboard, put it up on your wall, get some nice markers.
That is step one To move to getting going with this project.
So I love it.
So here's another example.
Really quick.
I want to share.
I feel like that's one thing that's really built into the Rosetta Stone app that I've loved.
Like, if you're not a spreadsheet type person, you have like, the units and lessons are so clear, and then they mark off and they're completed.
You can see your progress on there.
So it's kind of like built into an app like that.
So that's really nice too.
Then you can see your progress towards a goal.
Yeah, I think all successful people in the world.
They know, they understand how their mind works right.
They understand what's encouraging, what's discouraging.
And they do these things that let them get that edge towards achieving their goals.
And the progress effect is one of them, right?
So if we have an app that marks our work off, just all the better for getting to our goal.
I love it.
So motivating.
Yes.
Okay.
I want to say the second example because I'm realizing it's very applicable.
Oh my gosh.
To what you said at the beginning of the lesson, I might say to Lindsay, you've been talking about taking dance classes for years.
It's time to get the ball rolling, Lindsay.
Did you change that example in our outline?
That was always the example.
How funny is that?
Weird.
That's weird.
That is accurate.
So maybe it was in the back of my mind, because I feel like you've shared wanting to take dance classes.
Well, I used to take capoeira.
So I was into capoeira for a year or so.
But I find it hard because you have to be barefoot.
And I just feel like my feet just take a beating on the floor.
And so now I'm thinking, let's do a class where I can keep my shoes on.
There you go.
So all right.
So to get the ball rolling, guys, super native and natural.
What's the second one?
What's the second little...
Yes, the second idiom is to shake things up.
So this is talking about starting something new, to make significant changes in sort of an already established system.
So this is more the idea of like, I want to really do something new.
I want to shake off the monotony of life.
I want to be excited about something.
That's when we use this idiom.
Oh my gosh.
And just the little things can do this for us, right?
For example, I need to shake things up.
I think I'm going to start learning a new language.
And what if we chose a language that was totally foreign to us?
Something like Chinese or something.
If we've never learned a language that is a tonal language or different structures?
What if we just totally put ourselves out of our comfort zone?
How inspiring.
That's what I did, Lindsay.
So I've learned Spanish and French pretty well.
And when I first started using Rosetta Stone, I selected Italian because I was being lazy.
Well, I mean, I love Italian.
It's beautiful.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But also I'm like, okay, it's similar to Spanish and French.
I'm going to pick this up so fast.
And then I saw the list of all the languages, these 25 languages.
And I was like, okay, or Chinese.
And I went into Chinese and I was like, it is true, it challenges your brain.
It's so good to shake things up like that, like let's do something totally different.
Oh, it's amazing.
I mean i remember, you know, looking at the arabic alphabet and trying to make sense of how the the characters come together, your brain gets kind of you're bending your brain in a way.
That is like i said before it's refreshing, it's a great break from the day.
We take 15 minutes out of our work day and do that.
It's so good.
So, shake things up.
Um, another expression go to a new restaurant this weekend just to shake things up.
How often do you guys go to new restaurants in town?
Do you tend maybe i've asked you this before, but do you tend to go back to the same places or do you like to shake things up both?
Really, there are certainly some places that we tend to go back again and again because we know we love them.
But if a new place opens up close by, this is us we're like all right, let's shake things up and and try out this new place.
And yeah, i like to check out the new spots, Yeah.
Well, Denver is not a huge food city, sadly, but I'm not a big foodie either, but I miss New York.
I miss just the incredible level of food of cuisine that you could get in a city like that.
We have a handful of good restaurants.
Um.
So yeah, we try to shake it up sometimes, but it's more about breweries here and hiking and just being outdoors than restaurants.
Which is also awesome.
Which is also good.
What I don't miss about New York is we never found a good Mexican restaurant.
And there are like thousands of good Mexican restaurants in Arizona.
So I love Mexican food.
Yeah, that's one thing I've noticed about living in the West versus the East Coast.
There's not really very good Mexican food on the East Coast at all.
It's true.
And it's so good out here.
Lots of options, but not so much that way.
Or even just a simple like taco truck, food trucks are really good out here, which is cool.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, let's do a role play here and use these idioms in a conversation.
In this role play, you and I are friends who ran into each other at the grocery store.
Okay, here we go.
I'll start us out.
Ready?
Yep.
What have you been up to?
Started anything new lately?
Yes.
You know how I always wanted to start my PhD?
I finally got the ball rolling on that.
Oh, exciting.
Do you know what school you'll be attending?
Not yet, but I've applied to several places.
I'd love to do something like that to shake things up.
You'll have to let me know how it goes.
Oh, that would be a shake up.
Yes, it would, right?
It's not a small project.
It's not a side project to start a PhD.
Wow.
So true.
Yeah, I do.
I do have friends that have done that, once their kids are all in school and they have a little more time.
They're like, yeah, I'm going to go back.
I'm going to get my PhD.
And that's a big lifestyle change.
Wow.
Exciting.
Exciting.
Super exciting.
I love the idea of going so deep into one thing that you become like the world's number one expert.
On the one thing.
How amazing would that be?
Like anthills or something.
Something very specific.
So all right.
So here we go.
Back to these idioms.
So you said, what have you been up to?
Started anything new lately?
And I said, yeah, you know how I always wanted to start my PhD.
I finally got the ball rolling.
And I added something there.
I said, I finally got the ball rolling on that.
Kind of just ties up the whole thing to be more specific.
This is so native and natural.
Instead of saying, yeah, I finally started.
I finally did it.
That's right.
This is so much more interesting to throw in this fun idiom.
Oh, my gosh, for sure.
It makes you more human, makes you more likely to connect.
They're going to they're going to want to ask you a follow up question at that point.
Right.
Yes, absolutely.
Which I did.
Right.
I was like, OK, what school are you going to?
And then I said, I'd love to do something like that to shake things up.
Right.
And this is again so fun to throw in an idiom instead of saying to do something new, to to have a change in life, like throw in a fun idiom.
Yeah, guys.
So again, your textbooks will show you that.
But here on All Ears English, we like to show you the real English.
And it's another great thing you can add on to your repertoire of learning over at Rosetta Stone.
So let's go through the takeaway today first, and then remind our listeners where they can grab the Rosetta Stone app.
What's our takeaway?
Where should we finish today's episode?
Yeah, guys, this is a great way to connect. to ask someone about something new they have started.
It's something exciting for them to share about themselves.
And then you can share something new you started.
What a great skill for connection.
Yeah.
I also think like a life hack here could be that we just on any given day when we have a little time, we sit down and write down a list of kind of off the wall things we could do to shake things up.
Because I feel like for me, Aubrey, I get into my daily routines and I'm pretty routine.
Like I'm working, I'm going to the gym, I'm eating dinner, I'm going to bed.
It's like, there's no space to come up with what could I do to shake it up?
So I have a list.
So then I could go back, hey, let's try this tonight.
Let's try this.
What do you think about that idea?
I love that idea.
Then you're much more likely to start something new and you have more to talk about when someone asks you about it, right?
That's part of it is just like be thinking of new things to do, be shaking things up so that you have something interesting to talk about at a party or with friends.
That's kind of a really key point right that we've talked about before on this podcast.
You actually have to do new things.
You actually have to consume media watch movies, read the newspaper, pay attention to what's going on in the world, to be an interesting person, to be able to connect.
So starting a new language, maybe a brand new one, would be one way to do it, or deepening our English as well.
Aubrey, where could our listeners go to get that special deal just for the audience?
Yes, guys.
If you've been wanting to start using a language app, now is the time.
You can get 40% off a lifetime membership at Rosetta Stone.
So go to rosettastone.com slash A-E-E and use the coupon code A-E-E.
All right.
Good stuff.
Thanks for hanging out.
I'm inspired to make that list now and try some new things this fall.
Good stuff.
Yes.
Awesome.
Excited to hear about it.
I need to make a list too.
Have something to say when you go to a party.
Yeah, right.
I know.
You want to be a good conversationalist for sure.
All right.
Thanks for hanging out today, Aubrey.
I'll see you back here very soon.
Awesome.
Thanks, Lindsay.
Bye.
Bye.
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