This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2548.
Absorb these English phrasal verbs.
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The best moments in life are when your brain turns off and you become completely present, especially in nature.
Today get four things you can say when you are totally absorbed in a moment for a great connection.
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Hey there, Aubrey.
How's it going?
I'm great.
How are you, Lindsay?
Yeah, really good.
We're actually recording this in December.
Aubrey, have you had any experiences lately where you just paused to soak it in?
You know, you just absorbed?
I feel like those moments do happen around the holidays.
And the other day I had wrapped some presents and the twins.
I have a son and a daughter who are both 11.
They're twins.
And they were kind of organizing the presents and categorizing everyone, seeing who had how many and.
But then I was watching them and they just stopped and they both were kind of just staring at the tree, the Christmas tree, with the ornaments and the lights.
And I'm trying to I think one of them kind of put their arm around the other one.
And that doesn't happen that much.
So I did.
I just kind of paused to soak in that feeling of like, oh, and I'm going to last forever.
I'm imagining Christmas carols on in the background.
The perfect scene.
Absolutely.
I love it.
I love it.
Amazing.
So clearly when you pause to soak it in, it's a joyful or like awe-stricken moment kind of, right?
Absolutely, right?
When it's almost like there's so much emotion that you want to take a moment to enjoy it, to appreciate it.
That's amazing.
That's so great.
That's what life is about, right?
And we want to be able to talk about it, because when we talk about those moments, that builds connections.
Absolutely.
Right.
If you can ask someone about these moments, a time they pause to soak it all in.
Absolutely.
That's a great way to connect.
But this is interesting.
This is part two of a series.
We in the part one, we talked about the meanings of take in.
There are several in English.
Stay to the end and we'll share details if you missed that episode.
But we promise to follow up with part two with other ways to say take it in or take it all in.
Meaning, you know, to understand something completely or to really appreciate the importance of something.
Yes, I'm excited.
I'm excited to get into this.
There's so many things in life we could take in and to be able to have words for it is huge.
So guys, if you love these series that we're doing, go ahead and hit the follow button.
Or if you just love our philosophy of connection, not perfection.
We're going to find for you the moment of connection in everything we're teaching and show you how to do it.
Right.
So we can have better relationships, better friendships in our, better business relationships in our lives.
Yes, that's definitely the best way to take it all in when it comes to this podcast.
Make sure that you follow so that you're not missing episodes.
Exactly.
So let's get right into it.
The first one I asked you at the very top, let's make sure we define that for our listeners.
Soak it in, Aubrey.
Yeah.
So this means to really take that time to appreciate something, to understand something, to really value how important or how meaningful something is.
Yep.
So the audience sat quietly to soak in every word of the inspiring speech, right?
Or we stood on the beach at sunset, just soaking it in.
So something is impactful, is meaningful or wonderful, and you want to take that time to absorb it.
Yeah.
And of course, this is totally different from the meaning of sitting in a bathtub and soaking.
Yeah.
Right.
Because we also have soak in the phrasal verb, like you soak in a tub.
Soak in a tub, but different, right?
Because we're just soaking somewhere.
Where are we soaking?
Soaking in the tub, soaking in the hot tub, the bubble bath.
Exactly.
So this is idiomatic.
It's important you use it word for word.
We say soak it in.
I need to soak We can just say soak in.
The context would be important.
Like, I just need to sit here and soak in this joy or this beauty.
Because we'll often say that about like a view.
If you're at the top of a mountain, I just want to soak in this view.
Yeah, it's really common for views, sunsets, nature, right?
I don't know, a walk in the forest.
You soak in that feeling of the freshness of the trees, right?
Exactly.
So then I guess it's just context, because yeah, we do have this other meaning of that phrasal verb to soak in a tub.
You're literally getting wet.
Or to soak a sponge in water, right?
But this is idiomatic meaning to absorb the meaningfulness, the impact of something.
Exactly.
And a more descriptive, or let's say a more straightforward way of saying it, would just be to say absorb it.
So he took a deep breath to absorb it all before responding.
And this could be, I guess this could be negative too.
Like someone said something rude to you and you had to absorb it and then respond, right?
Yes, right.
It took me a minute to absorb what they had said.
Yeah, exactly.
Anything you need to process.
Yes, process.
I like, that's a good way to say it, to process, to let it sink in, right?
Sink in is another one.
Yes, right.
Gosh.
These are these other words when it's more about processing. information.
We say we need to let it sink in.
We need to process it.
We need to absorb it.
Or for example, it's hard to absorb it at once when there's so much information in a lecture.
I'm sure we've all been there in school in a classroom situation where there's so much information thrown at you and you're like I feel like I'm missing a lot of this.
Yeah.
I felt that way in my intro to bio class, bio 101 freshman year in college.
I was just blown away with how much info and just how poorly I was.
I was just barely hanging on.
I was like, this is crazy.
I can't do this.
I can't take notes fast enough for everything I need to go home and learn.
Yeah, yeah.
And then there's my roommate, of course, that cracks open the book the night before the test and gets an A.
I do not know how she did it, but she did it.
It's crazy.
Probably had a photographic memory.
I would have wished for one of those.
I know.
Yeah.
I know.
All right.
And then take it all in.
Also another great way of talking about this sense of being awestruck.
So what would be an example?
Yeah, we stood at the rim of the Grand Canyon and tried to take it all in.
So yeah, that definitely means there's like something awe-inspiring, something more than your eyes or your emotions can handle.
You need a little time to take it all in.
Aubrey, are you the person that gets up?
Like, if you're at a national park with your family, will you get up for the sunrise or not so much, or just wait for the sunset?
Yes.
I love to get up for the sunrise.
Even earlier, we were in Moab.
And in the middle of the night at like 2 a.m., you couldn't believe how clear the sky was.
You could see the whole Milky Way.
And so we'd set an alarm and get up at 2 a.m. just to appreciate the stars in the middle of nowhere.
But yes, also sunrise.
I'm like, I'm getting up.
I'm going to watch the sunrise in this beautiful place.
Yeah, I am that person.
Usually there's like a hike involved often to get the best view.
Yeah, but yeah, I do.
I have a lot of great photos of my travels around the world and a lot of them were like early morning, getting up early to take in something.
Absolutely.
I don't regret it.
Everybody out there.
If you're not getting up early for some sunrises, you are missing a lot of beauty.
But I know it's hard to wake up early if you're a person that likes to sleep in.
It's hard.
It's hard, but it's worth it.
Here's another example.
She sat in the gallery and took it all in, taking time to observe each painting carefully and Yeah.
I mean, if you're really into art, you could go to the Met or something or the Louvre and just take it all in.
Just get totally absorbed in it.
You'll see someone standing in front of a painting for a long time just taking it all in.
I was always bummed when I was in Europe and I wouldn't have very much time for a museum.
So I didn't have that time to take it all in.
I would feel rushed always.
Oh, geez.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
For sure.
And then drink it in.
So what is this for specifically?
Yeah, we usually use this for beautiful sites as well, right?
We paused to drink in the breathtaking view of the mountains.
This is sort of poetic right, it's a.
It's a beautiful way of saying that I need to drink.
In this view yeah, this is when you're really looking to be.
I think poetic is a great way to say it.
You're looking for to go above and beyond with your language a bit right.
Yes yeah, and I will hear parents say this too when they're talking about how time flies when their children are young.
They'll say I'm just trying to drink in every moment, like you're trying to appreciate the good times that you know are so fleeting.
Mm hmm,
Makes sense.
And then I don't think we did this last one yet.
He sat on the porch in the evening drinking in the peaceful sounds of nature.
Wow.
Sounds great.
This is my dad.
He sits on his porch.
He's just listening to the birds and the trees or just drinking in nature.
I love it because they live in the middle of nowhere.
Yeah.
The crickets in the summer evenings.
Yes.
What is happiness if it's not that, Aubrey, right?
You know, I love that too.
I love just listening.
We have cicadas here and they get really loud actually, but I love it.
I love listening to them.
Yeah, I love that.
I love the sounds of summer at night.
Love it.
So good.
Absolutely.
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All right, let's really go for it with this role play here, Aubrey.
So here we are at an outdoor music festival.
Let's do it.
You want to start us out?
Yeah.
All right.
Wow.
Look at the sunset behind the stage.
Soak it in, Aubrey.
Moments like this don't happen often.
That is beautiful.
I'm going to take a minute to drink it in.
This has been such an amazing festival.
It's almost hard to take it all in.
The crowd, the energy, all the amazing bands.
Seriously, I think I'm going to need a few days to absorb the experience.
Yeah.
Sometimes we just have these magical weekends or experiences or events know right every now, and then you're like i feel like i do need that time to like process after, to let everything soak in how wonderful it was.
Yeah totally, totally.
So let's see what we said here.
So i mentioned the sunset behind the stage and we're already probably in a really good mood because we've been listening to good music and i said soaking in aubrey right, encouraging you to be present.
Yeah,
So like maybe I'm on my phone.
Right.
And you're like, look at the sunset.
Soak it in.
Moments like this don't happen a lot.
I'm envisioning.
Have you ever been to the gorge in is it Oregon?
It's this beautiful outdoor venue where the backdrop are these cliffs.
OK.
I saw fish there.
And it's just amazing.
It's the most breathtaking background.
So like the music's amazing and the view is stunning.
This is where you're like, got to soak it in.
Yeah.
I mean, yeah.
Sometimes there's just no replacement for natural beauty.
You know, like natural scenery is incredible.
So that makes sense there.
And then you said, I'm going to take a minute to drink it in.
Right.
Maybe I sat down my phone.
I'm like, you're right.
I need to take a minute to drink it in.
So this is definitely implying that there's a lot here that you could find awe-inspiring, that you could be emotional about, and you need that time to drink it in, to process those emotions.
And just keep in mind, you can't say eat it in, right?
Good point.
These are definitely idiomatic.
Yeah.
We have to learn these as idioms, not as any kind of words that apply in other ways.
Or even other ways that we say drink.
You couldn't say gulp it in or swallow it in.
No, just drink it in.
Sip it in.
No, sip it in.
We can't say that.
Yeah, good to know.
And then I said, this has been an amazing festival.
It's almost hard to take it all in.
Right.
The crowd, the energy, and I'm listing off what's been so great about it.
Yeah.
And this is interesting for people who get overstimulated easily.
They might say this, like, I'm having a hard time taking this all in.
It's more like there's so much going on that I'm overstimulated.
Yeah, that can happen.
For sure.
For sure.
And then what did you say, Aubrey?
I said, I think I'm going to need a few days to absorb the experience.
And this happens.
I don't know if everyone out there listening has this experience, but when something really awesome happens, or fun or I do sometimes I'll just think about it for a couple of days, kind of absorbing the experience.
But then I wonder now with phones, I mean, are we going to lose these moments more and more, Aubrey?
Or, you know, can we be fully present with a phone in our hands?
It is harder, right?
And the last couple of times I have gone to a concert, you're like watching it through other people's phones, because everyone has a phone up filming.
It's blocking the stage.
All you can see is everyone else's phones.
I want to go back to the nineties.
Me too.
So we did one, one asterisk here.
We did mention the phrase, let it sink in.
Right.
But it's not, it's kind of a similar meaning, but not exactly the same.
Right.
Yeah.
These are a little different, right?
This is so we're going to do part three with let it sink in and a few other phrases that have that same meaning.
So definitely hit follow.
And then we want to share part one to this series.
If you missed it, scroll up.
It was 2542.
Take in phrasal verbs to connect in English with all the meanings of take in.
Yeah.
And I feel like the takeaway is probably being present in life and then describing it, putting it into words with whoever's with us in that moment, or recounting our experience.
I mean, this is the good stuff.
Right, Aubrey?
Yes.
Right.
Sharing with others what took you some time to absorb, to take it all in.
Right.
And asking other people about their experiences that that is such a great way to connect, to share and to learn about what was emotional for others.
Yeah.
Very cool.
Very cool.
All right.
Great stuff today, Aubrey.
I'll see you back on the show very soon.
All right.
You have a good rest of your day.
You too.
See you next time.
Bye.
Bye.
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