Speak with Nick

Hi, I’m Nick Simcock, an English Language coach. I help Italians to unlock their English. A transcript of this podcast can be found in the description.

Water - love, fear and free diving

Our fascination with water is always all around us. Standing on a beach and watching the neverending waves gives me a beautiful sense of calm and clarity. Whether I’m next to a fountain in a town square, sitting on a river bank, taking a hot relaxing bath or a refreshing shower, invigorating my body with a swim, or drinking a cool glass of water, I’m constantly drawn to it: 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, H2O, water.

The human body is around 60% water. Our brain is around 70% water, so if you want to keep thinking straight remember to drink enough water. Our love of water is not surprising when you consider that we come from the oceans. Scientists are unanimous that somewhere down the evolutionary chain we used to be fish!

But it’s not all plain sailing. The fear of water is very common and somewhat natural. It goes without saying that we are not fish and water is not our normal environment. Also, according to the W.H.O. drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional death worldwide. So caution around water is always wise.

Thalassophobia is the fear of deep water and what lies beneath. I think we can attribute at least some of this fear to the famous novel Jaws by Peter Benchley from 1974 and the following film by Steven Spielberg. While a great white shark is a fearsome creature, it’s not the vindictive or cruel killer that it’s usually portrayed to be.

I always remember that when I was a child on holiday at the seaside and the conversation inevitably turned to swimming in the sea, my mum would always say the same thing, “I don’t go swimming where I can’t see the bottom, you don’t know what’s down there, do you!” And so, this narrative rubbed off on me and gave me a fear of deep water too. Thalassophobia is an irrational fear and in recent years my curiosity and subsequent love of free diving meant that I was able to overcome it.

Free diving, if you don’t know, is emerging yourself in water without an air tank and relying on the air you have in your lungs. It’s often talked of as a dangerous foolhardy activity, but with the right knowledge and buddies it’s as safe as riding a bike.

For me free diving is an amazing and exhilarating journey that makes me question my own limits and nature. It taps into our ancient aquatic past and triggers the mammalian dive reflex, which is a physiological response that lowers your heart rate and shifts your blood to your vital organs. There are many other fascinating and alluring aspects to free diving. If you’re interested, contact your local water centre and find a course or instructor.

Between my love and fear of water, love definitely wins. My fear is still present but it’s now more a form of respect and wonder.

Be safe, never dive alone, and most importantly enjoy the water!

A full transcript of this podcast can be found in the description. You can find out more about me on my website - speakwithnick.it

Ciao for now!

Hi, I’m Nick Simcock, an English Language coach. I help Italians to unlock their English.

This podcast is an extract from my free email entitled “Hope”, June 2023. A full transcript can be found here in the description.

Hi, Nick here from Speak with Nick. I hope you are well and practising your English. If not, don’t feel bad, because today is a great day to start!

A phrase I often hear from people is “I hope to improve my English. ”I want to tell you that you don't need hope! What’s more, hope could be holding you back!    

Hope is a beautiful concept. It's a lovely thing to say to someone else. Phrases like, ‘I hope you are well’, or ‘I hope your new job is going well’ are great also in written messages. They let someone know that you are genuinely interested in their well being and success.

BUT if you use hope in the first person in a phrase like ‘I hope to improve myEnglish’ it can sound like you are waiting to win the lottery, or maybe someone else to do it for you. If you base your future desires on hope then you will likely be disappointed.

The truth is, no one is going to do it for you. English will not magically appear in your head while you sleep, you must take action and create the change you want in your life!

"The great aim of education is not knowledge but action." said Herbert Spencer, an English Philosopher.

So what does taking action really mean? Many people feel lost when they think about learning a new language, it seems like a huge mountain to climb. "Where do I start?" people ask. 

Well, to climb a mountain you start from where you are and you take one step at a time. Simply practise the English you have now out loud everyday, to do the things that you need and want to do. 

As you are taking your baby steps, make notes about the words and structures that you are missing. Find the answers in books or online and integrate the English into your life in a way that has meaning for you.

If you love going for walks in nature with your dog, then practise speaking out loud about that. If you need to talk about your company’s business reports with clients in London then practise speaking out loud about that.

Watch videos online, like my Instagram account. Join an immersive language group like my Go Bilingual experience, listen and repeat the words and phrases out loud,  just like you did when you learnt your first language as a child.

Language isn’t something to study and memorise, it’s something to use! We learn by doing!

So remember, you don’t need hope, you need to take action and the rest will come naturally.

This podcast is an extract from my free email entitled “Hope”, June 2023” To learn more about me visit my website speakwithnick.it

Thanks for listening. Ciao for now!

Hi, I’m Nick Simcock, an English Language coach. I help Italians to unlock their English.

Take a deep breath! We use this phrase in English when we are about to face something challenging, exciting, maybe dangerous or frightening. So we take a deep breath with the idea of calming our nerves and making ourselves feel strong and confident.

I’ve known this phrase for as long as I can remember, but what’s the truth behind this common expression? Most of the time we don’t think about our breathing. We take it for granted like our heartbeat. It’s a natural process that doesn’t require any thought, it just happens by itself. 

But if you take the time to listen to your breathing you can learn a lot about yourself. According to Mindworks.org there are 8 breathing patterns that reveal the health state of body and mind. They include shallow, chest-only breathing, when you only use the very top of your lungs, which is a sign of stress. And also breath holding in moments of anxious expectation, such as when we check our email. But when our body and mind are in a state of health we breathe through the nostrils and deeply into the belly. Our breathing is relatively quiet, relaxed and patient.

I started to become really aware of my breathing first practising yoga, then when I began my journey into the world of freediving. Freediving or apnea is a pastime and sport where you emerge yourself underwater without an air tank and simply hold your breath for as long as you can. I’ll definitely do a podcast about my passion for freediving, but now back to the original question:

Does taking a deep breath make you calm, strong and confident? Yes without doubt, in an article on everydayhealth.com they list various benefits of deep breathing including lowering your blood pressure, managing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and helping to reduce tension headaches.

But don’t just take my word for it, try some deep breathing for yourself. Find a comfortable quiet space, you can lie down if you want, or simply sit in a comfy chair. Slowly breathe in through your nose and feel your stomach rise - gentle place one hand on your belly to feel this rising movement. Hold the breath for a second and then gently breathe out. Take 3 or 4 full, slow deep breaths. I normally breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 2 and then breathe out for 4 or more, and hold for another count of 2, and then repeat. Just do what feels comfortable for you. You can find plenty of guides online. I do deep breathing every morning to prepare for my meditation, during the day if I need to de-stress, and in bed before falling asleep.

Remember also that whatever language you are speaking it’s essential that you have enough air passing through your vocal cords to make them vibrate. So take 3 or 4 deep breaths, find your calm centre, feel your strength, let go of fear and doubt and just say it and do it!

You can find out more about me on my website www.speakwithnick.it

Ciao for now!

Hi, I’m Nick Simcock, an English Language coach. I help Italians to unlock their English. A transcript of this podcast can be found in the description.

“Go out and get some fresh air”, my Mum would often say when I was a kid. I didn’t think about it much at the time I simply went outside to play. Today when I want to suggest going out for a walk with my family I say, “shall we go and get some fresh air?”.

Fresh air is considered to be clean with a normal oxygen content which is around 21%. Our bodies need oxygen for many functions like digesting food, flexing muscles, or even just using our brain to think. When these processes happen and oxygen is consumed by our body, a waste gas is produced called carbon dioxide. When we breathe in our lungs introduce precious oxygen into our bloodstream and when we breathe out we get rid of the carbon dioxide.

Fresh air is normally found outside. The longer you stay in a small enclosed space the more you consume the oxygen in the air around you and the more you breathe out carbon dioxide. A small room can start to get pretty stuffy, making you feel tired and drowsy. Obviously, opening a window can help, as long as you don’t live in a polluted area. If you are lucky enough to live near to the countryside and green spaces then the best thing to do is to get out there and get some fresh air!

Walking among trees in a park or a wooded area will fill your lungs with fresh air. Trees not only filter out noise and air pollution, but through photosynthesis they consume carbon dioxide together with water and produce oxygen!

Here’s an interesting thought: According to the US department of agriculture, one large tree can provide one day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people. So the next time you're next to a tree don’t forget to say thanks and why not, give it a hug!

If you can, do your exercise in nature, even one short gentle walk a day will reap benefits. Deep breathing has been proven to increase the level of serotonin in your brain (the feel good chemical). So get out into nature, and take deep breaths of fresh air! Big, slow, deep breaths down into your diaphragm.

There’s a growing body of evidence and research that connects regular time in green spaces with health and wellbeing. I’m convinced it’s true. Nearly everyday I walk in nature for around 30 minutes and I’m sure that it helps me to maintain my mental and physical health.

In my next podcast I’m going to talk about the importance of breathing. 

In the meantime, get out into nature, hug the trees, and get some fresh air! 

You can find out more about me on my website - speakwithnick.it

Ciao for now!

Hi, I’m Nick Simcock, an English Language coach. I help Italians to unlock their English. A transcript of this podcast can be found in the description.

I’m recording this podcast on a Sunday Morning. The house is quiet and I have some precious time to myself. 

In most Western countries, whether you’re religious or not, Sunday is known as a day of rest, but maybe things are a little different nowadays.

I grew up in England and I remember when shops were not allowed to open on a Sunday. The Sunday Trading Act of 1994 governs the right of shops in England and Wales to trade on a Sunday. Prior to 1994 buying and selling on Sunday had been illegal. I was 23 years old in 1994 and when the law changed I remember thinking, great I can buy stuff on Sunday! But I also remember other people weren’t so happy, and now I have to say I understand why, we need a day of rest!

As someone who grew up in England I always consider Sunday to be the last day of the week, after Saturday the second and final day of the Weekend. But that’s not the same in other parts of the world.

According to Wikipedia on their page entitled Sunday: The International Organization for Standardization’s recognizes Sunday as the seventh day of the week, while in the United States, Canada, Japan, the Philippines, and most of South America, Sunday is recognised as the first day of the week.

That’s why on Western digital calendars there is the option to set Monday or Sunday as the first day of the week. 

The name for Sunday (according to dictionary.com) stems from the [15 Century] Middle English Language word sunnenday, which itself comes from the [5th Century] Old English word sunnandæg, the translation from the Latin diēs sōlis day of the sun.

To conclude I’d like to suggest that Sunday is the perfect time to stop and reflect on where you are and where you want to go in life. One step at a time.

If you’re here because you want to improve your English, then I suggest first going for a walk (preferably in nature) to clear your head, and then set yourself a simple task for the week. Put pen to paper, write it down - if it’s only in your head it’s just an idea or a dream and it can float away - write it down now in your diary or in a notebook and make it real!We are habitual creatures, our habits create our lives. So, one great new habit could be to talk in English OUT LOUD by yourself for 5 minutes everyday about something you are doing, something like cooking, getting dressed, or your work. Start with the English you know and make notes about what you need to add. This is a great way to practise your English, because we learn by doing and this practice everyday will normalise the use of English for you. Remember mistakes are a normal part of the learning process, just start speaking!

Whatever you plan to do today, and whatever day it is for you today, I wish you positive, peaceful and relaxing Sundays!

You can find out more about me on my website - speakwithnick.it

Ciao for now!

Hi, I’m Nick Simcock, an English Language coach. I help Italians to unlock their English. This podcast is an extract from my free email entitled “Unblock the words, May 2023”. To receive my emails visit speakwithnick.it.

Hi, Nick here from Speak with Nick. I hope you are well and practising your English. If not, don’t feel bad, because today is a great day to start!

Unblock the words, unlock your English!

If you, like many Italians that I help, are good at reading and understanding written English but you haven’t done enough listening and speaking out loud you will have many blocked words.

A blocked word - is a word that you can read and understand but you don’t know how to pronounce it, this creates a mental block in your speaking. You are unsure how to say it and so you avoid speaking.

If you want to speak confidently in English and also understand what other people are saying, you must actively practise pronunciations out loud to unlock the words you want to use. This means using wordreference.com or other online resources to listen to and repeat the correct pronunciation.

The correct pronunciation doesn’t always come instantly, sometimes it takes many attempts to get it right. Just like anything, practice makes progress, so don’t give up at the second attempt!

TOP TIP: When practising your pronunciation, occasionally place your fingers in your ears so you can hear your own voice in your head to check if it's similar to the original! If not, don’t worry, experiment like a child to find the right sounds - have fun and remember it doesn’t have to be perfect!

As well as the essential act of speaking out loud, you will make stronger connections in your memory if you write out the word by hand, also breaking it down into syllables. A quality website like wordreference will also place a small apostrophe before the stressed syllable.

Last but not least, you must remember that your memory needs to connect words and phrases to meaning or it will simply forget very quickly. So make sure you put your blocked word into a phrase that is super meaningful to you, and if you can do the phrase while you practise it out loud all the better - we learn by doing!

Do you have blocked words? Do you have any questions for me? I’d be delighted to hear from you!

Speak to you soon,

Ciao for now!

This podcast is an extract from my free email entitled “Unblock the words - May 2023”. To receive my emails visit speakwithnick.it

Thanks for listening!