There is a famous expression that states “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” What you consume each morning impacts how you feel for the rest of the day. When you eat a delicious, wholesome¹  breakfast you fuel yourself for the challenges you will face throughout the day.

Did you know this same principle can be applied to conquering your English in a day?

After you have started your day off on the right foot² by igniting your mind in English, it is essential to transform your breakfast time into English time. Just like how eating the right food for breakfast energizes you, creating small habits of practicing your English during breakfast everyday helps you think in English and take steps toward conquering the language.

“There is no glory in practice, but without practice there is no glory.” ~Unknown

1. Say It Out Loud

The first step in turning an ordinary breakfast into a breakfast of champions is by saying out loud the names of items of in your kitchen as you see them and specific actions that you do with each of the items.

For example, if you wanted to find something in your refrigerator to cook for breakfast, as you open to check the refrigerator, you say “I’m opening the refrigerator.” Or if you love eating omelettes for breakfast, you can say out loud the steps to making the omelette. For example:

• “First, I crack open³ two eggs”
• “Second, I add a pinch⁴ of salt”
• “Next, I mix the eggs for 30 seconds”
• “Then, I heat up oil in a pan”
• “Last, I scramble⁵ the eggs”

If you don’t know how to say or forget certain words in English, you can look them up on Google Translate. Then, write those words down on paper or on your phone so that you can practice them later. This is a great way to learn and practice the vocabulary for food and kitchen utensils.

2. Cook and Sing

Singing while you make breakfast is a fun and easy way to get your mind thinking in English in the morning. Use your breakfast time to sing along to your favorite songs in English. Not only will you be in a better mood, but you will also be improving your pronunciation at the same time. The more you listen and sing along to music in English, the more you will understand the natural rhythm and intonation that natives speak with.

If you feel intimidated⁶ by singing songs in English at first, you can start with a slower genre of music such as reggae. Generally, reggae is a lot slower and has lyrics that are easy to remember. Another advantage is that it usually promotes messages of unity, peace, love, and happiness so after singing along, you have a more positive outlook⁷ toward the rest of your day.

If you are up for⁸ a challenge, you can try to sing along to faster genres such as rap, rock, or pop. Memorizing the lyrics to a rap song is a challenging task even for natives to accomplish⁹. However, it is a great way to practice connected speech in English and learn cultural expressions and slang¹⁰ by studying the lyrics.

3. Knowledge for Breakfast

The next way you can significantly improve your English and life in general is by watching TED Talks during breakfast time. You can make the most out of your cellphone or computer during breakfast time to listen to experts from all over the world talk about what they are passionate about. The videos last about 15 minutes long on average, so it’s the perfect amount of time to watch while you finish your breakfast.

You could simply watch a TED Talk with or without subtitles in English while you eat, or you could watch it in detail and take notes throughout the video. While you can subconsciously¹¹ consume TED Talks by watching and listening to the short lectures during breakfast, if you want to take your English to the next level, it is better to take the time to analyze and understand what you watch thoroughly¹².

Here are a few inspiring TED talks that you could listen to during breakfast.

4. Eat Like You Are Famous

The final step to having a breakfast of champions in English is to eat like you are famous.

Have you ever seen your favorite singer, athlete, actor, actress, or TV host post a picture on social media of what they ate for breakfast?

They eat breakfast like the whole world is watching them. When you share what you eat for breakfast, you are likely to be more conscious about what you put into your body. You will choose healthy foods like fresh juices, yogurt, avocado toast, or omelettes, to show to your friends and followers on social media

Right before you chow down¹³ on a tasty breakfast to start the day, take a picture of your plate. Then after you finish breakfast, use this moment as an opportunity to share all the healthy ingredients that you just ate and appreciate the benefits of eating them. This is a great way to show off new vocabulary and your writing skills to the world. You could also share the lessons you learned from the TED talk that you watched.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make sure to remember the four essential steps to optimize it for practicing English. It is the perfect time to prepare yourself for the challenges you will face today. A breakfast of champions fuels not only the body, but the mind as well. Conquering your day in English starts with mastering breakfast each day by creating habits of practicing English consistently.

If you enjoyed this article, and are looking for more ways to make your English a life-changing global adventure, download a free copy of the RealLife English Manifesto: A Master Guide to RealLife Fluency and start living your English today!

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