Meaning of IN MY ELEMENT and OUT OF MY ELEMENT - A Short English Lesson with Subtitles

So in English, if I say that I am in my element

when I am doing something,

it means that I am very comfortable doing that thing.

It means that I enjoy doing that thing.

And I'm probably pretty good at doing that thing.

I am in my element when I am teaching.

I don't mind being in front of the classroom.

I don't mind sharing knowledge with students.

I don't mind all of the things that go along with teaching.

I am in my element when I am teaching.

I am also in my element when I am driving my tractor

in the field.

I love farming.

I love driving my tractor.

So I am in my element when I am teaching,

and I am in my element when I am driving my tractor.

Some of you might be in your element

when you are a fixing car.

Maybe you are in your element when you are reading a book.

Maybe you are in your element

when you are in a crowd of people

and just talking to everyone.

So when you're in your element,

it means that you are enjoying what you are doing

and good at it.

There is an opposite to this, though.

The opposite is if I was to say I am out of my element,

it means that I am not comfortable doing what I am doing

and I might not be very good at it.

I am out of my element when it comes to fixing cars.

I am not a very mechanical person.

So if my car is broken, I take it to the garage

so that a mechanic can fix it,

because I am out of my element

when it comes to fixing things.

So to repeat, if I am in my element,

it means I am good at it, I am enjoying it,

and I am comfortable at it.

And if I am out of my element,

it means that I'm not good at it

and I'm uncomfortable doing it,

and I probably don't enjoy it very much.

So I am definitely out of my element

when I am trying to fix my cars.

Anyways, Bob the Canadian here,

and you're learning English with me every day,

and I hope you're having a great day.