Finding Your Voice—What does that mean?
Forming that first sentence that expresses your point of view and sets the tone for what you are about to say or write will come naturally once you’ve found your voice.
For some of us, it takes years to find our voice. It’s a start and stop process. How it happens is different for each of us, but the results are the same; something finally clicks that allows information to flow in a way that people want or need to hear what you’re saying and you’re confident to express yourself without concern for what others may say or think.
Perhaps it happens after thousands of internal conversations with yourself or a respected friend or mentor said something impactful, or that ah ha moment of clarity came from a crisis event, or maybe you’ve reached a place in your personal journey where you finally… just feel free.
Feel good to know you aren’t alone in wanting to be heard. Reaching the point where people want to listen takes practice—for most of us, finding our voice doesn’t come easy. And when we’re finally confident enough to speak out, even the best and most knowledgeable will agree, practice makes perfect and the more time you spend honing your message the better that message will be. Be succinct, on point and use a tone that best represents who you are. Don’t shy away from practicing various speeches in front of the mirror, listening to yourself on tape or getting opinions from those you trust. With positive feedback your voice will exude certainty, courage, determination and presence.
I have been working with a client who has felt held back and is annoyed at herself for being lost in the confusion. She hired me to get her confidence in place. She needed a coach. It’s scary to be pushed out of your comfort zone but when you do and get positive feedback, it starts to feel like gas filling an empty tank. When you’ve found your voice, spending time carving out ideas, writing thoughts on paper, taping video, and testing different ways of using your voice to present your point of view, is a breeze and a pleasure.
My client has grown tremendously over months of working together: she found her voice. She’s taking her trade by storm; her kids and husband are seeing a difference. Once a person who stood by, now a leader.