Have you ever wondered how to make your voice a little more powerful, a little more magical? Having just undergone minor throat surgery last week, I’ve had a lot of time to think about my own voice, or temporary lack thereof. And not surprisingly, I realised, that I’ve taken my voice for granted. But actually, voice is a metaphor for so much more than just the words that we speak. Whilst we might want to speak with rich, velvety voices like Mariella Frostrup or Morgan Freeman, truly powerful voices have something more, an inner truth and integrity. Martin Luther King with his ‘I have a Dream’ speech comes to my mind, but there are so many more examples and I am sure you have many of your own.
So, I thought it might be useful to write a list of ways in which we can make our own voices more empowered.
Step No 1 – Speak Your Truth
I think this is possibly the most important of all and of course, it’s easier said than done. It’s so easy to keep quiet and not disturb the status quo by saying what we really think. I’m not talking of rudeness, such as telling a hostess that her dinner was actually quite revolting. But, I am talking about you saying what is really important to you, channeling your inner wisdom, communicating your own truths and recognising that what you have to say, really does matter.
There are so many, (individuals, organisations and particular segments of society), who would rather that you and I did not speak our truths. Indeed, having the freedom to speak our individual and collective truths, is a mark of a great democracy and something that we should fight to uphold. Even so, it has long been the norm to downplay, what we really think in order to fit in, to get along. Now movements such as #MeToo and revelations about institutionalised child abuse, have shown how important it is to speak up. You are important and so is your voice! So let’s agree to speak our truth as often as possible.
Step No 2 – Never Forget The Power Of Your Words
Recently, I’ve had a few instances of people thanking me for the helpful words that I spoke some long time ago when the individual was at a point of crisis. It’s very flattering, but I have no idea what on earth it is that I was supposed to have said. (Indeed, I could do with a bit of wisdom myself)! Last week, I even bumped into a lovely man, whose acquaintance I briefly made some years back, he said, he’d never forget that profound conversation we’d had! Sadly, I had. So people, do recognise that your words have power, whether you realise it or not. What you have to say, just might be of profound importance to somebody else, we just might not realise it at the time. This means that it is incumbent on you to try and be as clear, considerate and compassionate as possible. What means little to you, may be of great significance to another. And of course, we don’t recognise it at the time.
Also, please be careful of the names we call each other and words hurled in anger, they just might have a long term impact.
Step No 3 – Speak From The Heart, Use Your Voice To Say How You Really Feel
I don’t know if you, like me, are turned off by those people who manage to smile with their mouths, but not with their eyes? Well, there is a verbal equivalent too. I think recently I’ve listened to politicians, of all flavours, on both sides of The Pond, all spilling some verbiage, saying what we the public are supposed to want to hear. It’s revolting. Lying was once frowned upon and now it’s so pervasive, it has become the norm, sadly. However, somebody actually speaking from their heart and saying how it is, such as Greta Thumberg, a sixteen year old Swedish schoolgirl, is so powerful. Even when attempts are made to shut her up, she manages to still speak her truth and speak from the heart. How refreshing, and sadly, how revolutionary in our present society!
Step No 4 – Speak with Authority, Make sure you are heard
Sadly, sometimes people just don’t want to listen. It then becomes necessary to keep saying what we think, what we believe until we are heard. And of course, there are so many ways to ‘speak’, not just verbal communication, but also letters, social media, how we dress and present ourselves, the tone of voice and choice of words which we use, even. If our society is to evolve into something better, then we really must make sure that we are heard and of course this means that we have to be able to listen well too.
Step No 5 – Use your Voice to Speak for Others
Not everyone has a voice. Who defends the defenceless? Who speaks for the animals and plants lost in the Australian landscape? Who speaks for the oppressed workers living and working in ridiculous conditions, in order to provide the West with more lovely clothes or newer smart phones? Many people don’t have a voice, or aren’t listened to. In some societies, it is too dangerous for people to speak freely, to reveal who they are. So, those of us in privileged positions must use our voices to advocate for others, for our wonderful earth who struggles so much, for the biosystems beleagured by plastic and for people whose own voices just can’t be heard, for whatever reason.
Having a voice is a privilege. We must learn to speak our truth. We must speak for others when they can’t. Above all we must be speak with kindness and integrity.