Speaking ‘to the one’ is a strategy I enjoy and employ myself. It can help bring focus on your ideal audience member, feel more conversational, and hone your focus. However, before focusing on the external, what is possible if speaking to and through the internal (power within) was prioritized first?

Speech and voice are related and cooperative, but they are not the same. Speech refers to the sounds we make (vowels and consonants) that are shaped by certain physical structures like the jaw, tongue, teeth, lips and throat. Voice is one of the sound sources for speech, a primary one, as vocal folds vibrate at various frequencies, a pitch is created and the vibrations of that pitch travel through the throat, mouth and nose to be shaped by the aforementioned speech structures into words and sentences.

If you have used any of the typical public speaking tips before with success, that is excellent! There is always room for growth and stretching in new ways. If you haven’t found public speaking to feel as successful, it could be because the trainings tend to lead to overwhelm, and folks often say to me “there’s too many things to think about when I’m trying to just deliver my speech”

You know your content and message inside and out. You know how to speak.

Yet, do you know your voice?

I believe when you approach public speaking and executive presence (communication, character, substance, style) from the foundational source of your voice, the rest of the pieces play their part with much more ease and flow. The voice is barometer, so, even if you have polished all the other components, your voice can still reveal whether you are resonant, aligned, full of belief and conviction in yourself, or, it can sound dissonant, disconnected, or convey a vague sense to the listener that something is ‘off’ even if they like the words that are being shared.

One approach I use when clients hire me to elevate their voice health, stamina, ease, power and presence is to tune into and calibrate to their inner voice.

Consider a way of cultivating Presence:

• Move & stretch your body. Release stuck, stagnant energy and/or body tension
• Grounding yourself through movement, breath, meditation or one of my favorites, vagal toning via the voice. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) which is our rest/digest/restoration state and thus brings more calm to the stage.
• Create an intention with the Divine (or whatever word you prefer–Higher Consciousness, Universe, Source, Spirit, God etc).

Bonus: I love to do this not via my mind, but via my Divine intuitive inner voice, our intuition that is always within, speaking to us as our highest selves. A simple breath practice, using extended exhales on ‘ssshh’ for 30-60 seconds, I then turn my attention to my heart-space and ask “What is my intention for today/this event/this moment?” Then, lovingly Listen. A word, phrase, color or image may bubble up. Honor it, and activate it with your outer physical voice by speaking it aloud 3-5 times

• Visualize: Who are you Being? What does the version of you that has embodied confidence, trusts themselves and speaks with conviction sound and look like on stage? See yourself in the experience, and allow the emotions that arise to wash over you.

Bonus: Get curious…Where in the body are those emotions arising from or centering? That is very important information as you will be able to tap into that as an recalibrating anchor should you feel off-kilter at any point during your public speaking event.

Notice while I didn’t say anything relative to breath, posture, or voice projection, those elements automatically show up (and nervousness goes significantly down) as you practice and play with this way of getting to know your voice, breath and body. Additionally, I recommend this is practiced well in advance of your speaking engagement. Too often, folks reach out to me saying “I have to be on stage tomorrow and my voice is struggling!” or “I have a workshop to give in a few hours, and feel so scattered!” If you are new to exploring your voice and embodying its gifts, you have to be intentional about starting sooner and prioritizing it just as you prioritize other areas of your well-being.

Through practice and self-mastery, becoming attuned to your Divine intuitive voice which is connected In Spirit, then speaking from that place with your natural outer voice, brings a sense of confidence, calm, flow and trust. Just as you desire to inspire others with your words, you are being inspired by the Higher Source/Consciousness/Divine/God with every inspiration (inhale) you allow, and emanating the ripples of your powerful voice with every expiration (exhale). The key is to be the observer of your body sensations, allow yourself moments to infuse that way of being into your sound. Someone who speaks from their truest place because it is aligned for them and not tangled up in their mind projects a far more powerful energy than someone who tries to speak via a ‘checklist’ of doing. Speak because what you have to say is ready to be shared. Speak as someone who loves themselves and their voice, unconditionally, no matter the outcome. Speak as someone who is fully present in the moment and thus truly wields their power.

Trust in your innate worthiness. Even if you are only speaking in a room by yourself, you are initiating from your sacred place as a wise, loving and peaceful Being, and thus, you reinforce to your body and mind that you and your voice are worthy to be heard.