Kate's Voice

As humans, we are passionately driven to communicate. We want to be heard. We want to be understood. But to be heard above all the noise of our culture, you must have a voice that others will listen to. There has never been a better time to develop that voice. Resources for study and practice are abundant. Expertise is at an all time high and instead of taking on less importance as our technology advances, the human voice is more important than ever, adding warmth and humanity to a digital world. So if you are ready, make the commitment now. Find your voice in 2011 and use it. Here’s how:

Find it at home: Sing in the shower. Hum while you work. Practice your talks out loud in your living room. Above all, have more conversations that matter with your friends and family.

Find it at work: Volunteer to give more presentations…and make them good. Speak up in meetings. Take advantage of trainings that are offered on communication skills. Bring in a speaker for a brown bag lunch workshop on getting over stage fright. Have more conversations that matter with co-workers. Keep your intention aligned with your message and both with the sound of your voice.  Listen.

Find it with a coach: Perhaps this is the year to take a class in public speaking or singing,  take a workshop on communication,  OR maybe it’s the year to finally get a private coach.  Get recommendations for vocal coaches in your area and take some lessons with a few until you find the one that is right for you. Sign up for a course of study. Ask questions. Commit time to practice.  Do the work.

Find it in your community: Join Toastmasters. Join a community choir. Audition for a play or a musical. Be the voice for those who cannot speak on their own behalf. Speak out for a political or community cause. Join the speaker’s bureau at a local charity.

Find it online: Create a video and put it up on YouTube. Make comments on blogs and polls. Reach out to others of similar interest. Create a pod cast and share your expertise with others. And, of course, subscribe to Kate’sVoice and read it regularly for more voice tips and techniques!!

The sound of another voice and the touch of another hand are among life’s most precious offerings. In the end, connection with others is at the core of our desires. Creating clear communication takes consistent, focused attention and work, but it is work that will bring the greatest rewards that life has to offer. Make this the year that you find your voice and use it to connect with others, get more of what you want out of life, and make a difference for all of us. Happy New Year!

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I had been singing and  teaching voice for quite awhile when I had an important realization; I have learned a lot about living by learning a lot about breathing.  Frankly, breathing is essential for living.  It is natural and reflexive.  It should be easy, but when the physical demands of singing are added to this natural process, problems may arise.  Now, isn’t that just like Life itself?   One day things are going along smoothly, and the next day, some demands are made upon us that suddenly engage us in the complexities of balancing, controlling and analyzing what once seemed so simple and natural.  I decided that if I wrote down some rules for better breathing, I might have some tools I could use in life, too. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Remember to breathe.
2. Take good care of your body.  It is your instrument.
3. Gradually increase your capacity to breathe by challenging your “limits.”
4. It takes work to make your breathing feel natural.
5. Breathe ahead.
6. Breathe into each phrase and keep the breath flowing with energy.
7. The beginning is often the hardest part.  The secret of a good beginning is to breathe into it.
8. The cut-off, or final word, takes breath, too.  Keep the air flowing even after the sound stops.
9. Always give yourself time to breathe even when there’s not much time to breathe.
10. Talent, practice and skill are very important.   But if breathing is a problem, it’s a lot harder to demonstrate talent and skill.

Related articles:

Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety on Six Minutes

Are Presentation Skills Like Riding a Bicycle? on Kathy Rieffenstein’s Blog

Yoga Breath Blog