On The Power of Voice…

In my last post I shared that it took me a long time before I owned my gift of voice and its link to my purpose. This was in spite of the fact that my fondest experiences involved me using my voice, and that I feel alive when I am writing, speaking before an audience or engaged in stimulating conversation. Now, my mission is to use my voice, through speaking and writing to inspire and encourage others to become the best version of themselves. To speak life and always add value to every person I interact with. The voice holds power, and with it we have the opportunity to change lives.

Your Voice as an Instrument

We all have a voice, how we use that voice and our level of awareness in doing so is another matter. I say this cognizant of the fact that there are some, who due to injury or birth defect may not have a physical voice. For those of you who do not fall into this category, your physical voice is your instrument. I invite you to see your voice as a musical instrument; a wind instrument to be exact. Because just like a wind instrument, the sound of your voice is produced by the vibration of air. Your vocal cords vibrate as air passes through them when exhaling, resulting in your voice. I think the voice is one of the most misused and carelessly used instruments. Many fail to recognize its power.

A musical instrument has the ability to produce beautiful music. In the hands of the right individual, it produces melodies that can provoke many positive emotions in the hearer. It can produce soothing sounds which lead to peace and tranquility. Its sounds can also lead to energy and excitement; leaving your soul buoyant and uplifted.  However, when misused or not mastered, the same instrument can be irksome, a burden to the soul and even painful to listen to.  Your voice is very much the same way.

Your Voice as a Medium of Communication

I view communication with the highest regard, because I believe that it is one of the most important things to our growth and survival as a people. Also, regardless of where we find ourselves in life, from the street sweeper to the PhD holder, it behooves us to learn to communicate well.  Communication plays a pivotal role in every area of our lives. I view the voice in very much the same way. After all, the voice is our first, and probably most important, not to mention, most commonly used medium of communication.  

You may be thinking that you are not a person who likes to talk, or you do not have much to say, or you are shy and timid. What I will say to you is, life is about leaning and growing. So if you have embraced a personal development journey, learning to effectively and mindfully use your voice, to communicate your message, will form part of your growth process. Whether you are communicating with an audience or in your personal relationships. Keep in mind, that communication is not complete unless the message is clearly delivered and understood by the receiver.

Some of us may be more apt to the skillful and powerful use of our voice than others, but it is not a quality which can evade any of us, once we do not allow it. Author and Speaker, Brian Tracy observed, “communication is a skill that you can learn. It is like riding a bicycle of typing. If you are willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.”  

Using our voice is not just about casual talking or engaging in idle chatter. I admit, that I am not one for much small talk. I realize that some may view this as a character flaw, but I have a more natural affinity to deep and stimulating conversations. I abhor idle conversation and foolish jesting as well as conversation centered around people and gossip. Don’t get me wrong, I am certain that throughout my lifetime I have entertained or commented on a juicy piece of gossip, on some occasion or the other, the best of us have. But it ought not to be our default positon, and growth must take place.  “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events and small minds discuss people”, is a widely circulated quote which has been attributed to several authors.

I can recall being in situations where the conversation added no value to the hearers and its only accomplishment, for me at least, was to burden my spirit.  Besides, it is the apostle Paul who admonishes against such conversation, and encourages thanksgiving to God in its stead. “Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God”. (Eph. 5:4, NLT) This is after he would have said in chapter 4:9, “don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Encourage comes for “Coeur” which means heart, so to encourage is to add to someone’s heart.  We are charged to use our voice to glorify God and to add value to the lives of others.

The Power of Your Voice

With our voice we have the power to change lives, even our own life. The things you say about yourself, the declarations you make over your life are important. Positive self-talk, helps to improve our well-being, boost self-confidence and helps rid us of negative thoughts and emotions.

With your voice, you can make a difference in the life of someone. It does not matter if you are speaking to hundreds of people or a handful of people or even just one person. Your voice, the words that you speak, have influence. You transfer energy through your voice. Energy which can either be destructive, or it can be creative. You can dispel fear or you can instill it. You can promote healing or you can cause pain. You can provide reassurance or you can cast judgement. You can ignite a fire in someone or you can extinguish their fire. Your voice possesses power; the words you choose will either give life or snuff it out.

Remember also, it is not how much you say, but rather the quality of what you say and the impact it creates. A few words spoken in the appropriate time can make a greater impact, than many words. A few words can change a life forever. A few words are more likely to be remembered than many words. Here is a video which demonstrates this point beautifully.

In Closing…

Your voice is your instrument, so what melody are you playing? Are you even playing a melody at all or are you just creating noise? Does your voice bring encouragement and add value to the lives of others or is it burdensome and offensive? Does it build up or tear down? A musician who acquires a brand new instrument, is no doubt filled with as much excitement and awe as someone receiving a gift which he desired. Or, which is given by someone he holds dear. Likewise, your voice is a gift from God, He expects you to use it wisely. He will hold you accountable for its use. Use your voice responsibly!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. If you enjoyed the post please share with a friend, and subscribe to be notified whenever I post more great content. 😊

Namaste ~ 🙏