With Our Voices We Can Change Our Moods

by Lauri

Have you ever heard the phrase “With Our Bodies We Can Change Our Minds?”  Amy Cuddy shared this finding during her popular TED Talk.

Now there’s a similar study showing that with our voices we can change our moods. 

WooHoo!  Hallelujah.  It’s about time. 🙂

Here’s what I love about the article…  It’s a nice first step in providing and sharing evidence for something we “voice geeks” know in our core:

With our voices we can touch others. 

We are creating an impact on those around us with our Vocal Presence all the time.

Now, I have to admit, I find some of the language and the approach to the study rather simplistic.  I have to wonder how they adjusted voices to “happy, sad and afraid.”  How do they know?  It reminds me of overly simplistic outside-in direction I received as an actor early on in life.  “Could you say that line more happy?”

Humans are much more nuanced than that…

Nevertheless, every movement needs to begin somewhere, and I’m excited that people (other than “voice geeks”) are talking about the human voice.

This article focuses on the shift we can elicit in ourselves.  Fantastic.  Personal growth is powerful.

AND …

I want you to know that with your voice, your vocal presence, you can create change in othersAnd it really goes beyond primary emotions such as “happy”, “sad”, or “angry.”  Think of a piece of music that you love … Can you fully capture how it makes you feel in words?  Can you distill how it makes you feel to one primary emotion?  (happy, sad, angry)  With great music, with any great work of art, the answer is “no”.  We can’t capture it in words.  As a fellow graduate student said, “If you could capture it in words, you might as well write it down on a post it note and stick it to a tree instead of creating the work of art.”  In fact, every human being is a work of art and every one of us can also create a work of art in how we live our lives.

Science has barely scratched the surface regarding the implications and capacity of the human voice.  There is a deep conversation brewing about voice – including its role in supporting and reflecting the evolution of human consciousness.

I’m excited to witness and be a part of this conversation as it unfolds.

With passion & love,
Lauri

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *