Reflections
Poetic. Practical. Quirky
With Our Voices We Can Change Our Moods
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...
Inflection Schmection
Has anyone ever told you that your voice is monotone? Have people asked you to add more variation to your pitch? We can address others’ cravings for a more varied pitch in two ways: we can take the “Outside-In” path or the “Inside-Out” path. I’m a fan of the...
What If You’re Told, “You’re Too Quiet”
Have you ever been told that you’re “too quiet?” Have you been asked to “speak up” throughout your life? Have you been called “meek” or been told that you “have no impact” when you speak? Many of my clients have heard feedback along these lines – often more than once....
One Sure-Fire Way To Kill Charisma
My first coach, Susan Carlisle, used to lovingly tell people, “Darlin’, I’m not the least bit interested in your comfort.” One thing I know for sure, in speaking (and in life) comfort kills charisma. If your biggest goal is to be comfortable when speaking in public,...
What To Do When People Say, “You talk too fast.”
Have you ever been told that you talk “too fast?” Many of my clients have heard this feedback more than once. Unfortunately, merely slowing down to try to appease others can be uncomfortable. It often makes us feel like we’re holding ourselves back - and it is not...
Is Your Voice Helping or Hurting You?
Is your voice helping you or hurting you? That’s a question you may never have asked yourself before. And it's a vital question that every Leader must ask. Last Thursday night I watched the Grey’s Anatomy episode “The Sound of Silence.” [Spoiler Alert] In the episode,...
The Power of Comfortable Discomfort
My first coach, Susan Carlisle, used to say, "Darlin', I'm not the least bit interested in your comfort!" 15 years later, I agree with her. As a coach, I’m not interested in the kind of comfort that keeps people where they are … I’m interested in the comfortable...
What You Resist Persists – Including Resistance
“What you resist persists, including resistance.” How’s that for a mental puzzle early in the morning? Perhaps you can tell that I spent several days resisting writing this post. Of course, I was also resisting making important phone calls, sending important emails...
Heart of Hearing
Back in 2014 I asked everyone on my list to notice habits with family around the holidays and to explore making changes. In the spirit of walking my talk, I experimented right along with them. I was somewhat surprised at what I found. My heart feels warm and full of...