Let’s face it — life can be downright scary! It can be SO scary that it takes your breath away. I mean it — it literally takes your breath away. AND it takes your voice away too! Now, that’s a problem. We all have the right to speak! So, how do we get our voice back when fear has swallowed it right up?
Principle #1: Check in with your body
Finding your voice starts in your body and your movement. When your body can move and let go of tension, your voice can move.
I’ll tell you a quick story. I was in a conflict with a friend, and I became aware that I was rooted to the chair — frozen — unmoving. I willed myself to get up and walk across the room, without needing to say anything, just taking care of myself. As soon as I moved across the room, the breath and movement shifted my position in our conflict. I had moved away from the intense field of energy that I felt sitting two feet away from one another. Then, I was able to connect with myself, feel my body and think a little more clearly.
For many of us, our body is as shut down as our voice, so it may not be easy to access the wisdom that your body holds for you. I’m going to give you a few ideas today about how to get your breath, body and voice moving.
Today’s Exercise:
Please note, if you feel yourself getting triggered — going deeply into a frightening memory — come right out of the posture. Shake it off. Look around the room, and tell yourself ‘Everything is fine right here, right now.’ In this case, wait to do the exercise with a friend or therapist.
Step 1: You can do this seated in a chair or in a standing position.
Visualize what you imagine your body’s response to fear might be. Let your body feel just a bit of that feeling. You might pull back slightly, tense up, tuck your head — take on a posture to protect yourself from harm.
Step 2: Now, this is where fear meets voice head on! Sit up tall or if you’re standing, take a strong step forward and simply open your mouth and say a powerful AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! So, this is different from when the doctor says “stick out your tongue and say AH”. This is using your voice to energetically clear a path for you to re-engage with your life in that moment.
Step 3: Take a moment to close your eyes and notice the impact for you. You might feel excitement or energy moving in your body. You might feel the strength and courage that it took for you to meet the fear head on!
I recommend that you repeat this a few times, and practice it in your life when you are feeling afraid of something. Obviously, you’ll want to do it in private. The car can be great for this sort of thing. Try it! Sure, it might feel goofy, but it’s a simple tool that you can use to empower yourself. Go for it!