By archelys3@gmail.com Self-Improvement: Tips to Be More Articulate and Speak More Clearly
It’s no surprise that the way you speak can affect another person’s perception of you. Whenever you open your mouth to speak, people are judging you by the sounds that you make. Within minutes or sometimes seconds, people determine whether you are smart, funny, talented, secure, happy— or none of the above. Knowing that your voice is the ultimate communication tool, working to improve it in any way you can will undoubtedly improve your day-to-day life.
Your Voice Is Your Identity
Imagine you are standing in a room at a cocktail party. The music is blaring, glasses are clanking and everyone is competing to have their voices heard. As you struggle to talk over the person next to you, the power of your voice could determine whether or not you make the right impression. Your voice tells people (both directly and indirectly) if you are confident, dependable and intelligent. Just as powerfully, your voice can make you seem shy, insecure, dumb, or boring. You might not be aware of it, but your voice plays a large part in the role you play in other people’s lives. If you truly want to change the path of your life, changing the way you speak is a great place to start.
Create A Character
Have you ever stepped up to a podium or stage and become so overcome with nerves that you forgot everything you were about to say? You’re not alone. It’s no secret that much of the population suffers from fear of public speaking—on the big stage or even in front of a small group. Imagining yourself as a confident, inspiring and well-spoken person can help shake those nerves that leave you at a loss for words in front of a crowd. Sometimes changing your hair, your make up, your wardrobe and your attitude before you get on stage allows you to take on a whole new persona without the insecurities and anxieties that you have. The secret is to choose a character that is amazing, incredible and true to who you are and who you wish you were.
Self-Confidence
As it pertains to your voice, self-confidence is the most powerful tool in your toolbox. A lack of self-confidence can cause you to stumble on words, rely on filler words (um, uh, y’know) and speak softer or quieter than you would normally speak. Self-confidence is about making sure your voice is heard from the front row to the end of the room. This means training yourself to not only speak louder, but with more conviction as well.
Breathing
So much of how your voice sounds coming out of your mouth depends on the flow of air. Good breathing helps you create a powerful, influential sounding voice. Take the next two minutes to pay attention to how you are breathing. A proper breath ranges anywhere from two to three seconds in and two to three seconds out. If you can control your breathing in, you can control your breathing out to create a voice that sounds just as great as you are.
One Step At A Time
While some things in life can be instantly changed, personal development is a lifelong process. As the old adage goes, ‘Rome was not built in a day.’ Your voice is a large piece of your identity and improving the way you speak takes hours and hours of concentrated effort. Many times, voice improvement, as many other forms of self-improvement involves assessing your skills and qualities and setting goals to maximize your individual potential. It’s never too late to work on improving something about yourself. Starting with something as small but powerful as your voice can be a step in the right direction.
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