Do you watch Bob’s Burgers or What We Do in the Shadows? If so, then you’re familiar with Kristen Schaal who plays Bob’s daughter Louise and the Guide on Shadows.
Her voice is, um, quirky. But she embraced it and it has made her a ton of money.
Let me ask you this: Do you like your voice? I’m talking about the way you sound. Most people can’t stand hearing a recording of themselves. We sound so different to others. This is because the sound travels through the bones in our heads directly to our ears. That sound is carried through the air to those we’re speaking to. Has anyone ever made fun of your voice or your accent?
And let me ask you this: Do you feel heard?
When we are babies, we holler when we need something. If our caregiver comes running and gives us what we need, we’ve gotten positive feedback. We know we’ve been heard and understood. If we’re ignored, we learn the opposite. We learn that our voice and our needs are not important.
These moments continue throughout our childhood and even into adulthood. I moved from Detroit to the Milwaukee area and felt I had to learn a new language. Soda? Bubbler? Summer sausage? What were these people talking about? Maybe the way you talked was a source of ridicule at school, with your parents, or at a job. Not speaking the same “language” can lead to racism, ageism, and sexism.
Here’s an experiment. See if you speak differently to different people (spoiler alert: you do). See if you can figure out why. Do you raise your voice up a half-octave when greeting someone you don’t know? (You will notice this in women when you enter a store or restaurant.) Do you try to lower it when speaking to someone you want to establish authority over (or equality with if you perceive them as more powerful)? Do you laugh to appear friendly? (How are you, hahaha.)
When we use our literal voice differently depending on the circumstance, we are at least partially muting our authenticity. And when we’re not being authentic, it silences our metaphorical voice. You are less likely to be taken seriously when your voice is a half-octave above normal or if you’re laughing at the end of sentences that aren’t humorous.
The Universe needs us to be authentic. The world needs you to be you. We are all a part of the cosmic web of existence. When we’re off trying to be something else, someone else, we’re leaving a hole in that web. You are so loved exactly as you are.
An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you ought to write more on this issue, it may not be a taboo subject but generally people dont discuss these subjects. To the next! Many thanks!!
דירות דיסקרטיות בכפר סבא Concetta Arnot