From Me To You
VOICE : The mind as it produces verbal thoughts; to give expression to; utter.
We come into the world with our first “instrument” – our voice. When I was younger, I wrote poems to my mother and regardless of its complexity or lack thereof, it meant the world to her. It was my voice that allowed me to convey what I felt on paper. Those were truly precious memories. When my wife and I became parents at the age of 16, I knew it would be my voice and beliefs that would protect and teach them important life lessons. Little did I know, my voice would become my livelihood.
After being told by a sales manager, I would never be an on-air personality, I have been blessed with opportunities to use my voice in ways that I could have never imagined. It is truly unheard of for someone with no experience to start out in a Top 5 market. However, I started off doing announcements at church, over to KCBI, and then to NBC 5. Trust me, it’s not because I’m that good, but it’s because God is beyond great! I still think about the journey and chuckle to myself when people often refer to my tone as the “Golden Voice”.
We use our voice constantly throughout the day. Most of the times our vocal patterns change depending on who we are speaking to or voicing our thoughts to regarding any given topic. Sometimes a person can be timid and shy, which causes them to be apprehensive about speaking out. Other times events may happen in life and we end up believing we have no voice at all.
Let me share with you one important truth, your voice is important and your voice needs to be heard. This year, let’s come together and agree that we will use our voice to be better communicators and get more involved in our businesses as well as our communities. We all have the gift of “voice”. There is no telling what can happen when we verbalize our thoughts and put them into action. Think about it: What good will it do if you keep all of your thoughts for your business in your head because you’re afraid of stepping out there? If that thought is verbalized, you may have just set up your business for a multi-million dollar contract. Use your voice!
Your voice is just as important in your personal relationships with family and friends. Sometimes we try our best to avoid conflict as much as possible. However, if we use our voice to communicate in an effective way, we realize that we don’t have to shut down or shut anyone out. When using your voice the correct way, I believe relationships can be repaired, hearts can be mended, and faith can be restored. Let’s agree to use our voice to uplift one another, to encourage one another, to motivate one another, to affirm one another, and speak love to one another. I’m wouldn’t dare label myself as the “Communication Expert”, but previous experiences in life have given us some level of expertise when it comes to communicating. As I share a few things I’ve learned in my journey, I encourage you to vocalize your thoughts and let your voice be heard.