To Find Your Authentic Voice, Say Hello to Vulnerability

I heard once that public speaking is one of our greatest fears. As suggested by evolutionary

psychologists, to stand out equates to being separate from the crowd, opening ourselves to

ridicule and rejection, and essentially abandonment from the tribe. We are wired to belong.

Therein lies the paradox.

To be authentic we are forced to let go of how we think we ‘should’ be, even what we have believed ourselves to be, in order to belong.

To be authentic we are forced to let go of how we think we ‘should’ be, even what we have

believed ourselves to be, in order to belong. This is a vulnerable place. As we learn to trust

this place of vulnerability, we gently move away from the roadmap fuelled by fear and dare

to open up to something new. We turn our attention inward, listening to the unique and

personal language of our hearts and bodies, a language that takes a new kind of listening. It

doesn’t yammer away like the head; it speaks in subtle nuance of feeling and sensation.

Upon listening we realise there is a vague familiarity that with attention becomes

trustworthy, signalling murmurings of our authenticity. It takes time and patience.

Working with our voice and its power source, the breath, we cannot help but hone these skills of introspection.

Working with our voice and its power source, the breath, we cannot help but hone these

skills of introspection. Our bodies are the instruments of our vocal sound. As we get to know

ourselves through learning about our voice, our vulnerability becomes an ally to our

authentic sound and expression rather than something to be scared of for fear of separation

and abandonment.