Ugly Voice

Harsh Voice Doesn’t Cut It

This week a close family member really challenged my ability to use my voice in a healthy manner. I managed to succeed without getting ugly even though he, without any provocation, behaved in an unbelievably ugly way towards me.

So, if I can do it, you can do it.

Try these voice tips when you’re tempted to fight back with your voice:

• When someone shouts at you don’t shout back
• Instead, take a deep breath and release it slowly without letting them hearing you
• Focus into the “tunnel” of your voice that’s out in front of you and keep breathing deeply and slowly
• Find something about them that you appreciate and express it to them in a soothing way
• That’ll throw them off long enough for you to take another deep breath while they continue to rant at you
• Do it again
• Take another deep breath and don’t let their ugly words reach your soul
• Speak without stressing out your vocal cords by slowing your words way down
  and speaking more softly than usual
• If they won’t back down, politely excuse yourself, get off the phone, leave the scene or whatever allows you to “disconnect” from them
• Go and do the “Silly Spinning Siren” somewhere out of their earshot
• Of course you could always do the “Silly Spinning Siren” within their earshot, although I don’t often use this tip myself!