Don't Lose Your Voice

It seems that lately I've been saying to many folks, "Don't lose your voice."  We can lose our voice when we are so concerned about how the other person might hear and respond to what we say.  We calculate what, how and when we say based on our assumptions of how the other person will respond.  We certainly need to be aware of how we speak.  Communication folks tells us that our tone of voice, facial expression and body language often conveys a strong message, perhaps even stronger than the words we use.  Also when we speak is crucial.  The speaker certainly has some significant responsibilities in what, how and when we speak. We need to be respectful of our listener(s).  Nevertheless, it is easy to lose our voice and never share our thoughts or feelings because we are too cautious about another's response.