Every morning I take a walk around the neighborhood, and sometimes I go out for an afternoon walk, too. Lately, I’ve been thinking about ideas for videos as I walk, and I’ve found myself practicing little phrases to speak out loud. Our voices matter not just in music, but in our relationships, our boundaries, and the way we move through the world.
This practice is an offering to anybody who needs it:
Physiological sighs for calming the nervous system
Rehearsing six boundary phrases: changing emphasis, elongating, and focusing on how it feels physically
“I’m here.”
“I’m allowed to take my time.”
“I don’t have to be perfect.”
“I could use some help.”
“This feels like a lot.”
“I’m gonna get some fresh air.”
Some vocal loops/drones you can breathe with, relax to, meditate to, or use while practicing the phrase you need today
Practice out loud, speak in your imagined voice, or just listen along
Practicing boundary phrases can help:
regulate your nervous system
reconnect you to your breath
shift your tone from reactive to grounded
build confidence in speaking your needs
These kinds of practices sit right inside the Human and Instrument domains of my teaching framework. They aren’t about “fixing” your voice, they’re about giving it space.
If this practice felt supportive, enrollment for Voice as Practice is open through December 5.
Thank you for practicing with me, and for showing up for your voice today.
As always, I love hearing reflections if anything surfaced for you.