When asked to sing, most of us are embarrassed and don’t try. A library or place of worship signals us to be quiet. Seeing a video where we speak makes us feel awkward. Not believing that we actually sound this way.
Outside of singing in the shower or when alone in a car, the only place where we enjoy hearing our voice is when we are with others. No matter if it is small talk between two people or in the middle of a business meeting with an entire team.
Hearing our own voice, reassures us of who we are and what we believe. No matter if what we say offends, confuses, or misdirects another person. The power and tone of our voice conveys feeling, conviction, and certainty. Opinions and facts get jumbled through the words we use and our imperfect sentences.
Necessary but not sufficient, hearing our own voice is not very effective by itself. The egotist loves hearing their own voice to confirm their status over others. The pessimist finds comfort in the difficult circumstances they find themselves in with their words. And the judgmental find expedience in declaring a conclusion without exploration. None of these personas ever change.
The power of language lies not in what is said but rather in what is reflected by others given your own words. Listening is the most important skill you need to hear your own voice. It is the only measuring stick for us to judge the accuracy of our words. Far too often we are misled by our own minds.
This is why meaning, connection, growth, and love are so elusive in our lives. Because it never is about hearing our own voice. It is all about hearing the reflection of our voice through others that makes all the difference in the world. Paying more attention to how they respond, react and what they share based on our voice and words. Giving us the opportunity to expand, reflect, absorb, connect, explore and/or adjust who we are in a dynamic and evolving way.
Bringing us closer to possibility, opportunity, and meaningful relationships while protecting us from our own minds that fool and misguide us in too many ways.