Voice notes

This week I had a conversation exchange that became a voice notes exchange. I love to receive voice notes as I hear so many more signals from the voice, but struggle to send them. With a couple of close friends this is a running joke, they send me voice notes and I write a reply. In this instance I decided that a voice note reply would best convey my message so I made a voice note.
What it made me see is that I have moments where I don’t like to be heard or to be seen. I like to hide behind a well considered written message. I lack confidence in the flow of my own thoughts in speech format. Particularly when it’s recorded and I can hear myself, or presenting to others. I’ve stumbled with this in the works place and pushed my way through, finding it unpleasant and feeling disregulated.

This time, I noticed I felt uncomfortable, acknowledged that and decided to be kind to myself. I took a few minutes to breathe and gather my thoughts. Then I made the voice note. It felt like a step forward and also a realisation about myself. Of something that’s so obvious that I almost don’t see it.

So I’m going to keep going, try sending a few more where appropriate. Try it out with my besties who will love that I’m doing it. I would love to ask you for any suggestions, or insights about how to move past this life long inclination to hide behind composed written word.

 

 

Answer:

Big celebration for taking a pause and doing the uncomfortable thing! That’s where growth is going to happen.

You are an adult and you can choose what you want to do. It’s not a problem to never send a voice note. There are billions of people who have lived beautiful lives with zero voice notes sent. However, if this fear of speaking vs writing is something you want to work on, you absolutely can do that.

What is the result you want? Go to a rainbows and daisies place where anything is possible. Imagine a future version of you who is a voice note champion

Then work a model backwards.

R: my magical result

A: What would you need to do to create this result? Get very specific. brainstorm ideas.

F: how would you need to feel to take these actions?

T: what would you need to think to create this emotion? make sure it resonates with you.

C: voice notes

For your result, pick a date that you will acheive it and how you will know it’s done.

Have fun with this. Right now speaking seems very scary because you don’t have that delete button and that’s ok. You’ve got this.