Ugly Voice

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 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!