Got my voice back. Mostly. Speaking, coaching, consulting, and performing my one-man plays occupies a major portion of my life. To go more than a full week with NO VOICE was frustrating, scary, and restful. But I also love singing. (In and out of the shower.)
I did stop by a gathering of my wine tasting group. I said nothing. I whispered, softly, “I have laryngitis” to a couple folks and then, as others arrived, they took turns announcing, McNair has laryngitis. (I must say, they seemed to take far too much joy in saying that I could not talk.)
In the writing world we often refer to the “Writer’s voice.” This has nothing to do with vocal chords. It refers to the individual style of an author—the way she uses language (from word choices and punctuation to character development and dialogue.)
Readers often choose favorite authors because of their “voice” as well as their subject matter. Many readers like Hemingway’s quick, to-the-point, no frills pros. Others prefer Truman Capote's more poetic and detailed craftsmanship.
As a young reader I first fell in love with the characters in Mark Twain's stories. It is impossible to read Twain without “hearing” the great story teller’s voice leading us through the paragraphs and pages of his books. That was fourth grade. In sixth grade my Irish born (or should it be Ireland born) teacher, Mrs. Fagan, introduced me to Mr. Dickens. My head exploded as I followed his multiple plot lines down the narrow streets and winding country roads of Victorian England. I couldn’t get enough Dickens (and was still reading Twain.)
YOU have a voice. Everyone has a voice—whether or not you are a writer.
Your “voice” is an amalgam of the choices you’ve made and values you have developed over the years of living—tasting, exploring, visiting, reading, trying, playing, failing, getting-back-up-and-starting-overing, and generally experimenting with doing life your way.
Another favorite author, and life coach, Barbara Sher (share), says it all in two of here book titles, Live the Life You Love and I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was. In Live the Life... she begins by asking. “What would make you rally happy? . . . huge financial success, big house, own your own helicopter.”
That ain’t it.
Here’s what Barbara says at the beginning of Live the Life You Love:
"What you love is as unique to you as your finger prints. You need to know that because nothing will make you really happy but doing what you really love."
Using your voice, then, is about living your life as an expression of your passion—your loves. I believe that no one can be passion about something that they are not also “talented” in.
[I hate these words: talented, gifted, genius....but in the context of our conversation here I hope you understand their use.]
There are certain traits and abilities which each person has that make up their true self—their voice. The blend of these gifts and experiences are your cuvee (koo-vay’).
Often in the wine making world they may have some extra juice left after bottling some of their varietals. They will mix them into a cuvee (a.k.a. merritage.) All the various varietals (Zinfandel, Cabernet, Chardonay, Petite Sirah, Merlot, etc.) are most often bottle and enjoyed as a wine produced from a single varietal (one type of grape.)
Cuvees are often bold, luscious wines that are skillfully crafted blends of two, three or four grape varieties into a new and often massive wine. They frequently have labels with: Vintners Blend, Estate Cuvee, Family Collection, etc. All of these evoke a special concoction. The “Private Reserve” we make for friends and family.
The word “cuvee” comes from “cuve” meaning vat of tank.
Each life is, I believe a special vintners blend, carefully crafted and mixed in the an ancient vat. The ingredients of you life are quite different from any other life. The blend of your tastes, talents, experiences, and passions. (Yes passionS, plural.) Your passions are the constantly pumping heart of your life and your voice.Expressing your passions, living your voice, inspires others to do the same. It may not be your vocation—the source of your paycheck—but I would agree with Barbara Sher (and many others) that it certainly could become your life’s work.
This is true for my friend Susan Kennedy (a.k.a, author and artist SARK) who has inspired a generation with her books, workshops, email newsletter, etc.) Her passions have spilled over and splashed on to literally millions of people who have themselves followed their loves, found their voice, and are inspiring others. (Follow link and click on her photo, upper left, to PlanetSARK.)
"Dare to dance with your distractions. Listen to what they are telling you." ~ Text message from SARK today (28 Feb. 2011)
It is true, too, for my former neighbor and friend Steve Heimoff. For several years I lived “under” Steve (directly under.) Steve got his degree in philosophy and pursued graduate work. He lived the corporate life for some years, but was restless. Having moved to the San Francisco Bay area he explored his love of wine. Joining a wine group he sipped every bit of knowledge he could from their gatherings and frequent visits to Napa and Sonoma. He was never afraid to ask the most basic questions in a wine shop. He took notes, wrote reams of unpublished reviews in his wine diary. Then he decided that, to be truly happy, he wanted to combine his twin passions of writing and wine. Could he combine them into a career. Impossible. Nobody does that....wait, lots of people write about wine as their vocation.In 1989 he became the a stringer for Wine Spectator by contributing small articles and interviews. All the while his self-education continued apace—devouring every wine book we could find. Then, 1994, Steve became West Coast Editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine, where he still is a major voice in the wine world—along with his blog and books.
Steve reviews about 4,500 California wines a year! Trust me, I saw (and heard) the boxes and boxes of bottles coming and going at Steve’s condo every week. Several of those bottles made side trips to my condo. Thank you, neighbor.
In his own voice Steve Heimoff’s lesson:
“If you have a passion and believe in yourself and work very hard, you can make it at anything.”
I’ll raise a glass (and my voice) to that and to YOU finding and using your voice. The human choir is incomplete without you. As I say in every corporate keynote, workshop, and seminar I deliver:
If you don’t do you,
YOU doesn’t get done
and the world is incomplete!
