If you happen to live in Singapore, you may have seen me on MediaCorp TV Channel 5 Thursday nights at 8:30pm on the new reality show “Villa Wellness”. I was honoured to be chosen as one of the expert coaches supporting the 12 female contestants on their remarkable transformational journey to full self- expression and total wellness.

This question is from Mr. JG Wan, Hong Kong. Also known as JIM, the simultaneous translator, he works frequently translating very high energy LIVE events led by Tony Robbins from English to Cantonese. It is a 2 part question. Both answers are quite long and detailed so I will publish Part One in this issue. Part Two will be featured in the next issue.

Question ~ “I have just completed Anthony Robbins' 4 day event in HK. I did the warm up properly, 30 minutes or so with voice and tongue and it worked well. At the end of the 4 days my voice was just about as it was at the beginning. In fact it was embarrassing - it seemed like I didn’t do any work at all because the last time I did the 4 day event my voice was hoarse and very deep for about 2 weeks. I have a little problem about voice projection though. I don’t understand how to do it. I know people who are really loud without sounding like they are yelling. Is it in your tapes? I know about the visualizing you are throwing your voice in an arc to the front of the room, but still not getting it.”

Answer ~ I’m really glad that the warm ups worked for you. Amazingly simple – isn’t it? As you continue to do the exercises over time, you will continue to build stamina. Some people are naturally louder than others. There are two major solutions for you.

Part One The easiest way and the least taxing on your voice is to work with a sound technician to set your volume levels higher so that you don’t have to strain vocally.

1. You will still need to have energy in your physiology and bring your language alive with meaning. (As in DVD 3)
2. You can do this without straining the voice but it takes some self control.
3. What I do is I have the technician set my personal microphone level for the highest volume I will deliver during a seminar. (For me this is normally when I sing very high notes or I raise my voice to make a point.)
4. Then I physically adjust my microphone placement closer or adjust my vocal delivery to compensate. Meaning if the microphone is closer to your mouth you don’t need to work as hard for volume. It’s just like whispering in someone’s ear.
5. Because you work with Tony’s organization a lot, and certainly Tony can get pretty powerful, you will naturally have a tendency to strain vocally like he does. If you notice, Tony often loses power in his voice as his long seminars progress.
6. So you still need to match Tony’s physiology and his energy levels but keep your voice within your most natural range and most authentic expression. After all, you are the messenger in this case.
7. You can create excitement and intensity in your voice with the way you enunciate and your pitches or vocal intonation without ever having to raise your volume or work harder. It’s more about precision and knowing your own vocal instrument.
8. By doing singing exercises you will get to know your voice very well and, as you shared earlier in your email, it will seem like you didn’t do any work because the voice will naturally flow out of you as a result of opening up the body and the voice before you start working it intensely.
9. Expressing You! ® Exercises are designed to help you to get out of your own way so that you can shine in your own unique light. The work mostly occurs in the practice and preparation so that when you get onto a stage, your communication is free and virtually effortless.

Find Part 2 in the next issue of this newsletter.

A simple smile can make a world of difference to others. During this upcoming holiday season, light UP the room with your smile and your spirit!

“Humankind owes to the child the best it has to give.” ~ United Nations Declaration

"I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself." ~ Mikhail Baryshnikov