Happy February Flu season to all!
I’ve been croaking scratchily for several weeks.  How can I coach public speaking when I sound like a hinge that needs oil?

Well, because I know what to do about it.  It all comes down to three tips:  Breathe more.  Articulate more.  Talk less.

Breathe More

Breathing powers speech like food powers the rest of you. The harder it is to talk, the stronger your breathing needs to be.

Serendipity favored me this week. I had two classes in breathing.  The first was in Sharon Costianes’ Feldenkrais series; the second was in Users Guide to Your Body, with Maren Waldman and Ron Floyd.  

In order to breathe well, we need to know where our diaphragm is, how it works, and how to help it work better.  We need to get the knots out of our rib cage, both front and back.  Then we need to think about all that as we practice speaking.  For me, that means becoming a member of Bob and Ray's  Slow . . . . Talkers . . . of . .. America.

Articulate More

When you can’t rely on vocal power, pay attention to articulation and clarity.  Even quiet people can be heard when they crystallize every sylable.  No, you don’t have to lose your cool regional accent, unless it’s one of those mush-mouth ones.  Southerners rejoice—your lovely long vowel sounds only need strong consonants to divide them.  

Do your Ts and Ds sound alike?  Do you speak with your mouth mostly closed?  Or do you smile all the time you’re speaking?  Open wide and get those sounds out!  Tongue twisters help, and are a good warmup to practice when your voice returns

Talk Less

While your scratchy voice heals, don’t talk so much.  And don’t whisper—that’s even harder on your infected throat!  It’s a good time to practice listening skills.  Then you’ll have lots of new things to talk about when spring comes.