Weekly Insight #6 The Silent Saboteur: How Negative Self-Talk Undermines Your Performance

Have you ever been in the middle of a performance, conversation, or presentation and suddenly found yourself questioning everything? It’s that inner critic chiming in, making you doubt your abilities. Negative self-talk can creep in at the worst moments, throwing off your focus. And it’s not just performers who experience this—anyone who faces high-pressure situations knows how easily self-doubt can sabotage your best efforts.

Whether you're preparing to give a speech, handling a performance review, or delivering a presentation, negative self-talk can become a major distraction. The challenge is recognizing it and learning how to silence it.

The Power of Internal Dialogue

Even after plenty of practice, it’s common for negative thoughts to surface just when you need to be at your best. For example, I’ve seen this time and time again with my students. Sometimes, they’ll stop themselves right before hitting a note or delivering a line, convinced they’re about to make a mistake. I often joke with them, “Did you realize you hadn’t made that mistake yet?” It’s a lighthearted reminder that their internal dialogue was running the show, making them believe the mistake was already inevitable.

This moment captures just how powerful self-talk can be. The more we think we’re going to fail, the more likely we are to trip ourselves up—even if the mistake hasn’t happened yet. 

The Impact on Your Performance

Whether you’re talking to your boss in a performance review, pitching an idea to a client, or singing on stage, negative self-talk creates tension—both mentally and physically. Your breath becomes shallow, your posture tightens, and your delivery becomes strained.

This internal tension not only affects your delivery but also your ability to connect with your audience. When your focus is divided between performing and battling doubt, it’s hard to stay present and engaged.

Breaking the Cycle of Negative Self-Talk

Here’s the good news: you have control. The first step is recognizing when negative self-talk kicks in. The next is redirecting that mental energy into something productive. You can choose to break the cycle and refocus on the task at hand.

Practical Strategies to Manage Negative Self-Talk:

1. Awareness: Pay attention to when these thoughts arise. Are there specific moments or triggers where your inner critic gets loud? Recognizing the patterns is the first step.

2. Breathe: A deep breath can help reset your focus and calm both your body and mind, getting you back on track.

3. Replace Negative Thoughts: When you catch yourself thinking negatively, consciously replace that thought with something more constructive. Instead of “I’m going to mess up,” try “I’ve practiced for this, and I’m ready.”

4. Practice with Support: Rehearse your speech or presentation in front of a trusted friend, family member, or colleague. If that’s not possible, try recording yourself. Watching yourself back gives you valuable feedback and helps quiet that inner doubt.

5. Incorporate Positive Self-Talk into Practice: Integrate positive affirmations into your rehearsals so that your mind naturally leans toward encouragement instead of criticism during high-pressure moments.

A Reminder to Be Kind to Yourself

It’s easy to be your own worst critic. Whether you’re on stage, in a meeting, or having a one-on-one conversation, how you talk to yourself matters. The more we learn to be aware of our internal dialogue and actively replace it with positive thoughts, the stronger our performance—and our confidence—will be.

So, next time you find yourself in a high-pressure situation, what will your inner dialogue sound like? Will you choose to support yourself or let self-doubt take control? How can you change your internal script to set yourself up for success?

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Weekly Insight #5 Understanding Voice Health (Part II) Healthier Alternatives and Practical Tips for Vocal Health

Last week in Part 1, we explored the role of phlegm, throat clearing, and nervousness in vocal health. Now, let’s look at a few alternatives to manage these sensations and practical strategies to protect your voice that I have found useful over the years.

Organic Alternatives to Throat Clearing and Coughing

Hydration: Keeping your vocal cords hydrated is essential. Dryness can make you hyper-aware of your throat and lead to more throat clearing. Taking small sips of warm, non-dehydrating liquids can soothe your throat and help maintain the natural lubrication of your vocal cords. It’s important to be mindful of your intake of caffeinated or sugary drinks, as they can contribute to dehydration. Striking a balance is key to maintaining vocal health.

Swallowing: Sometimes, a simple swallow can be enough to clear the sensation of needing to cough or clear your throat. Swallowing helps to moisten the throat without causing irritation to the vocal cords, offering a gentle way to alleviate discomfort without resorting to coughing or throat clearing. A favorite lozenge, like a Ricola or similar, can also provide soothing relief by keeping the throat moist and easing the urge to clear it.

Support with Diaphragmatic Breathing: Proper breath support is essential for vocal health. When we feel fatigued or anxious, it’s common to rely less on diaphragmatic breathing and more on shallow breaths. This lack of support strains the voice. Even when your voice feels vulnerable, engaging deeper breath support goes a long way in preventing further irritation.

Voice Rest: Giving your voice time to rest is another important tool in maintaining vocal health. If your vocal cords are irritated from excessive coughing or throat clearing, rest allows them to recover. Additionally, resting your voice when it feels strained helps prevent more severe damage.

Vocal Awareness: The Key to Long-Term Vocal Health

Being aware of how you use your voice isn’t just crucial for protecting your vocal cords—it's a skill that can extend to other areas of life. Whether in public speaking, teaching, or even leadership, awareness is fundamental to effective communication.

Margaret Harshaw, who I found to be a great leader in the area of voice, constantly listened and adapted based on what she heard. Whether it was students or even those she heard speaking on television or radio, she would learn from every voice. Similarly, vocal health also benefits from paying attention and adapting. We use our voice all day, often without much thought—like when talking on the phone. Personally, when I’m feeling a little under, I notice I tend to use less vocal support and fall into what’s sometimes called “talking on the cords.” Staying mindful of how we use our voice throughout the day helps us keep it strong and flexible, even in less obvious moments of voice usage. Knowing how to listen and adapt,  and paying attention to the subtle signals your body gives you can be game changing!

When you become more aware of your voice, you’ll notice that clarity and confidence naturally follow. This awareness not only protects your voice physically but also enhances how you express yourself, making communication feel more effortless and authentic.

Pausing before throat clearing or coughing; it’s a great opportunity to appreciate what’s special about your voice—how it feels, how it resonates, and how it impacts those around you.

Questions for your reflection: 

• Are there specific techniques (like deep breathing or hydration) that have helped you manage throat discomfort in the past?
• When was the last time you consciously focused on your voice during a conversation or performance?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! 

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Weekly Insight #4  
Understanding Voice Health (Part I)
The Role of Phlegm, Throat Clearing, and Nervousness in Vocal Health

The health of your voice is vital to how you communicate, whether in speech or song. Recently, I received a message from someone who has been dealing with persistent coughing for years and is searching for ways to restore their voice. This reminded me of a common issue I see in my teaching: how throat clearing, coughing, and phlegm can affect your vocal cords.

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Phlegm: The Body’s Protection for Your Voice

When we experience phlegm on our vocal cords, it’s important to remember that phlegm serves a purpose. It’s there to protect the cords by creating a coating that prevents the two vocal folds from touching directly. If the folds rub together too forcefully or too frequently, it can lead to swelling, irritation, or even nodules—tiny growths on the vocal folds that interfere with sound production.

Have you ever felt the urge to clear your throat because of phlegm, even when it wasn’t really disrupting your voice? 
How often do you pause and think before clearing your throat?

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The Risks of Throat Clearing and Coughing

One thing I’ve observed in my teaching is that harsh or repeated throat clearing and coughing can cause irritation and even damage to the vocal cords. When someone clears their throat without awareness or preparation, the shock to the cords can cause small tears or swelling over time. This is especially true when these behaviors are repeated frequently—like in the case of one time when I was observing a lesson, and the student was so nervous that they cleared their throat nearly a hundred times in the first ten minutes. This kind of repeated strain can lead to vocal fatigue and long-term issues.

Coughing, especially if it's forceful or frequent, can have a similar effect. It might help to dislodge phlegm in the short term, but in the long run, it can damage the vocal cords if done harshly. Repeated coughing can wear down the protective coating around the cords, leaving them vulnerable to irritation, swelling, or even more serious conditions like nodules or polyps.

So, does this sound familiar? 
Do you find yourself clearing your throat or coughing more often during stressful situations? 
Have you ever noticed how often you clear your throat throughout the day?

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The Role of Nervousness and Hyper-Awareness in Voice Health

Interestingly, I’ve noticed that throat clearing and coughing are often linked to nervousness or anxiety. Many people clear their throats unconsciously when they’re feeling uncomfortable or nervous. This can become a habitual response to tension, which exacerbates any underlying irritation or vocal strain. While it may seem like a minor reflex, over time, these small actions can cause significant damage if left unchecked.

In some cases, this behavior can stem from hyper-awareness of how the voice feels, particularly during times of stress or discomfort. For example, when someone becomes overly focused on the sensation of phlegm, they might feel compelled to clear their throat, even if the phlegm isn’t truly interfering with their voice. This hyper-awareness can lead to unnecessary throat clearing, when in reality, the phlegm wouldn’t significantly affect the person’s ability to speak or communicate.

The challenge is to balance this awareness and make a conscious choice each time. Instead of habitually coughing or clearing your throat, consider whether it’s truly necessary. Often, phlegm doesn’t disrupt phonation (the production of sound), and clearing your throat unnecessarily might do more harm than good.

Ever caught yourself clearing your throat even when it wasn’t needed? 
Have you noticed any patterns in when you clear your throat—like during meetings, or before speaking in public?

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Becoming aware of how your voice feels and when you habitually clear your throat or cough is key. In Part 2, we’ll discuss healthier alternatives to managing these sensations and strategies for maintaining vocal health.

Please join us Sep 11, 6:00 pm CST  for a Clubhouse Chat on the Mental aspects of Voice : link

Note: if you’re viewing this on a mobile device and don’t see the ‘Subscribe for Updates’ option, try switching to the web version of the blog. You can do this by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking ‘View web version.’ This will allow you to easily subscribe and stay updated with more insights like this.

Weekly Insights #3

The Mental Game of Voice: Practice with Purpose (Part II)

Last week, we explored the profound impact that mental awareness can have on voice training, a lesson I learned from my mentor, Margaret Harshaw. She taught me that singing—and indeed, any form of voice work—is 95% mental. This concept shifted my focus from simply mastering techniques to understanding the importance of being mentally present and making conscious decisions in the moment.

But how do we integrate this mental awareness with the practical techniques we’ve spent so much time mastering? This is where the real work begins—practicing with purpose, being fully present, and choosing the right tools when they matter most.

Techniques and Mental Awareness
Techniques like breath control, consonant work, and vocalizations are essential building blocks in voice training. They provide the foundation for everything we do as vocalists, speakers, or communicators. However, the effectiveness of these techniques is directly tied to our mental state when we use them.

For instance, consider deep diaphragmatic breathing—a fundamental technique for sustaining long phrases and maintaining vocal health. It’s a skill that many of us practice regularly, but in moments of anxiety or nervousness, the body often defaults to high, shallow breathing. This is where mental awareness becomes crucial. Recognizing this shift and consciously choosing to employ deep breathing can transform your performance, whether you’re on stage, in a meeting, or having an important conversation.

It’s not enough to simply know the techniques; you must be aware of your physical and mental state and make deliberate choices about which techniques to use. This level of awareness allows you to adapt to the situation and achieve the best possible outcome.

The Role of Adaptive Consciousness
This idea of choosing the right technique in the moment is closely related to what Malcolm Gladwell describes as adaptive consciousness in his book Blink. Gladwell suggests that the most effective decision-making often happens in the blink of an eye, informed by years of practice and experience. In voice training, this means that the techniques you’ve internalized through practice become tools you can deploy instinctively when needed.

However, this instinctual response doesn’t happen automatically. It requires a mental readiness to recognize what’s happening in the moment and to make a deliberate choice about how to respond. It’s about being present and aware, so when the time comes to perform—whether that’s singing on stage, speaking in a meeting, or communicating in everyday life—you can access the right technique without overthinking it.

Consider an athlete, like a golfer or a swimmer, who has spent countless hours perfecting their swing or stroke. On the day of the competition, they rely on muscle memory and instinct, but they also remain mentally alert, ready to adjust based on the conditions they’re facing. The same principle applies to voice work. You practice so that when the moment comes, your body knows what to do—but you also stay mentally engaged, ready to make adjustments as needed.

Practice with Purpose
The key to integrating mental awareness with technical skills is practicing with purpose. It’s not just about repeating exercises or drills; it’s about doing so with an awareness of what you’re trying to achieve. This means being fully present during practice, understanding the specific patterns you’re working on, and considering how these patterns will apply in real-world situations.

For example, when you practice vocalizations, are you simply running through the motions, or are you thinking about how this exercise will help you project your voice in a large room? When you work on breath control, are you mindful of how this skill will allow you to maintain clarity and power in your speech, even under pressure?

By practicing with this level of awareness, you train not just your voice but your mind. You develop the ability to choose the right technique at the right moment, making your voice work more effective and adaptable.

Your thoughts here!
As you reflect on your own practice, consider how you can start incorporating this mental approach into your routine. The next time you practice a technique, pause for a moment. Think about why you’re doing this particular exercise and how it will serve you in real-world situations. Are you mentally engaged, or are you simply going through the motions? How can you practice with more purpose, ensuring that your mind and body are working together to achieve your goals?

Margaret Harshaw’s lesson that singing is 95% mental continues to resonate with me, and I hope it resonates with you as well. It’s a reminder that while techniques are essential, it’s the mental game that truly unlocks their potential. By being aware, present, and purposeful in your practice, you can take your voice to new heights, whether you’re on stage, in a meeting, or simply having a conversation.

Remember, it’s not just about the technique—it’s about the mental game. Be aware, be present, and choose wisely as you continue to develop your authentic voice.

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Closing Thought
"Next time you find yourself in a moment of performance or communication, take a mental step back. Ask yourself: What technique do I need right now? How can I mentally prepare to make the best use of it? With time and practice, this mental awareness will become second nature, guiding you to success in every vocal endeavor."

Please join us Sep 11, 6:00 pm CST  for a Clubhouse Chat on the Mental aspects of Voice : link

Note: if you’re viewing this on a mobile device and don’t see the ‘Subscribe for Updates’ option, try switching to the web version of the blog. You can do this by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking ‘View web version.’ This will allow you to easily subscribe and stay updated with more insights like this.