Weekly Insight #9: How Emotional Energy Affects Our Voice and Body

There are moments in life where the energy in the room—whether positive or negative—deeply affects how we feel, how we communicate, and even how we carry ourselves. I recently had one of those moments during a rehearsal that was filled with passionate energy. The intensity was palpable, and I found myself swept up in the mix of emotions, both positive and negative. As I reflected on the experience, I realized how much that energy impacted my own body language, voice, and overall presence.

It was a moment where I felt pulled in two directions: wanting to engage with the conversations happening around me, but at the same time recognizing that the frustration in the air was affecting me in ways I hadn’t expected.

How Emotional Energy Affects the Body and Voice
As a performer and singer, I’m keenly aware of how the body and voice are interconnected. In this particular rehearsal, I noticed that the repeated frustrations and high emotions started to manifest physically. My shoulders tensed, my breath became shallow, and without realizing it, my voice began to take on a harsher tone, even when I was trying to stay neutral.

What struck me the most was how unaware I was at first of these changes. It was only after stepping back and reflecting that I realized how deeply the energy of the room had influenced me. Without speaking, my body and voice were responding to the environment around me—communicating emotions I hadn’t consciously intended.

The Power of the Breath Reset
In moments like this, I’ve learned the value of taking a breath—literally. When I feel the urge to say something, especially when it’s driven by tension or frustration, I pause and breathe deeply. This simple act can be a powerful reset. It doesn’t take long, but it allows me to clear my mind, check my tone, and relax the tension in my body. Sometimes, after taking that breath, I find that I don’t need to say anything at all. Other times, I proceed with more clarity and intention.

For me, the breath reset is a tool that helps bridge the gap between impulse and action. It’s something I’ve come to rely on not just in performance but in moments of personal and professional stress. It’s a reminder that we always have a choice in how we engage with the emotions and energy around us.

Using Your Voice with the Breath
Much like the intensity of the sun in the image above, the energy in a room can sometimes feel overwhelming. But just as the sun’s reflection on the water softens and spreads, calm breaths can influence both ourselves and those around us. When I breathe deeply and speak from a place of calm, I notice that others often mirror that energy without even realizing it. It’s a subtle shift, but one that can change the dynamic of the room. By staying aware of my breath and how it connects to my voice, I’m able to create a more positive and calming influence in the environment

Reflecting on our rehearsal, I realized that while I couldn’t change the overall energy of the group, I could control how I responded to it. The combination of awareness and breath gave me the space to decide how I wanted to engage. In moments like this, it’s easy to get pulled into the emotional current, but by taking a step back, I was able to shift from reacting to the energy to influencing it in a more positive way.

Communicating with Awareness
Our voice and body language often communicate more than we realize, especially in high-energy environments. By staying aware of how the energy around us affects our body and voice, we can make conscious choices to communicate with more intention and presence. Taking a breath can be a simple yet powerful tool in this process, giving us the space to reset and respond from a place of calm rather than tension.

Checking in:
The next time you find yourself in a charged environment, check in with yourself. How is your breath? What is your body language saying? And most importantly, how can you use your voice to contribute to a more positive and constructive conversation?

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.