Eighteen Steps to Cultivating A Voice In This Neverending Galaxy

Cultivating a unique voice in the noise of the world is something that is challenging to overcome. There are many voices out there and many places where people turn to listen and to learn and to figure things out.

Most people have more than they think to say, but don’t know where to start. Many people have ideas and worry about whether they will ring true. Every voice has value. Working on something every day certainly helps to find the voice.

Here are some suggestions for places to start:

1. Be Vulnerable — the best and most important place to start is a place of vulnerability. Honest and true voices stem from a place within the heart where ideas are special and full of possibilities.
2. Hopes — what are some of the things that you really want to see in yourself or maybe in others? Are there corrections that you would want to see? Challenges that you want to accept?
3. Dreams — What is at the base of your world? What is important to you? If you had a short time left or a short time in a place to visit, what would you do? What inspires you?
4. Spend time in the quiet — sometimes it is hard to just be by yourself in a small room and get into the thoughts you have, but this is a great place to start.
5. Think of a different perspective — sometimes when things get stuck, think about things from the other point of view. It might make your ideas stronger.
6. Uncover the layers through discovery — a true voice is uncovered through discovery. Do things and have experiences that might get that voice out.
7. Get Angry — the best words come from things and ideas that we feel strongly about. Impassioned words are often the strongest as they may even stem from fear or pain.
8. Against All Odds — a strong voice can come from a spot where you overcame something. Has there been a time where things looked bad and something happened to change your odds of overcoming the inevitable and being victorious?
9. Knowledge — What are some of the ideas and concepts that you know the best? What have you become an expert on? What is your passion? What are you driven to do?
10. Cry a Little — think about the moments where the you have experienced the most pain. Strangely, I didn’t mind breakups when I was younger, because some of the best writing I did came from a place of pain.
11. Inspirations — Who makes you think? Who takes you to the next level? Who wants to make you better? Who makes you better? What have you learned that got you excited?
12. Burdens — What have you not been able to deal with? When have you been destroyed emotionally or physically? What is something that you have not yet been able to get past?
13. Expectations — How do these challenge you to get better or improve? How have these been unfair?
14. Fascinations — What makes you fired up? What makes you curious?
15. A Total 180 — what would totally astound you or blow you away? What would totally make you crazy or happy with a massive change or a total turnaround?
16. Money — what would you do if you have more of it? How would you spend your time? How would you spend your resources? What cause would you give it to? Who would you spend it on?
17. Changes — What would you like to see in a different light? Who would you like to see be different?
18. Beliefs — Who believes in you? Why do they care about you? What if you let them down? Why do you believe the way you do? What dogma or system do you support?

Have the courage to speak. Let your voice be heard. We are waiting.