Finding Your True Voice: Authority Without Strain
Hey friend,
Does your voice feel tired, achey, tight, or croaky by 3pm? … if people ask you to repeat yourself… if you end a day of meetings with a sore throat and a headache—this is fixable. Not by pushing harder. By changing how you use your voice.
Clear, confident, heard: for women at work: What’s The Problem?
Speaking lower than is natural for you…
Plenty of women (and men) try to hold the voice down to sound “serious.” It often backfires.
The deeper-voice myth (and why forcing your voice is counter productive)
While some listeners may hear lower pitch as having more authority, It makes speech harder to understand, it invites throat push and creak, and leaves you fatigued by day’s end.
You don’t need a “man voice.” You need speaking structure rhythm, resonance, and clean endings to words.
Here are some reasons why it doesn’t work…
Trying to get your voice to sound deeper is a moving target. While for some listeners, lower may read “serious”, to others it will sound “cold/flat”
Cognitive load: trying to monitor your pitch while you are talking takes attention. Your fluency drops.
There’s an Identity mismatch: if it doesn’t sound like you, trust will suffer—yours and theirs.
Self-silencing: chasing an “acceptable” tone trims your natural expression. Your presence deminishes.
What does throat-driven, pressed-low speech cost you?
Clarity loss: endings blur; prosody flattens, you have to work harder to be understood
It takes more effort and lowers your impact: more push does not equal more carry.
Fatigue/pain: tight neck and jaw, sore or “burny” feeling in your throat after calls.
Connection: warmth and nuance live in natural pitch movement and easy resonance. Forced low tones mutes both.
How to get authority without strain:
One idea per breath
Short chunks. Pause. Next chunk. Speak Calmly = instant authority
“/ I’ll outline the risks / then the plan / then the ask. /”Slow down without sounding flat
Keep the face and eyes alive while the words move slower. One keyword per sentence.
“Today / three steps. / First, scope. / Then timeline. / Then owners.”Land the last sound
Finish the word—especially t, d, s, k, n. Clarity beats volume.
20-second drill: need / neat · leave / leaf · hard / heart · bus / buzz · rope / robeUse resonance, not force
Think gentle “mm-yes”—vibration forward, throat easy. More carry, less push.
“Should I make my voice deeper at all?”
Don’t hold your voice down.
If your pitch naturally drops a touch when you’re calm, fine—let it move.
Get authority from structure (agenda first, one idea per breath, clean endings), not from pushing pitch.
If your natural pitch feels “wrong” at first
Many of us learned the “low = serious” habit early, so returning to a natural, healthy pitch can feel “too bright” or “not me.” That’s normal. Your ear is calibrated to the habit, not to ‘healthy’.
Recalibrate, gently:
Check comfort, not numbers: free neck/jaw, steady breath, clear endings.
Ask one trusted colleague: “Was that clear and calm?” Most will say yes before it feels normal to you.
A tiny daily reset (60–90 seconds)
20s soft lip trill or “mm-yes/now” to bring the buzz forward.
20s your opener with /slashes/ for pauses.
20s say it once more, slightly slower, land the last sound.
Why coaching helps (and why going it alone is slow)
You can Google tips all day. What moves the needle is targeted feedback and simple plans that fit your work.
What you get with a coach:
An audit of habits you can’t hear yourself (rate, endings, breath, tension).
A plan that’s yours (scripts, drills, and timing that match your role).
Accountability so the changes stick.
Less effort, more carry—you sound clear without feeling wrecked at day’s end.
Stress-proofing for high-stakes calls (short resets you can do at your desk).
You need repeatable habits—and someone beside you while you lock them in.
If you’re done feeling hoarse, unheard, or exhausted by 3pm, I can help. We’ll map clean habits to your actual scripts, and I’ll walk with you until it sticks.
I invite you to book a short call or a first lesson at https://lisarichardsmusic.com/singing-lessons-classes
Thanks for reading.
— Lisa
Book in for a voice lesson, songwriting class, or coaching session today.
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