One of my greatest passions is authentic communication. You may wonder what I mean by this... One only has to listen to an automated message to understand. The one thing that can't be replaced by a machine, is the emotional connection one feels when someone is speaking from the heart.

I often meet people who mistakenly believe that raising their voice gives them an appearance of confidence. In fact, speaking overly loudly can be as detrimental as speaking in a timid manner. An overly loud voice can be jarring on the ear and generally unsettling. Conversely, a soft, calm voice reassures and makes people feel comforted.

Have you ever noticed how close you feel to someone when consoling them after a bereavement or honestly giving your opinion during a heart to heart discussion? During these occasions, the voice actually resonates in the chest around the heart, so you are quite literally speaking from the heart. A great example of this style of speaking is the conscious, evolutionary author, Nicolya Christi.

It is for this reason, that I ask my public speaking students to choose their topics wisely. If you really want to make an impact, speak only about that which you are passionate.