Question:

I speak VERY loudly sometimes at home and work. How can I lower my voice and still be heard?

Answer:

Sometimes people who have hearing problems speak very loudly without realizing it. You might need to have your hearing tested or learn how to speak without hearing yourself as well as you’re accustomed to.

However, if your hearing is good, you might speak loudly because you are a high energy person. In this case, you can use your breath to help you out. Program yourself to take a mindful breath before you speak and decide to speak more quietly. Imagine there is a child sleeping in the next room that you don’t want to awaken.

If you have a naturally large and resonant voice it is a wonderful thing. Speaking more quietly means being aware of how you are speaking as well as what you are speaking. Since the quality of vocal sound actually communicates more than the content of the words, you are not alone in this just because your voice is loud — we all need to be mindful of how we are speaking.