Finding Your Voice By Carolyn Hall
In this season of graduations, commencements, and people of all ages heading off to their next steps in life, I think about the motivational speeches these new graduates and their families and friends are hearing to send them on their way.
My wonderful niece just graduated from college, and over the weekend, with her, I heard many good speakers. But those that resonated with me, the speeches that surpassed the “nice, well done” to stop time and suddenly capture all my attention and emotions, are those I can’t forget.
They were the ones who noted this tumultuous time, didn’t sugarcoat the challenges already faced and the ones that lie ahead, yet gave … something else.
Something else for the future that felt like a bit of hope, a boost of confidence, a recognition of the accomplishments and the resiliency each graduate carries.
These unforgettable speakers also had the comfort and ease of speaking in their own voice. Some were quiet, held pauses, were humorously self-deprecating, and full of respect. Others were enthusiastic, calling us to action, celebratory, and relishing the triumph of what had been achieved. They each had their unique way.
The individual tone wasn’t what made them captivating.
It was that each was heartfelt, sincere, seeded with personal anecdotes, cultural references, and vulnerabilities that made them human, humble, and relatable.
And, honestly, the great ones were relatively short!
After clapping, laughing, and wiping away tears, I kept coming back to those elements that made the best speeches resonate. They are what we talk about in every communication class we teach. A talk can be filled with beautiful words and well-crafted thoughts, but once you find YOUR voice, reveal your stories and your humanity, that’s when your message sings.
So, I can’t sign off without sharing some of the messages that are still with me.
Share them with a graduate in your life, or enjoy them for the pearls of wisdom they are:
- It is possible, even normal and healthy, especially at eventful times, to hold two opposing feelings (joy and sorrow, exhaustion and exhilaration) at the same time. To be able to do so and still be in the moment with others is a sign of an agile mind and a resilient spirit.
- Some Winnie the Pooh wisdom: to get where you are going, you must walk away from where you’ve been.
- And: Get out into the world and have conversations. Conversations are the key to creating relationships and forming community. You never know when what you learn about a person in a seemingly unimportant chat can perhaps save their life, or yours.
Congratulations to all the 2025 graduates!