Finding Your True Voice: A Journey Back to Passion, Purpose, and Power

Fun fact: at one point in life I was certain that my destiny was to become a blues singer. My friends in high school called me ‘Flo’ because I was always busting out songs by Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Mary J Blidge – you know, ‘the Queens.’

I would fearlessly sing on stage every chance I got, and eventually, I earned a full scholarship to Ithaca University. But just as my senior year came to an end, life shook me in a different direction.

My class had nominated me to sing the star-spangled banner at graduation, which was planned to be held outside on a beautiful sunny day. I was all set to sing my own bluesy version in front of the largest audience I’d ever faced. But then–it started to rain.

Everyone quickly shuffled inside, and the principal, in a panic to stay on schedule, pushed me onto the stage. I began to sing, and just as I reached the peak of the song, the microphone cut out. Then it came back on. And then it cut out again.

I frantically looked at the principal who gave me the ‘keep going!’ gesture. I tried to push through, but without being able to hear myself, my voice wavered, going from boisterous to barely audible. The audience took pity on me and began to sing along—a kind gesture—but it only made matters worse as the mic kept—cutting—out.

I was so horrified that my cheeks started to spasm, and it took everything I was made of to stay on that stage until the song—now my personal nightmare—finally ended.

My fearlessness was demolished. I forfeited my scholarship and my journey took an entirely different turn.

25 years later, I am living on ‘The Island of Artists,’ and the invitation to sing again has become impossible to ignore.

So, I decided to take some singing lessons. In my first session, my teacher—a gorgeous, embodied powerhouse who initially intimidated me a little—led me through a series of silly exercises to experiment with sound and breath.

As I tried to replicate her, she would pause me and say, “You’re trying. Don’t try; just let it come through, regardless of how it sounds.” I tried again, trying not to try. It wasn’t until the fifth attempt, when I crossed some mysterious threshold of not caring how I sounded, that I heard my voice as I remembered it from so long ago.

“THAT. That’s it,’’ she said.

Since my first session, I’ve been able to access this embodied and effortless voice that has called me back to the stage—maybe not to sing just yet, but to facilitate, teach, and speak into the masses.

I share this because I am struck by the synchronicity of life—how, in one way or another, it always leads us back to our passion and purpose, no matter the twists, turns, shakes, and heartbreaks along the way.

I’m also now recommending voice lessons to all of the leaders I work with, who are crossing their own thresholds—from overthinking and analyzing to just saying ‘it’ and seeing what naturally emerges.

My wish is for everyone to have this experience, of hearing your truest self and song come through.