Projecting Authenticity: The Power of Voice Training with Robert-David Weeks

Ever felt at a loss for words in a critical conversation? Struggled to project your voice in a room full of people? Our guest today, Robert David, has some compelling answers to those challenges. As a committed conversation trainer and the mind behind the VTW (Voice Training Workout) method, Robert offers insights on how voice exercises and breathwork can drastically improve our public speaking and interpersonal communication skills.

Robert's unique method combines voice work, breath control, and physical movement, and is tailored to help entrepreneurs and small business owners speak their truth and foster deeper connections. But the conversation doesn't stop there. We delve into the art of staying present, and Robert shares his experiences with the earth breath technique, a powerful tool that helps regain focus during energy shifts. We even explore different learning styles and how to leverage them to connect with various people and soothe our bodies.

Finally, we unpack the VTW method for expressive communication. Robert emphasizes the power of body language and how using our hands, arms, and body to express words can help others understand us better. He shares the importance of authenticity and vulnerability in effective communication. Wrapping it all up, Robert leaves us with a quote from Lisa Nichols on the power of genuineness and honesty. So, if you're ready to unlock the power of your voice and transform your conversations, this episode is a must-hear.

NOTABLE QUOTES
[01:35] "When it comes to my journey in speaking, a big focal point is being able to take a moment to pause, to breathe, and to be able to just be you." – Robert-David 
[02:49] "I always believe in the importance of giving yourself some grace, honoring the feelings that come up, and also creating some fun in the journey of life." – Robert-David
[03:49] "[Public speaking] is being able to speak with one other person and vocalizing the thoughts and feelings you have outwardly through words that you're expressing or even your body as well." – Robert-David
[04:15] "You are born a great communicator." – Robert-David
[04:49] "We know how to communicate when we really want something." – Philip
[10:23] "When you feel connected with the person that you're speaking with, you feel better when you leave that conversation." – Philip
[13:18] "Whenever you feel an energy shift in the entire body, that's a moment for you to pause and just take a moment to breathe. And then from there be able to react." – Robert-David
[18:57] "Voice exercises [are] your opportunity to feel okay making weird noises out in the world." – Robert-David
[21:57] "Whatever you do, it doesn't matter how weird, how technically proper it is, as long as you're doing it with good intention, people are going to resonate with that." – Justine
[22:38] "What we think is weird is actually normal for someone else." – Robert-David
[27:06] "Pauses can be very powerful especially when you put them in the right spots." – Philip
[28:49] "You will want to do a great job. The key is being able to connect and express who we are." – Robert-David
[31:39] "Being genuine is worth it." – Robert-David
[35:35] "Giving yourself the time to be brutally honest is one of the scariest things that you can do, but one of the most worthwhile things you can do for yourself." – Robert-David

RESOURCES
Robert-David
Website: https://www.robertdavidweeks.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdweeks50/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rdweeks50 

Philip
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamphilipsessions/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philipsessions
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-sessions-b2986563/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealphilipsessions

Transcript

Philip Sessions: 0:16

Have you ever wondered about the importance of voice exercises and breath work when it comes to your public speaking and communication skills? I don't know about you, but I haven't necessarily thought about it a lot. But today we have Robert David on the podcast. He is dedicated conversation trainer and builder of the VTW or voice training workout method, known for his positive spirit and skill in fostering meaningful connections.

Philip Sessions: 0:47

Drawing over eight years of entrepreneurship and overcoming personal challenges, robert David has developed an insightful approach to communication that combines voice exercises, breath work, conversation and movement. His VTW method supports micro business owners and entrepreneurs to articulate their feelings honestly and connect deeply with their personal and professional relationships, and I'm excited to have Robert David on because he has been like a breath of fresh air for me. No pun intended there with breath work, but definitely some really cool stuff that he brings up and always a positive light every time that we have conversations, even though it's only been like two or three times, it's definitely awesome to have him on here. So, robert David, tell us a little bit more about yourself before we dive into the podcast.

Justin Rogers: 1:36

Yeah well, first I appreciate it for having me on the podcast super pumped, and I'm a guy that sometimes by accident will put a blender in the fridge, so there's moments for me where I'm not always present, and I think, when it comes to speaking and my journey in speaking, that's been a big focal point is like being able to take a moment to pause, to breathe and to be able to just be you.

Justin Rogers: 2:02

And growing up I felt very scared and nervous to be me and to express myself in conversations with groups of people, being able to just ask strangers like how other days has been or if I'm going to a store asking for help, and throughout this process or this journey, it's been getting more comfortable being able to express who I am out into the world.

Justin Rogers: 2:27

And that's involved a wide range of entrepreneurship journey of eight years with that, a wide range of trying different things, if it's DJing to meditation instructor, to marketing for social media, to conference organizing, to then helping when it comes to those that want to go and step up on stage and communicate and improve those skills of how we have conversations with each other. It's been. It's been a wild journey And so I'm definitely grateful for speaking being a part of all of that and getting more and more comfortable doing, being able to speak with others, and I'd still always work in progress And I always believe in the importance to give yourself some grace, honoring the feelings that come up and also creating some fun in the journey to of life.

Philip Sessions: 3:14

Love it. A lot of things unpack there. before we do that, i want to go into my first question I always like to ask, and that is what is your definition of public speaking?

Justin Rogers: 3:26

Yes, So I talked about this before, which is awesome that you're bringing up this, this question, because for me, it's like breaking it down into both those words So public, which is like how it can be defined as like, done, perceived, or being able to exist in open view, and then with speaking, that part is the action of conveying information or expressing one's thoughts and feelings, and so for me, there's no area in either one of those that says you have to speak in front of a thousand people for it to be public speaking. Tens of thousands of people or a hundred. Really, how I think about it is being able to speak with one other person and vocalizing the thoughts and feelings you have outwardly through words that you're expressing, or even your body as well. That can be form of speaking And that, for me, is how I define it.

Justin Rogers: 4:16

And people get so hung up on that, like, oh, i'm not great at public speaking. Well, i'm like have you had conversations with people And do you have friends? Do people enjoy talking to you? And yeah, like yes, so it's like you are great And I am a believer of that, that you are born a great communicator. It's just sometimes, along the way, you may have lost that And being able to reconnect with that is so important.

Philip Sessions: 4:38

Yeah, and really communication comes down to good habits. I like that you you frame it that way, because most of us do think that, oh, i'm a bad communicator. No, you've picked up bad habits along your life's journey And that's what's made you into this bad communicator. But when you really want something, you know how to communicate about it. When something is on your mind, you're dead set about that. You are not going to stop until you get that thing. We know how to communicate when we really want something. It's when we have to navigate through these conversations or when our emotions go high that all of these thoughts and this logic that goes behind the way we should communicate and navigate a conversation just go out the window.

Justin Rogers: 5:21

So I love that you bring that up that way.

Justin Rogers: 5:24

One to add into that is when we're trying to think of the next thing we're going to say without actually listening. It starts with listening and the importance of that, to be able to hear what the other person is saying. So then you can take that moment to realize how, like from those words that this person is saying, what do I feel right now And what are the thoughts coming in to them. Be able to express that And comfort is, of course, a big part of that. And from comfort is safety feeling safe within yourself, safe in the conversation, safe in the experience that is happening right now for speaking. It's so important to be able to create that within each one of us that's wanting to go out there and speak to others.

Philip Sessions: 6:01

Yeah, and especially when you're in a difficult conversation, you have to create that safety within that. If you're like a high stress situation or whatever that looks like for you, or you have to go in and you're really going through the conversation, have to fire somebody perhaps, whatever these high stress situations may be, you can't just go in there and have an emotion that doesn't align with that. If you're going to go in and fire somebody, you wouldn't look super happy, positive, gung-ho, like come on, buddy, we're about to go grab some beers or something. You're going to go into it having empathy for them. You're going to feel some remorse for them And if you don't, it's a little strange, unless if you just happen to be the person that has to go in there and you have no clue why, you're just like, hey, here's your papers.

Philip Sessions: 6:45

That's a little different, but you definitely need to have those emotions and try and be there in the moment with those people, which goes back to your blender in the fridge, which you mentioned earlier, because you're not in the moment, your head is somewhere completely different, and so it's really important to actually listen in, and I'm sure you've had plenty of conversations and I'd love to hear maybe a funny one, where either you were on the receiving end of that or maybe you did that yourself, where you weren't really present in the moment, and the way you answered it and then how the conversation came out, because the other person maybe realized, or you realized, that they weren't paying attention.

Justin Rogers: 7:23

Yeah. So my favorite I feel like people can relate to this one a lot is when you're going out and eating at a restaurant and the service. I had a moment for me where I went to a restaurant and I Ordered food. I was like I dig in, like this one I'm gonna take, i say what I want to the server. Server goes and I'm like waiting there, i'm not really present, like I can just feel. I'm like out of sorts, like I'm trying I have a kind of in front with someone that I'm talking to you and I'm struggling to like Be present because I'm it.

Justin Rogers: 7:53

I don't even remember exactly what was being said, but I just know it was an important conversation of what my, my mind was creating in this moment. And I remembered then the food coming back out and the server putting the food like on the table, and Then the server goes I hope you enjoy your meal. And then I say I hope you enjoy it too. I Know not the only one. That's happened and I was in hospitality, so that's where it comes. That's why it comes up like it's a lot of.

Justin Rogers: 8:25

It's cuz, it's like okay, you know, if the food just dropped, i gotta, i had to do that so I'm like no, i hope you enjoy it too, and It's just those moments where we're we're not present. So for me that was like a big one that comes up always.

Philip Sessions: 8:39

Oh yeah, yeah, it's so tough, i mean a lot of times just a natural reaction that you're gonna say, oh yeah, you too, and you realize that through It's like wait a second, there They're not getting food. So yeah, you were kind of there, but you were, you're almost, you were just waiting to be able to respond, which goes back to what you said earlier. You're not truly listening. You're listening in order to respond, rather than listening to what they said and then responding appropriately, which that's such a great point there that I know we're all guilty of that or we've done that before, and that's obviously a A situation where it's not a big deal.

Philip Sessions: 9:15

I'm sure, as you said, you're in hospitality. It happened all the time, i'm sure, and so they're just used to it. They just whatever, they just ignore it, like no big deal, just move on. But think about, in relationships or in business, if we do that, and Here and there it might not be a big deal, people understand sometimes where we're stressed out, there's things going on, but if you're doing that all the time, just how detrimental that could be.

Justin Rogers: 9:39

And That and also to not to beat yourself up. So I'm one to do that. I'm one to be like, oh gosh is messed up, like I feel embarrassed, i Want to close off in the world, i want to go into like a little corner and feel like a hermit for like a few hours. And, really, if we can laugh about it in those moments like that one Yeah, i laughed when that happened to me and if we can have that moment of just like I'm not perfect, i'm human, that then ultimately creates a deeper level of connection where we can then learn, of course, from the mistake And improve and make sure that we're getting better at being present. However, if we don't take a moment to acknowledge that way, i'm human, you're human, we're able to connect on that level, rather than me being some perfect person, it just creates such a deeper level of comfort in that moment, which is really awesome and cool to witness and be a part of, and then it just makes it much more enjoyable for an experience.

Philip Sessions: 10:36

Yeah, yeah, exactly when you feel connected with that person that you're speaking with, you just feel better. When you leave that conversation, you're, your moods elevated, you feel good, you feel like they actually care about you and everything, and so that's really a very good way to be when you are with other people, not just so that they feel better, but that should be part of it too, because you want, you don't want people leaving you. Me, like man, that Robert David guy, man, that Phillip guy, like just can't stand being around them. They don't pay attention to me, they're just focused on themselves. And I feel like crap afterwards because, like I wanted to talk about me a little bit, maybe get something off my chest, and I just felt like they weren't even there for me, they didn't care about me. But if you can have somebody leave, like, oh man, robert David is just the best. Like he just listens to me. I'll just go on and on and on and he'll ask questions and get to know more of what's going on And I really feel like I can get everything out with him And I just feel great when I get done talking with him because you paid attention. So it's such an important thing.

Philip Sessions: 11:38

But I want us to to go into. You've been talking about being present and in the moment And I feel like some of this breath work may be something that helps out with that. But tell us a little bit more about how we can be present in that moment. Because I can see and I know in my Relationships my wife gets on to me because here I am on my phone a lot like, okay, let me get on social media trying to do some, some business there and text in rather than Spending time with the family, even if sometimes that's just watching TV. But I'm not always present in that moment, so I'm guilty of that. So what are some things that we can do and I'm asking this selfishly, but what are some things that we can do to help us be more present in the moment?

Justin Rogers: 12:17

Yeah, well, absolutely So, providing context for it, that could be, as you said, like if it's with a partner at the house. One key thing is breathing is. When it comes to breath, work is so important. So just taking one deep breath in them with something is he, if you have it in a charge of energy, which is ultimately resulting then into a feeling that's gonna be created. You, you have a lot going on with that and we can have a natural motion reaction. Go and do something, say something that Maybe we're probably gonna regret, like regret that, and so we want to avoid that. And that could be the same for when you're speaking, if it's on stage or speaking in just one-on-one, and so if we can take a moment to pause and do a simple it's you know, i call it earth breath. It's and this was learned for me from my mentor, zach Kampa and it's just. It's just and that's a fancy word Just saying breathe through your nose, so just in and then out through your mouth.

Justin Rogers: 13:16

And just like that And it's so simple and people know it.

Justin Rogers: 13:20

Yeah, you know it, but sometimes we don't practice that in those big moments of energy that can come up, and so that can be a trigger of someone saying something that really makes us angry, to someone calling us out in an embarrassing way, and whenever you feel a energy shift in the entire body, that's a moment for you to pause and just take a moment to breathe and then from there be able to act.

Justin Rogers: 13:45

And another way if you don't have a moment like, if you're like okay, what else besides breathing that I could do is being able to pick something in the room that you feel is kind of cool, like you kind of dig it. It's a cool vibe. It could be if it's for me like sports, like I'm a Ravens fan for NFL. So if it's like Ray Lewis there, i'm like all right, i really like let me take a moment just to like pause. That gives me some enjoyment. I'm pumped and I can be present in the room. Usually when we're not present, it's because we're thinking of something way outside of the room or outside of a moment, and so just doing a simple look around and picking something and really focusing in on it and just saying that's there. So I'm here in this moment. That can also be another helpful way to get present.

Philip Sessions: 15:18

Okay, and I'm just gonna kind of play devil's advocate here because I like that And it's definitely something I wanna try. But let's say we're in a room that's pretty barren. There's maybe a door or a window or maybe not a window. Let's go with that and try and see something outside. But you're kind of in this closed room, no windows. You just got kind of doors, maybe a white or a brown wall, something really boring, neutral, maybe a TV, something like that, that's not on. What can you do? Because to me this is an environment that you don't have something exciting, Let's say like a Ray Lewis or a sports character, if you will. So what is something you could focus on in that moment to help you come back?

Justin Rogers: 16:01

Yeah well, so pause would be key for that. The pause really helps in that moment. So that could be I'm thinking like a boardroom, like in a situation, let's say, we're heated, there's negotiations for a business deal, you're selling business if you're a business owner or you have an employee that you're having to navigate a difficult conversation. So you got a lot of things running in your mind. So one is, of course, breathing, taking a breath and pause. And then the second two is being able to again just look at the person in the eye. So there are different levels of an individual and how they learn and taking information. So you have the visual, the auditory or the kinesthetic. So this is really helpful for the visuals, if you learn in that way is to look at someone in the eye and be able to create some connection that way. And then, if you are more auditory, it's being able to take a moment to listen to the words of the person saying.

Justin Rogers: 16:54

So, all right, something's coming out of this person's mouth. Let me put my focus into what are the words that this person is saying. So really just shift it in that way And then, if you're kinesthetic, feel yourself Like you know. You feel yourself here, so be able, if you feel more comfort in, like you know, if it's just brushing real quick an arm, maybe you do that, maybe it's a leg What can be helpful is creating a part of your body that feels centered And that's just like a place that you know you feel strong in, and so that could be. If you've been working out, you got like some epic biceps. You're like, let me just fill this up real quick And all right, i feel strong, right.

Philip Sessions: 17:32

I'm feeling strong here. Yeah, I'm just gonna be here the whole time just feeling my arm now.

Justin Rogers: 17:35

Yeah, right, and it's soothing. There's a natural response to soothe yourself, like that's, and yeah, it gets silly, but that's part of what I do is like being able to really expand upon that and get people comfortable in that. But like this right here, if you're just putting for those that are watching video it's or listening just on audio, i'm like putting both my hands on my biceps, arms running up and down, as if you're gonna hug from your, from when your parents, so when you love. It's just that moment of someone just gently moving, you know, their arms up and down And that can be great for those three different styles to help someone in a moment such as that where you're not having something that you really like around her. It's not a not a really fun environment.

Philip Sessions: 18:16

Yeah, and that's good And I think about this just cause I see you're more of an expert on this than me but it helps you come back into the room there and be present there, even though you're not directly focused on that person in that moment. It helps you rather than whatever million other things that are going on in your mind that could be outside of that. What you've got going on after this meeting, things of that nature. It helps bring you back there to that room And then you realize well, i don't want to pay attention to this chair or me rubbing my bicep or my breathing. I need to focus on the person that's actually here that I'm talking to, or the people that you're talking to. So that's super great way to really get back into that. I never thought about that before.

Justin Rogers: 19:00

And the key to know is just a method to that connection again.

Philip Sessions: 19:03

So like this isn't like.

Justin Rogers: 19:04

I just do this for the whole, for like again, for the, i'm just rubbing my arms or, like you know, you're touching the biceps, or you're staring at the person's eyes, like yours, like wide-eyed, all the time, Like it's just a method, real quick, a bridge. ultimately, a bridge gets you back to the whole purpose of this, which is the result of being focused and staying present.

Philip Sessions: 19:24

I like it. So let's dive into the BTW or voice training workout method that you have. That I I know offline. You mentioned that you pulled this from a lot of different things and kind of packaged it together, So tell us a little bit about that and how that works to help you with speaking and communication.

Justin Rogers: 19:43

Yeah. So the key is again, it's taking different modalities, different methods out there that have been around for thousands of years, and so that's really important is just being able to take all that, package it in a fun way and activity that someone can do for just a few minutes to more, like you know, 10 to 15 minutes, and so it involves the first part of it. That involves is voice exercises, and if you've never heard what a voice exercise is I didn't, it took me a while, but it's basically your opportunity to feel okay, making weird noises out in the world. And so the way I bring it back was growing up as a kid, i would make like you know, noises, like just weird noises. If it's motorboat sounds that you make, like people are just you know, people would be like, all right, just do a motorboat real quick, or like doing some weird tongue sounds, and unfortunately I can't, with this mic, make some of them and they'll come through. But what so? like there's like a lip trill, which I'll try to do here to see if it can come through, but it's basically for the motorboat. It's like you inhale And then. So what it's ultimately doing, if it doesn't come through, is the lips are moving up and down rapidly and you're making that motorboat sound And what's happening is so there's lip trills, there's tongue trills, there is valve breath is the other one, and then also lab breath and then hum breath is the first one, and what those exercises are doing and there's so many more voice exercises out there, but these are the ones that I particularly find very helpful and useful in my own practice, as well as sharing that with others. And what it's starting to do is from like a technical standpoint, it's working the approximate over 70 muscles that we utilize when speaking, so it's being able to work some of these muscles that otherwise don't get the training.

Justin Rogers: 21:31

And it's that's interesting because the person who introduced me to this it's through a TED Talk is how I found it, and the story of it was my dad was like Hey, but Robert, you might actually like this, it's really cool. We talked about for communication. public speaking is when I was first getting started to teach others and help others. And Julian Treasures he at the end, does some of these voice exercises And for me that was a moment of a game changer, of saying, wow, like you can be silly and goofy and kind of weird for how you're doing these sounds And they actually have some sort of benefit like they actually have some sort of benefit, and to find out they've been around for thousands of years as well, which is super wild.

Justin Rogers: 22:08

Back in ancient Greece They were utilized all the way till till now. It's fascinating for what it can do, for this feeling of like unclogging a pipe is really how it feels like is being able to unclog a pipe for your voice and allow you to feel a lot later in how you're expressing the words that you're wanting to share Wow, at the same time as a other hidden way of what it's doing is making you comfortable being silly and being weird and being yourself, and so that is also the hidden gift in it is. It allows you to feel that sense of safety, of being able to connect to who you are and express that with others, and that's that's what I love about the voice exercises. So that's that's that first part.

Philip Sessions: 22:52

That's, that's pretty awesome. And I'll say there as well, just kind of as a side note, that seeing that guy do that on stage at a TEDx just shows that whatever you do, it doesn't matter how weird, how technically proper it is, as long as you're doing it with good intention, especially if it's a weird thing, that people are going to resonate with that And maybe not everybody. There might have been people like, Oh that's weird, That's who cares about that stuff? And they moved on. But that got you hooked. And now look at you. You have a whole method, with that being one third of that method, which is really awesome to see. So for the audience out here, go speak, whatever it is for you, whatever the weird thing that maybe is not weird to you, but it could be for others. Do it anyways. Who cares? you're going to resonate with those that think it is cool.

Justin Rogers: 23:43

And that's the key is like what we think is weird is actually normal for someone else, and that's what's really important to get. It's like our weirdness is our normality. And that can be really hard to get sometimes, especially depending on how we've been raised and the path we've been on, but for me it was. It's been a struggle, and it's something recently to have worked through of being able to showcase my, my full, genuine energy out into the world and like just being comfortable doing that with someone I haven't met before or I mean, you know, meeting for the first time and And so that is just really important to take in is like your weirdness is actually normal for someone else and they can connect with that and relate to that.

Philip Sessions: 24:20

Hmm, and so what's the next part? you said that was the first part, so what's the next part to the VTW method?

Justin Rogers: 24:26

Yeah, so from there we move into, then a breath work. So it's a simple the earth breath in through the nose, out through the mouth. You're doing 12 of those reps, so it's just 12 inhale, 12 exhale and you can use your hand to move up and move down And then you can do 12 moving out for energy and then moving in, and so what this is doing is breathing is so important. With speaking, some people forget that it's like you're sometimes feeling you're trying to catch your breath as you're trying to talk, and What breathing allows for us is a moment to be present. What we talked about.

Justin Rogers: 24:58

And also to to be able to really feel comfortable Expressing our voice at different levels. So that could be, when it comes to pitch, being able to go high to low, to being able to focus in our tonality, if it's how we're expressing our emotions. So when we're sad, we actually feel that, rather than just have a smile and we're saying something that is Sad, to then being happy and joyful and just connecting with that and I always I do share this is that I believe you know We are the conductors of our voice and to realize that it is a lot Expansive. You know, in essence, clay, that we can mold into what we want it to be, and that can be difficult for a lot of people. For it to click initially is that, oh, i can shift and change what my voice is to me, and sometimes that's just allow yourself to get out of the way and just feel comfortable with who you are and expressing that, and so with breathing that allows us to get present, to feel comfortable in the moment And being able to express your words. So that that's the other part, and then the fight, the the final aspect of this, is Movement, being able to create some sort of movement.

Justin Rogers: 26:07

So for me, that looks like doing Lip-sing to songs. That's a way to move, because you have a lot of energy that starts to build, and so what happens is you want to release that in some way. So for me that's lip-sing to like Freddie Mercury, and I'm just like going off on it. When it comes to we are the champion could be a song or it could be dance. For others It could be all of a sudden doing some push-ups, doing like 12. You know the set of 12 push-ups. That opens up for your own creativity. But it's like doing two minutes of something and just go for it, and so, ultimately, is trying to make it compact in less than 10 minutes is the goal. But what it does is a great way to start the day. It's a great way to potentially end the day. It's it's a great way when you have something big that's about happen. It becomes an anchor for you of safety to be able to reconnect with your genuine energy and express that out into the world.

Philip Sessions: 26:59

Hmm, i like that and something you mentioned with the breath working as you start pushing out and bringing back in and Expanding and contracting kind of thing with that too. To me, that helps you with being expressive and really getting a movement, where you're starting to use your hands and as you're Thinking of breathing in and, of course, this case you talked about it too about breathing out and you moved your hands out. That's an important thing. When we go up to speak or just have a conversation, rather than sitting still like a robot and just having a conversation, you talk about, hey, we're gonna go out there, we're gonna go out that way, and you kind of point your hand or whatever, or show a hand. That's another thing with Using your, what you have your hands, your arms, your body to Express the words that you're also saying, which goes back to when we talked about way at the beginning, about the Auditory versus visual, versus I can't think of it the one that that feels things, but yeah, can aesthetic, for that one in aesthetic, yeah, and and that shows that you're getting the auditory But also a visual which helps people to be able to learn and understand what you're saying, which is an important thing, and, of course, that breath work there, and something that I also thought about was the causes.

Philip Sessions: 28:11

If you can learn to breathe, it creates a pause, and Pauses can be very powerful, especially when you put them in the right spots, especially after a strong statement. You want people to think on that. Take a pause real quick or as you start doing this breath work as well And you know, may not be able to hear it when I do it in the mic, but especially if you're doing like a breathing exercise, that's something that you do, like let's breathe, why you're gonna breathe really like hard into the mic, but when you're not used to that, you might Like you just like a little sniffle, like breathe is like That wasn't really a good, solid, strong breath, and so it helps you get used to doing those things like that and really animating yourself. So I think that's just the great method that you use there to really help your clients be able to get through that, or to be able to get better at expressing themselves in their way and building up their own personal energy.

Justin Rogers: 29:08

Yeah, well, and a key to realize as you're going through, if it's the breath work portion, voice exercises and or movement, or even again, the whole point of all that is to support you in feeling comfortable and confident to go up and express who you are On stage. You know, in that genuine energy, just feeling like alright, i'm me is to make it as natural as possible. Hmm, that's really important is like the goal is to make it feel effortless for you. It's not to feel super Intense and like a lot of energy when you're having to step up on stage. That that's how it can feel starting off, and The nerves are gonna stay there, like potentially for you and I mean, even on the highest of levels, some still feel nervous, and so I think that's important because it makes it shows that you care.

Justin Rogers: 29:54

You will want to do a great job, but the key is being able to, as we're going through this and like taking that time to really be able to connect and Express who we are. If we don't have that moment, to just again go back to the pause. If you can't have that moment, just pause and just breathe and Just to feel that that level of comfort and and be able to feel present, then we're we're not being able to feel that safety, to express who we are, out of there.

Philip Sessions: 30:24

Hmm, hmm. And so there's somebody that's probably skeptical about this method, or maybe there's something that's holding them back. If there's something that you could say, maybe, to get them over that edge, what's something that you would share to help them get over that edge and at least give this method an attempt?

Justin Rogers: 30:43

Yeah, it's just to try it.

Justin Rogers: 30:44

I mean, again, it's one of those things where, if it's not working right now for you, this might be, might help, this might be an option, and the key is to keep. If this is not it, then that's okay, because I always think that there's like a thousand ways to get to the end destination, and that's really important for people to realize There's no one right way for everything. And so if you've been trying stuff out and you're struggling right now and you're like man, i can really try to get a little bit more confident, a little bit more comfortable when it comes to expressing my words out into the world or on stage or in conversation, one-on-one. Give this a try, try it out. If it works, great, awesome, a pump for you. You're similar to me with navigating this, if not totally, okay too. Hopefully you'll find what it is. The key is to just not stop searching, and that's what I believe in is the importance of growth and being able to make sure that you're going out there and actually taking the time to find what can help you.

Philip Sessions: 31:42

Yeah, i couldn't agree more. So y'all definitely go try out that VTW method and reach out to Robert David if he can help you out with that. And before we go into the last question so it's already said reach out to you, tell us where we can reach out to you.

Justin Rogers: 31:57

Yeah, So the best. So Instagram is best. For me It's at RD Weeks 50. Linkedin also Robert David Weeks, and then also website robertdavidweekscom.

Philip Sessions: 32:09

And that's weeks like weeks of the year.

Justin Rogers: 32:12

Weeks, months, days. That's so important. Yeah, w-e-e-k-s. And then please, especially listening to this podcast. We're watching this podcast. Please let me know what insight you resonate with and share. That Definitely send me a message. I'd love to connect.

Philip Sessions: 32:26

Awesome. So let's go into the last question now. So again, make sure that y'all connect with Robert David on all those platforms. He's doing some really cool stuff and enjoying seeing what he's got out there. But the last question I have for you is if you could only share one message for the rest of your life, what would that message be?

Justin Rogers: 32:44

Yes, okay, so for me it would be. Being genuine is worth it, and what I want to add onto that is a quote that this is a quote I share. It's by Lisa Nichols and it states that communication is the distance between you and everything you want, and I believe that by being genuine, you are on that path of being able to communicate out there into the world for everything that you want.

Philip Sessions: 33:11

And I can ask I mean that quote that's awesome, i love that quote there, but why genuine? Is there something that maybe came up in your life? I feel like maybe there's a little something deeper about why you picked that genuineness being your message.

Justin Rogers: 33:27

Yeah Well, so for me, i felt my entire life that I wasn't genuine. I was trying to be someone I was not or felt expectations like, felt others had expectations for me, and if that's family, like you know, i my dad taught me in high school So I felt like I had to be a certain way, without him saying anything wasn't on him, but it was that I had. I had two older brothers and they were, you know, star athletes My high school, middle school, and then I'm coming in and having to fill those shoes and they're a few years older than me, and so it's sometimes the assumptions we make we have to be a certain way or act a certain way, and that could be based off of teachers that told us something, that could be friends saying that's stupid or weird, of what you're doing, that feels natural, or just if it's a boss or a client or customers. Always we've gotten that input that can come in, and so for me, it's helping others to realize that really the key is figuring out, figuring out what feels right for you and what feels an alignment for you, And I have struggled through that journey.

Justin Rogers: 34:29

I've come to a place where I feel on solid footing with it, and now it's a moment of practicing that for the rest of my life, because it'll have ebbs and flows, but it's so important because what happens is we feel the heaviness that's been on our shoulders. We realize how much we've been carrying and we're able to let it go, and the difference is so worth it. From my own experience, i know from others that have gone on that path, and it's a hard, hard ass path to go on And it's one that is very scary, very fearful, and there's a lot that can come up and many people will go the other way, but also many people will stay the course, and so it's important to surround yourself with others that are in that, that want to continue to express who they are, discover who they are and be able to be willing to grow in that journey too. It's so important and it makes such a big difference. That's why, being genuine, it's absolutely worth it.

Philip Sessions: 35:23

Yeah, i agree with you there, and genuineness is a tough thing to do when you don't really know yourself. When you don't know yourself, who you want to be, who you are and everything, it's definitely a lot harder to be genuine. But when you can figure out and you know who you are, you definitely can be more genuine. And it really comes down to being truly honest with everything, and that is a tough thing as well, especially in our society today. It's all about sugarcoating things, not telling the hard truths that are out there.

Philip Sessions: 35:57

Sometimes It's about just being well, let's tiptoe around these certain subjects and not bring them up or not talk about them at all. Especially with my faith background, that's a lot of. What happens, too, is just oh well, we don't talk about that. We don't talk about sexual immorality, or we don't talk about all these little things like that, or maybe not little things. We don't talk about these certain things, but then learning that from somebody in the world or somebody that you really shouldn't be learning that from, and so we need to make sure that we are genuine and learn ourselves first. But I do like that message a lot.

Justin Rogers: 36:36

It's so, so powerful And it goes back to just the importance of the time. Giving yourself the time to do that And to be honest, brutally honest is such an important vehicle or method to get to that point, And it's one of the scariest things that you can do, but one of the most worthwhile things you can do for yourself.

Philip Sessions: 36:55

Yeah, totally agree there. So everybody go, take a moment, follow Robert David on social media and make sure that you continue to subscribe to our podcast and YouTube channel so you can continue to see amazing guests like Robert David. But, robert David, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and sharing some great tactical information and wisdom from inside your brain and helping us learn to be present and take a moment to breathe.

Justin Rogers: 37:25

I just appreciate again the opportunity. So much fun, epic fun.