The troublesome aspects of life today are forcing many into total upheaval.  Relationships, jobs, finances and lifestyles are all in a state of flux, and many weighing options to take their experiences to new levels of fulfillment and security.  As they do so, an ages-old proverb appears to be coming into play, and it might be hurting all of us. 

“A bird in hand is worth (better than) two in the bush.”

Sources like Wise Geek.com and Phrases.org agree this proverb is saying that you’re likely to be better off by sticking with something you already have, rather than pursuing something you may never get.  The warning is that if you pass up a sure-thing (the thing you already have/know) to go for something that might be better, you may end up without both. 

There are several accounts as to the origin of the proverb, some dating back to the 13^th century, including that it comes from medieval falconry where the bird in your hand was the means to getting the two in the bush.  In this case, without the larger and skilled predator skills of the falcon, one wouldn’t be able to eat the smaller birds in the bush for dinner.  Perhaps you gained this wisdom when you read Aesop’s Fable of The Hawk and the Nightingale, in which a Hawk tells its nightingale prey as the latter begs to be released,  ”I’d be crazy to release a bird I’ve already caught in favor of birds I don’t even yet see.” There is even a Biblical reference from 1382:  Ecclesiastes IX – A living dog is better than a dead lion.

Regardless the proverb sounds like a lesson in the wise use of resources.  However, it’s putting a nice “useful” cover on a base emotion of fear, and on scarcity, lack, and limitation beliefs that prevent us from trusting ourselves and taking greater risks to experience our higher good. 

I’m recalling a particular apparatus on a ropes course at California’s renowned Challenge U, one of my favorite experiential learning facilities.   On this apparatus, you’re walking a tight-rope some 40-feet in the sky.  As you traverse the rope with your feet, you are using your arms to balance yourself on individual ropes hanging above your head.  These upper ropes are spaced just far enough apart, that you have to let go of one to grab the next one!  So each step along the way, you have to dangle out there in mid-air for a millisecond holding onto nothing before you can reach the next rope. [You are wearing top-notch safety gear of course, including helmet, safety harness, and gloves, and you’re being guided by one of Challenge U’s expert coaches.]  While there are other apparatus in the ropes part of Challenge U’s tools, this particular experience helps one feel what it’s like to be in the void while going toward a goal. The idea is to help people learn to feel the fear, and keep going anyway.

This is the heart of Courage, Faith and Trust. 

There are times when the bird in hand is practically killing us, and still we won’t put it down until something better is right at hand.  We probably all know at least one person who hates their job, but stays anyway, just for the money; a couple who stays married long after the relationship is over solely “for the kids” or the financial security; people who won’t risk going for something they dream about because they’re not sure they can make it.  

I certainly have been there.  Before I left my last corporate job in 2006, I was “grinning and bearing it” long after I knew I was unhappy.  When I stepped into my radical sabbatical, I felt fear of loss, lack and limitation at a deep level.  It wasn’t easy leaving my corporate salary and business comfort zones.  This proverb came up many times. But in the end, I chose to step out anyway.  

We’re in a time of massive shifts in the Universe.  The New Age of Enlightenment is upon us, and the energies it’s bringing are about destruction of the old, outdated, no-longer-serving-us aspects of our consciousness to make way for Truth.  Now, perhaps more than ever before, each of us is being supported to step into the void in order to claim higher ground.  But instead of stepping out in Faith, many are locked in fear and “hanging in there” with energetic vibrations that are holding them back. 

I believe the struggles we’re seeing around the world are about coming out of this stasis.  More of us have to be willing to step into and learn to thrive in the void if we are to truly shift the vibration of social consciousness.  We must learn to be listen to the signs along the way screaming NO!, it’s time to leave, exit, release, drop, or whatever form of not-doing- it-anymore fits.  

We must have the Courage, Faith and Trust to answer the call to leave before
the something better comes along if we truly want to live our most vibrant lives.

Perhaps our various forecasts of the future have numbed and misguided us.  Humankind’s ability to “predict” weather patterns, revenue, stock performance, life expectancies, prices, unemployment, purchasing, political races, etc. may be teaching us to look too long before we leap.   When we wait for the exact right moment to make change happen in our lives we miss the greater gift that comes from the willingness to dance with the questions and experience the fear as we choose to move forward anyway. 

We must make peace with the unknown, and see our ‘Bird in Hand’ dilemmas as calls from the Soul to step into the void and feel safe! 

We’re always in some form of the unknown.  We can only know so much about how things are going to play out, and even in the midst of our sophisticated systems for projecting and predicting, we still get it wrong.  It feels more important to be at peace without knowing. 

In the NOT knowing, we’re actually at our most flexible point.
In the NOT knowing, we’re open to more possibilities and in the possibilities,
there are more opportunities for triumph.  

Here’s your call to action:  Look at where you are “hanging in there,” or “grinning and bearing it” through what is not serving you, believing it’s your proverbial Bird in Hand.  Go into the fear that is keeping you from acting in your own best interest and make peace with whatever is causing it.  As the fear subsides, instead of waiting to see what will happen if you let go, perhaps it’s time to let go first, and then keep your heart open for the possibilities that you’ve just created!

Blessings, Love and Light!

Taking risks and transforming lack and limitation vibrations may not be easy.  We can help you get more comfortable in the void.  For a complimentary “From Tired to Inspired” consultation, contact us at info@HeartofLivingVibrantly.com.  To receive your copy of Valerie’s eBook “Smooth Sailing”  and other monthly benefits worth $175, join her FREE Heartful Awakening Circle online community at: www.HeartfulAwakenings.com. 

It’s the start of whole new year! It’s Chinese New Year, marking the start to a new lunar calendar cycle and a time for millions of Chinese and other Asian cultures to celebrate, which they do with parades, family feasts, special prayer ceremonies, and fireworks!  The new year traditionally lasts for 15 days, is the longest and most important of the Chinese holidays.  The celebrations tend to emphasize wealth, happiness and good fortune.

2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon.  In ancient times the dragon was a symbol reserved for the Chinese emperor, and it is considered an extremely auspicious sign. Unlike the Western lore of dragons being evil and deadly, the Chinese celestial dragon symbolizes  benevolent power, making them both strong and merciful.  Many astrologers cite dragon years as positive from many perspectives including family, business, and economic, and people born in dragon years to be brave over-achievers.   Famous people born in Dragon years include former U.S. president Bill Clinton, actress Reese Witherspoon and artist Salvador Dali.

Historically, “Year of the Water Dragon (1952, 1992 and 2012) is noted for its calm, visionary intelligence, and balance of right brain creativity with left brain logic.”  Here are some other interesting positive tid bits from californiapsychics.com on the the potential influences of the Water Dragon’s rule from January 23, 2012 to February 9, 2013:

• Like all Dragons, the Water Dragon is an innovative, fearless leader. But the Water Dragon is also far more sensitive to others’ needs, and is more likely to be progressive and diplomatic, as well as socially and environmentally conscious. Because Water bestows a more peaceful disposition, this Dragon will act wisely and intelligently, and unlike his fellow Dragons, is willing to set aside his ego for the good of all.
• This Dragon is a successful negotiator, and while he is adept at marketing, he also knows how to apply force skillfully when necessary. On the down side, the Water Dragon sometimes forgets to build a solid foundation for his grand plans, and he can hold on too long to pet ideas and projects, and thus create a famous Dragon-sized disaster.
• If you subscribe to the dawn-of-a-new-era theory of 2012, then it’s easy to see how the influence of the Water Dragon will increase the likelihood of success for progressive movements gaining momentum all across the globe. Energy conservation and green energy-producing technologies, curtailing Global Warming, challenges to multinational corporations, attention to world hunger and the renewed health of the oceans and sea creatures will all likely fare well.  But of all the Dragon years, the 2012 Water Dragon is most likely to bestow the Chinese Five Blessings of harmony, virtue and riches fulfillment and longevity, adding even more weight to the growing belief that 2012 will be about breakthroughs, not disasters.

Here are some things you can do on your Happy to Be ME! path to mark this auspicious time and set-up your own personal breakthroughs:

1. Make peace with your past.  As the benevolent and conscious Water Dragon energies are in play, be willing to explore old wounds and disappointments that no longer serve you, bless and thank the situations for the opportunities they provided for your Soul’s evolution and let them go.  As each one of us heals, we create a ripple effect that heals the planet!
2. As Chinese people do, spend time honoring and reconnecting with elders.   Recognize the gifts prior generations have bestowed on us and celebrate their love and accomplishments.  Do selfless service in a senior center, make a scrapbook of time with your grandparents or other elders in your family, or visit a grave site and leave a Blessing.
3. Find ways to balance your Divine masculine and feminine aspects.  Be sure you’re balancing giving by being an open receiver, make time in your DOingness for BEingness (doing nothing), and quiet your mind with meditation at least once a day.
4. Celebrate your health at whatever state it is, and do whatever new things you can to be healthier as you experience the longevity-boosting energy of this year.
5. Look for one or two new ways to contribute to the health of the planet.  Adopt a homeless pet, support a neighborhood garden, step-up your recycling, or look into solar or other alternative power sources.

Blessings, Love and Light!

I started teaching my “Be Still and Mindful”  meditation tele-series last week, so peacefulness has been on my mind more than usual.  I’m loving helping the students connect to inner peace.  This week, we’ll be discussing mayhem and how it shows up outside as part of our Soul calling us to recognize the distress inside.   Seeking inner peace is the way to experience a more peaceful environment outside of ourselves.  It’s important personally, and because we are all part of the global web of “collective consciousness,” it’s important to the world and every being in it.  

I love Saskia Davis’ poem on the topic, and thought I’d share it with you.  I appreciate the simplicity and concrete nature of her words.  Here’s your chance to check-in with where you stand relative whether you’re creating mayhem or peace.  Please share how it resonates by posting a comment. What areas of your life are signalling that your inner beingness is anything but peaceful?  What are you prepared to do about it? One thing you can do is share this with others who may need help diagnosing their own situations!

Blessings!

Symptoms of Inner Peace
By Saskia Davis

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace.  The hearts of a great many have already een exposed to innnerpeace, and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

• A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
• An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
• A loss of interest in judging other people.
• A loss of interest in judging self.
• A loss of interest in conflict.
• A loss of ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom)
• Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
• Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
• Frequent attacks of smiling.
• An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than making them happen.
• An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others, as well as he uncontrollable urge to extend it.

Warning:

If you have one or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as to not be curable.  If you are exposed to anyoe exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk.

I was just published in the Nov/Dec issue of 11:11 Magazine featuring Jack Canfield, Iyanla Vanzant, and Barbara Marks Hubbard! My article, “The Art of Allowing Happiness” starts on page 21. 11:11 Magazine is filled with life-enhancing quality articles and features geared at helping you live a more fulfilling and purpose-filled life.  In fact, it’s a Nautilus Award Gold Medal winner, and the only magazine to receive this coveted publishing recognition!

Ordinarily, you’d need to purchase this magazine for the cover price of $16.95 at Barnes & Noble. But the publisher is making available the Nov/Dec issue, all of 2012, PLUS 12 archived issues for FREE!

Visit the link below and enter the case sensitive COUPON CODE “Unity1111″ and then Click ‘APPLY’ to get your FREE 2012 subscription!  Then share the link and order instructions with your friends and loved ones to help them improve their lives as well!  http://ymlp.com/z28430

Many Blessings, love and light!
Valerie

P.S.  When you join my Heartful Awakening Circle online community, you’ll get special offers like this designed exclusively for my members!  Join this free community now to receive benefits worth $175/month and share the link with others:  http://heartoflivingvibrantly.com/heartful-awakening-circle-membership/

For each new morning with its light, 

I am giving thanks for all that I have and all that I don’t have; all that I am becoming and all that I have been; all that I have accomplished and all that I have lost. In the midst of all that, re-affirming that my life is in the hands and heart of God, and that I am one with All!

May your Thanksgiving be a reflection of the Peace, Love, Joy and Freedom that you Truly are!  

Valerie

Transformation is such a gift to give ourselves, especially when we simply do it by choice and not by necessity.  One of my favorite quotes, from Seneca, “As long as you live, keep learning how to live,” really captures that for me.  We’re really never “done.”  The journey is  the destination.  

Change may not be easy, but one thing is for certain, it’s constant.  Whether we like it or not, the world is in motion at all times at all levels.  We can go along resisting and lamenting, or we can grab the handlebars and kick up our heels and say “let’s go!” Believe me, I’ve done both, but I now embrace the latter as the way to have a lot more fun along the way!  But whichever you choose, one practice that I garuantee to smooth out the rough edges is meditation.  

If you are not meditating regularly, I believe you are not only missing out on wonderful benefits, you are holding yourself back. The time I spend in meditation is my “groove” time.  I groove while I’m meditating by getting connected to Source Energy and my inner voice of wisdom.  I groove in between meditations because the more I practice, the more I feel myself staying in the flow.  I’ts my miracle cure for whatever needs to get sorted out or released.  

Whatever you’ve heard about meditation, throw it out – even what I just told you.  Why?  Because everyone’s experience is different.  In fact, every single meditation is different.  So the only way you will truly know how your life can be different through an ongoing practice of meditation, is to engage in an ongoing practice of meditation!  

I feel so strongly about this that I’ve created a tele-workshop series called “Be Still and Mindful Meditation Coaching.”  I’m joining forces with dear friend and colleague Terri Levine, PhD, The Business Mentoring Expert, to share with you everything I can to help you integrate meditation into your life.  All the details are at www.StillAndMindful.com. Join us in January 2012 and take your life to a new level of peacefullness and yourself to a new level of fulfillment and success!

Blessings, Love and Light!
Valerie 

 

I remembered how birthdays of yesteryear were major to-dos!  Yes, I tended to make a big ‘thing’ of my birthay every year.   First, I’d make sure I mentioned it a lot so people would mark their calendars and I wouldn’t have to worry about

being forgotten.  Then, I’d host elaborate (often themed) parties, spending a lot of money making everything just so.   People would rave! (That was the catalyst to creation of a catering business called Culinary Expressions back in the 80′s, marking my first entrepreneurial venture). To top it off, it was not unusual for me to indulge in  some kind of extravagance for myself.  I’ve spent $2-3,000 dollars on a ring or a trip or something else to mark my “special day.”  

Sadly, even though my house would be filled with celebrants and laughter, great food and plenty to drink, lots of interaction, and oodles of kudos and focus on yours truly, I would generally wake-up the next day feeling unfulfilled. There was routinely something missing.  How strange to invest so much to feel special on one day of the year, and come up short.   

What I know now that I didn’t know then is where this need was coming from.  It was about having everyone else thinking of me as special because I didn’t see myself that way.  I had to create a time for them to do the ode-to-Valerie thing at least one time a year because I didn’t feel it the rest of the year.  I wanted people to ‘see’ me, recognize my importance in the world, and shower me with their affection.  Ultimately, all of this would help me believe I was enough, that I was lovable, and I was worthy.  

What a difference a radical sabbatical can make!  Why was my 50th not such a special thing?  Because of the shift I’ve made from external to internal validation.  I’ve spent the last several years getting in touch with the specialness that is intrinsic (and that’s in all of us).  Instead of looking for validation and love outside of me, as I did then, I know how to be that to and for myself.  I’ve learned how to  create a relationship with myself, to know the Truth of me, value me and love me.  By shedding old values, belief systems, and stories, and healing the woundolgy that created them, I’ve awakened to a wonderful experience of myself, and am translating that to new expressions of me in my life! 

Today, celebrating me is more about:

• Eating healthy and staying fit
• Getting into nature (my favorite place being the beach) to feel oneness with the Divine Energy flowing through life outside of me
• Practicing silence, indulging in meditation, and expressing plenty of laughter
• Reading books that fill my heart with Divine Wisdom that contributes to the ongoing evolution of my consciousness, and
• Spiritual awakenings that help me continute to shed things that don’t serve me.  

These new ways through which I connect to, love and care for myself are a part of my everyday living now.  In fact, I’ve done so well with making my transformational practices my life experience, that making a big hoo-ha extravagance of my birthday wasn’t necessary.  I’m making time for me, honoring my needs, respecting my feelings, and making myself special in my own life every day.  So my actual birthday was simply another day to recognize in small ways all day long who I Truly am, and how grateful and happy I am to Be ME!.  As we say in laughter yoga:  ”Very good very good yaaay!!

I hope you’ll explore how you can be more special in own life every day too!  Make your life more juicy and delicious more often!  You deserve it!

Blessings, love and light!
Valerie 

 HAPPY DIWALI!

Diwali, a contraction of Deepawali, (from Sanscrit, Dipavali which means “row of lamps”), is the biggest festival of India, celebrated by people of all religions throughout the country.  It is an occasion of jubilation.  For a period of three days everyone gathers around the home with family and friends celebrating with traditional customs.  Surrounding are the sounds of firecrackers, the scent of incense hangs in the air.  There are home-made sweets and delicacies and the exchanging of gifts.  There is the feeling of togetherness, joy and hope.

Diwali is a celebration which falls sometime in October/November at the time of the new moon, (when the moon is not visible, Amavas).  This year Amavas falls on October 26th, called New Years Day.  Diwali celebrations, 2011 start on the 25th and conclude on the 27th.  

Diwali, popularly known as the “festival of lights”, is observed with the lighting of oil lamps, but the underlying spiritual meaning is  ”awareness of the inner light”.  The celebration of Diwali as the victory of “good over evil” refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one’s true nature; not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite and transcendent reality.

The mythology and manner of celebration varies from region to region throughout the continent, but Diwali is often associated with the historic return of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu from a fourteen year exile after vanquishing the demon-king Ravana.  For three consecutive nights, households all across India burn oil lamps in their windows to celebrate Lord Rama’s victory and welcome Him home.  The ambiance created from shimmering candlelight throughout the night creates a distinctive and enchanting air enjoyed by all.

At Diwali, many Indians (irrespective of religion) honor Lakshmi, the goddess who presides over comfort, wealth and abundance, paying homage to her in hopes of success and prosperity in the coming year.

Diwali is celebrated around the globe and has come to represent much more than a Hindu festival.  It is rather a celebration of the many South-Asian identities, and the underlying awareness of the light that empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds.

 May the light symbolized by Diwali shine brightly in, through, and around you.  May you fully awaken to the light of your True Nature.  May you rest in Peace, Love, Joy and Freedom always.

Blessings!
Valerie 

After the 4th time, I was struck by how much this meant.  It was certainly not the first time I’ve ever been offered help in a store, albeit very few and far between at best.  It was more than that.  There was something in the eyes, smiles and the tone of the people, as well as their gracious willingness to extend the offer to lend me service.  I felt such caring, and it reminded me how easy it is to feel that way throughout the day.  

I’m often asked when I talk about BEing Love if I’m suggesting that everyone has to be in a service business, or if they have to be a minister, or transformational speaker, or some kind of healer.  My answer is always an unequivocal no.  You see we ARE love – it’s our State of Being, which means it’s not conditional to what we do for a living, how old we are, how we’re feeling that day or any other situational aspect of our lives.  In each moment, we can choose to share the light that we already are by asking someone  “Are you finding everything okay?” (and a thousand other ways of offering ourselves in service to our fellow beings).  

We can easily, effortlessly and with Grace extend our hearts — BE the Beacon — as often as we like.  We can do it in a myriad of ways, like picking up trash to keep our communities clean, or by helping someone who’s dropped something, or taking in a stray animal, or volunteering for a non-profit, or mentoring a teenager, or checking on an elderly neighbor, or simply saying with Grace and ease “Thank You.”  The only pre-requisite is to get out of our heads where thoughts of judgment, lack, fear and limitation could hold us back. 

In those moments with my Trader Joe’s helpers, my way of BEing the Beacon in return was with a wide and warm smile.  And on my way out I stopped to tell the manager how seen and nurtured I felt while I shopped, and I shared a hearty “‘Thank you!” to his team.  As I gave, I received —  instantly!  BEing love shows up in little moment-by-moment seemingly insignificant acts every day everywhere.  Let’s all join in … and how about seeing how many of them we can string together in a day, a week or even a month?!  It’s impossible to feel joy when you’re complaining, and it’s impossible to feel loneliness or unloved when you’re BEing Unconditional Love for those in your world!  

Get busy loving people!
Blessings, love and light,
Valerie 

Do you ever miss things that are visible in plain sight?  Like when you know you looked on the counter for your keys, and you’re positive they aren’t there.  But somehow when you trace your steps, there they are exactly where you looked before, as if they magically appeared. In fact, they were there the entire time.  I experienced this very phenomenon the other night, and my story goes like this.

I was going to my Mom’s late one night.  Of course I’ve been 100′s of times and go the same way: through the guard gate, turn right at the stop, left at the next stop, 2nd right and voila, I’m there.  So it was this particular night at around 10:45 p.m. Except when I get to the 1st stop sign, I prepare to turn, and instead, I’m confronted with construction barriers and cones, tape across the lane and other obstacles blocking my  way.  They were repaving the road.  I stayed there staring for at least a minute looking for a way in between the blocks and barriers that would allow me to continue along my familiar route to my destination. In fact, it was not just familiar, it was the only route I’ve ever taken through this gate to her house.  

It had been a long day, I was tired and all of a sudden, I was impeded.  A mild anger started as old egoic energy crept in pushing me to look for someone to blame.  I started wondering why the guard didn’t warn me that the route was blocked. Then it was about why my Mom hadn’t mentioned it either.  Then came ego’s favorite:  fear.  It’s not a big deal to detour, but I really didn’t know another way, and there were no signs directing me, and the guard gate was about to close.  ”You’ll be out here all alone — and there are wild dog-eating coyotes!!” is what the ego voice in my head tried to get me to attach to. And with that, mild feeling of abandonment and inadequacy started to creep in.  How insidious is the ego at getting us up in arms and down on self!  

As ease and Grace would have it, my True Self took over.  With calm heart leading my trying-to-lose-it head, I took a centering breath, said one of my favorite centering mantras, ‘Thank-you God, I see all!’ and turned left.  I pulled over, plucked my Garmin out of the glove box, and got ready to plug in Mom’s address and allow myself to be effortlessly routed through her neighborhood a different way, and all would be well.  

While fumbling with the Garmin, I look up to see in my rear-view mirror another car, having just come through the gate, approach the same stop sign.  The car stopped momentarily, and smoothly turned right and continued on its way!  I’m thinking, ‘But it’s all blocked off!  How could they possibly turn right? I looked carefully for several moments, and I’m positive there was no lane there!’  

So I put my GPS down, and made a U-turn.  When I turned around, I could see, as if by magic, that a lane was there.  In fact, just like the keys on the kitchen counter, it had been there the entire time.  Even though it was in plain sight, I couldn’t see it. It wasn’t until I looked: A) from a different angle; and B) with a guide helping me to ‘chart my course’ was I able to see the opportunity and make the choice.    

So what does this all mean?  I got a lot!  I realized there are times when we’re blinded.  We’re blinded by our vision, by what we’ve always seen or done, also known as habits, and by believng we know so much about the experience we’re having right this minute, that we can’t experience it differently until something or someone comes along to wake us up and shake us up and show us the way.   That’s what a guide does, and in this case, one who didn’t even know she was my guide. The moral of the story?

• Sometimes, we can’t see what’s visible in plain sight. Our routines, beliefs, values, old tapes, poor peripheral view, and a host of other internal aspects obscure things we very much need or want to see.  It doesn’t necessarily mean the opportunity isn’t sitting right there in front of us. It doesn’t necessarily  mean we’re being told to go in another direction.   What we need is to see from a different angle, and in many instances, a guide can get us there faster.

• When the ego’s knee-jerk reactions of blame, shame, fear, and anger start to set in, we need a powerful connection to the True Self to be awake and aware enough to notice, and shift the energy.  It may not be easy to remain peaceful when you perceive you’re in a storm, but it is possible. (Note:  by “storm” I mean the one the ego tries to create even though the outer situation in fact is pretty small and insignificant.) Making a smooth transition to quiet the ego and align with Truth is dependent on how practiced we are. It doesn’t become habit by wishing it so, intending it so or affirming it so. We must practice the spiritual steps to get ourselves back to center, so that when we most need to, it’s like blinking an eye or taking a breath to hear our intuitive voice when it tries to take the lead.