Write for You: Pep Talk Voice

Write for You:  Pep Talk Voice

by Nancy CaseA good pep talk puts the wind in your sails.  Pep talks get you and the big boat of your life aimed in the best direction for smooth travel.  Without pep talks you could be led to believe your ship might sink, or that it could be becalmed forever.  With a good pep talk behind you, you keep moving forward.

We talk to ourselves in many voices, and for a good pep talk, all you have to do is give the stage to Pep Talk Voice.

Pep Talk Voice is the most stubborn and single-minded voice in the choir.  It is incapable of saying anything bad about you. 

 If you start describing your life to yourself in terms of its failures, Pep Talk Voice gets all pumped up with applause, saying, “Look what you were up against!  Did you see that!? You’ve come through this far! We can do anything now!”

 If the tasks ahead of you in the next day, year or hour seem beyond your abilities, Pep Talk Voice says, “So what?  You’re doing everything that’s humanly possible.   Why wouldn’t that be enough?  There’s a path through this.”

 If you are tempted to carry on about all your faults of character, Pep Talk Voice just laughs.  “You expect me to believe that???”  Pep Talk Voice never doubts your worth.  “You are a fine person,” says Pep Talk Voice, stating the obvious.  “You are a fine person and you are doing your best. Here’s why…”

 Even when you are considering the things that you’d like to change about yourself, Pep Talk Voice will still find a way to say that you are just fine the way you are.  “Doing a few things differently will make you even more like yourself!” crows Pep Talk Voice, reminding you yet again how amazing you are.

 Today in your writing, give your pen over to Pep Talk Voice.  Just see how it goes. 

 Maybe your writing will come out as a dialog, where you say something and Pep Talk Voice adds what it thinks.

 You could try interviewing Pep Talk Voice. Ask it questions. 

 You can even tease Pep Talk Voice and try to get it to say something bad about you—but it won’t.  It can’t.  It doesn’t know how.

 Maybe Pep Talk Voice has a speech it’s been dying to give you.  Give it a chance.  Write down what it has to say.  Pretend you are taking dictation.

As you write down the things that Pep Talk Voice has to say to you, think about what “pep” is.  When you are peppy, you are alive with life.  You have vim, vigor, and vitality.  “Pep” isn’t something that you can wear or buy, it bubbles up from inside of you like the force of life itself.

 Pep Talk Voice is the voice of the one who knows you best of all.

 Put the date on your writing and be sure to give it a title.  Here’s an example of what you could write.

 

Nancy Casey teaches writing classes at the Recovery Center on Thursdays.  Check the calendar for classes and times, or just drop in.  All are welcome.  She coordinates Recovery Radio, which airs on KRFP 90.3 FM in Moscow, Thursdays at 1:05 PM. Recovery Radio needs on-air and off-air volunteers.  Call the Recovery Center  208-883-1045 or email latahrecoverycenter@gmail.com for more information.