How To Stop Mumbling - Use This Quick Technique

What? Can you repeat that?
It always surprises me when my partner says that to me.
In my mind, and to my ear, I spoke clearly… but…. (mumble) it obviously didn’t come out that way because my partner often asks me to repeat myself.

Oh no. It’s happening to me. The lazy mouth.

You’re about to learn a quick exercise, that you can do almost anywhere, at anytime - it’s a technique that many professional broadcasters use before they go on air. It’s fun & silly, so make sure to watch this video to the end, so you can benefit from it.

So last week I MCed a non-profit gala called Untapped. They find employment for diverse groups such as people with disabilities, First Nations, and new immigrants. I was also interviewing the CEO of VanCity on stage, Tamara Vrooman so I wanted to do a good job.

Now I used to MC events all the time, but I’m out of practice. My mouth is out of shape! And I’m getting lazy with how I enunciate. This is bad news brown.

When you communicate, the objective is to be understood. And when you boil it down to the basics, it’s how you move your mouth.

Think of your mouth like an instrument. It needs tuning. It needs conditioning. It needs practice.
So how can you fine tune your mouth like an instrument, before you give a speech, or record a video?

Step one: get a pen.
Step two: put it in your mouth
Step three: say the alphabet

Try it with me!
See how that feels?
It stretches your mouth. Your mouth works harder.
And that’s what you want.

People have one chance to hear what you have to say.
So make your mouth work harder, over-enunciate your words, and keep your mouth in tip top shape.

Do you understand?

With a lazy mouth, you risk being misunderstood… or even worse, not heard at all.

Don’t get left behind, you can shine online.

[onee]

I have lazy mouth + shyness. It's a horrible combination. I always come across as someone who is very insecure.

[danutto]

I mumble all the time and then I get mad at people that do not understand me LOL

[JC-hppk]

I finally wanted to sort my mumbling after my girlfriend of 7 years told me she barely understands me half the time. I was so hurt.

[greenghost]

Heck When I talk it can sound like one long groan of sadness.

[snshusat]

feels so bad that even my mouth is also lazy. looks like my entire body is lazy

[Messenger]

The beginning of the video was so true for what I've experienced. I'd speak to people who work in stores or restaurants or whatever and they would say "I'm sorry, could you speak up?" or "what?!" I cant hear you and I would instantly be embarrassed and mad because of what they did but people doing that should make you want to be better instead of offended and hurt by it

[CaesarJay]

I noticed an immediate change in my pronunciations using this technique. It helps to try and read an article in a newspaper or magazine with the pen in your mouth and then re-reading it again without it to really work. It also help to record yourself speaking before and after using the technique to really see the improvements.

[eutue]

share this with today's rappers, please.

[freeunderratedmusic]

I always knew the answers in class, but I was afraid of answering because my mumbling could lead to some awkward situations. Thank you so much!

[sarahmannion]

Literally EVERYONE asks me what I’ve just said 🙄
I’m not confident in what I say, that’s the issue

[Lindy]

This works like a charm. For me, you're doing it right when u feel that your facial muscles feel tired after the exercise.

[mourielv.]

all my life I've been told I have lisp.. It turns out i have lazy mouth..

[Fundamental_Islam.]

I can’t explain how happy I’m right now cuz I just found ppl like me

[codymyers]

Thank you for this! I have horrible lazy mouth and you can barely understand a word I say. This is working great. Half of my insecurity comes from knowing you wont understand me so I speak loud and mumble to compensate and the vicious circle makes you not want to talk to anyone.

[ran]

Finally someone without a British accent doing one of the videos. You speek good lady thank you!

[strider]

I mumble and stutter and it's almost impossible for people to understand me except for friends and family... thank you for this

[jack]

"And can be done almost anywhere!"
Uhh.... ok. I'll give this a try while I'm watching my son's graduation next week

[greenghost]

I wonder if my depression is why I mumble.

[alanguages]

Great exercise. I am a native English speaker and people have stated I mumble multiple times either face to face or on the phone. I am learning other foreign languages also, and will be doing this exercise with their alphabet as well.

[chloemcholoe]

Talking is so hard I just wanna stab my throat and never talk again >_<