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Welcome to Issue 82 of Clearly YOU! Every second Wednesday, I share fresh ideas to help you rise above the noise and communicate clearly, confidently, and with your real personality leading the way. Not a subscriber? Sign up now!

Practical, business-related books are cool.

I read tons of how-to, self-help, learn-to-be-the-best kind of stuff. 📚TONS! (Like... an embarrassing volume.)

Also, I wrote a how-to book, so I’m obviously not throwing shade. 👉 Shameless promo: Making Words Work is an solid source of practical advice on creating powerful content.

But despite my deep love of the professional-support genre…

When someone asks how to make their voice stand out - how to sound real, relatable, and not like everyone else in their field?

I don’t point them to branding guides or leadership memoirs. I send them to the funny folks.

Because the best humour writers aren’t just tossing out clever anecdotes and one-liners. They’re performing their personality.

Their tone is deliberate.
Their rhythm is unforgettable.
And they own their voice.

Which, let’s be honest, is priceless.

Cool Quote

"It takes years to find your voice and seize your real estate."​
Amy Poehler, actor, author, and host of the Say More podcast

Try This → Study the Funny

This week, crack open something by a funny person who’s also a great storyteller.
Read a few pages and tune your ear to their voice. Ask yourself:

• What makes it feel familiar, even if you’ve never met them?
• Is their vibe calm and steady? High-energy and chaotic? Witty and sharp? Warm and casual? (Try to sum it up in just a few words)
• Can you describe their personality easily - and name something that impresses you about them?

Now ask yourself the harder question:
​Would someone else be able to do the same for you?

If not, that’s the work.
Not to be louder. Not to be more like someone else.
Just to be clearer and unmistakably you.

Stuff Worth Sharing

Here are a few of the voice-strong books I always recommend (or reread when I need a reset):

• Tina Fey, Bossypants​
  Sardonic. Brilliant. Feels like you’re eavesdropping on someone too smart for her own good.
• Amy Poehler, Yes Please​
  Confident chaos meets sincerity. She can pivot from wild story to deep truth in a sentence.
• Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?​
  Like a text from your funniest friend. Self-aware, warm, and delightfully petty in places.
• Nick Offerman, Paddle Your Own Canoe​
  A rugged weirdo with philosophical leanings and a deep love of woodworking metaphors.
• Trevor Noah, Born a Crime​
  Sharp, purposeful, emotionally intelligent. His voice doesn’t shout, it lands.

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If you want your professional voice to resonate - in-person and online - these are the kinds of voices worth studying.

Also super funny. And we all need more laughter in our lives!

Inbox-Worthy

This week’s pick is True Story TIME by Isa Adney. It's everything I love in a newsletter: Strong voice. Real stories. Zero fluff.

Isa doesn’t just share insights, she shows up in her words. You can hear her. You can feel her. And you remember her, because she’s not trying to sound like everyone else.

If you want to see what it looks like to perform your personality in writing (without overthinking it), this one's a solid choice.

For the Word Nerds

Phrase of the week: Performing your personality.

It’s not about building a persona and trying to hold that façade in place 24/7.
​For the record - I’ve seen people do this, and it looks exhausting.

It’s about choosing words that sound like you, even when you’re not in the room.
It’s about developing a presence that carries across platforms and touchpoints.

And no, it doesn’t happen overnight. But when you put in the time and attention, something shifts:

Your self-confidence rises.
Imposter syndrome quiets down.
And people remember you - for all the right reasons.

Thanks for reading. See you again July 2nd. Until then: ​ 🧠 Need a second brain? Let's Chat.​ If your voice feels a bit fuzzy, I’d love to help. Book a free Zoom call, or just hit reply and tell me what’s feeling stuck. ​ ☕️ Prefer a DIY option? Try my free course. No sign-up drama. No lengthy videos. Just one short email lesson, delivered daily for 7 days. Easy peasy. ​