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From: Steven Kaufman
Date: 09 Oct 2009
Time: 20:33:17 -0500
Remote Name: 68.194.171.62
Hi Sarah! Thank you for reading my paper and for your compliments. I think as a person who stutters we often come down so very hard on ourselves. My speech therapist has often told me a philosophy that I think bears repeating: "You don't feel bad because you stutter, you feel bad for the person who has to hear it." When we begin talking to someone who does not stutter and we start to block, we often have negative thoughts fill our head: "I'm struggling and this person is being forced to hear me." In reality, we have the power to shatter those thoughts!!! We need to tell ourselves and know that we have to say is important. It doesn't matter whether it's buying a movie ticket at the box office or going to the college bookstore to return something. Confidence is such a sexy thing, and when you know you can say something and the world is going to hear it regardless of how long it takes, that's a powerful thing!!! Something else that can go a long way too is to find or create a positive environment. My stuttering for example was never talked about in my family. It wasn't until four years ago that I found that environment in the NSA. Surround yourself with those who will let you be you, and accept your stuttering for what it is. It is one part of the beautiful package we have to offer the world!!! And when you say what you want, life really is beautiful!