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From: Alan Badmington (toJackie)
Date: 19 Oct 2006
Time: 16:06:58 -0500
Remote Name: 84.65.104.102
Hi Jackie, Thank you, so much, for contributing to the discussion. I also very much appreciated your kind comments. You may gain a further insight by reading the following articles that I wrote for the 2003 and 2005 ISAD Conferences, respectively: (1) 'STEP OUTSIDE: Why expanding comfort zones can improve our stuttering and lead to more fulfilling lives': http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad6/papers/badmington6.html (2) 'How I changed my stuttering mindset’: http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad8/papers/badmington8.html Unless we are prepared to break out of our comfort zones, and tread unfamiliar paths, we eliminate risk but severely limit our personal and professional growth. It has been my experience that the only limitations are those we impose upon ourselves. You enquired, “Since you have become more proactive in your speaking with others, do you find that you have less difficulty saying what you like?” Yes, certainly! Speaking is now such a pleasure. I have waited for more than 50 years to be able to say what I want – I’m now making up for lost time. The debilitating oral shackles have finally been removed and I can pluck whatever words I choose from the vast vocabulary that I developed as a result of a lifetime of word substitution ;-) I never think about stuttering when considering what I am going to do or say – I no longer have a stuttering mindset. You also enquired, “Since you have stopped avoiding, and focused yourself to say what you like, have you noticed less tendency to want to avoid?” On May 4, 2000, I made a pact with myself that I would never again avoid any word, letter, sound or situation. I have been true to myself since that date and have not practised any avoidances. As I have changed my self-limiting beliefs about stuttering, I no longer have any fears about stuttering. Consequently, I do not have any desire, or reason, to avoid. I wish you every success with your studies. Kindest regards Alan