What I've learned in my journey to overcome stuttering:

What I've learned in my journey to overcome stuttering: When you are speaking to someone, do not take their satisfaction as your responsibility.  This sounds quite harsh off the bat but it truly is the only way to express yourself authentically. It is also the best way to think if you want maximum enjoyment for you and whoever you’re speaking to.  You are carrying too much responsibility. I know you are.  I know you are because I used to be the exact same way. I would be constantly scanning the other person's face and making small micro adjustments in how I was speaking to try to satisfy the other person.   I felt like whenever I was speaking to someone I had the responsibility of NOT making it awkward for them. I had the responsibility to make sure I said everything that they would agree with so I didn't cause any type of negative emotional response from them. A reason I didn't want to stutter was also because I didn't want to make them feel uncomfortable.  If you’re a person who stutters and you haven't resonated with what I said so far, then this post isn't for you.  But if it has resonated, keep reading..  The faulty reasoning I used to have, that you also may have is: “If I don't do anything that makes them dislike me, then they will like me, then I will feel a sense of belonging” “If I tell them what they want to hear, then they will like me, then I feel feel like I belong.” This is so untrue.  This causes you to be locked inside of your head constantly scanning for clues and hints so you can change your approach so you can satisfy them more.  It is noble but the truth is you are not going to satisfy anyone this way.  You will turn into an anxious, unsure, constantly doubting yourself, version of yourself that is creating assumptions of what you think they want.  The wild, world changing perspective this is about to lead to is: If you are constantly making assumptions of what the other person wants, aren't you subconsciously saying that they don't want you?  Because if they truly wanted you, why would you need to think about how to act, what to say, what is acceptable to speak like?  Yes, that is exactly what you’re saying.  And we are rooting down to the real root cause of why we are holding all this responsibility..  You don't trust that you’re enough.  You don't trust that if you were to fully show yourself with everything you are, you would be enough.  You have gotten in the habit of not trusting yourself.  That's it.  I'm telling you that you’re enough. I'm telling you that the solution of speaking effortlessly is literally trusting yourself fully.  Trusting that if you show up authentically, stutter and all, you will be enough for the right people.  And the wrong people won't be able to see your worth, but that's not on you.  And you must be okay with that.  You must be okay that some people will love you and some people won't. That's the price you pay for releasing the responsibility of their satisfaction.  The alternative of releasing responsibility is… No one would truly love you fully.  Why? Because no-one would get to see the real you.  You are constantly changing and shapeshifting to try to please them. Completely futile venture.  Yes, you will get less people who dislike or hate you.. But you will also not get to experience true raw, unshakable connection.  You will also not get to experience true, effortless speaking.  This is what I have learned from my journey in overcoming my own stutter.  Hope this really resonated with you because this fired me up writing about.