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Accepting Oneself (In short) We hear time and again that we should accept ourselves for who we are, even with our stuttering, and only then can others accept us etc. But does 'accepting ourselves' then mean accepting other people's responses to our stuttering as it is now, since that whole dynamic is technically a part of 'who we are'? (More specific) When people (esp. family and friends) respond to my blocks by turning away, switching the conversation to someone else, saying they're too busy to hear what I have to say etc. it crushes my esteem and floods me with shame and helplessness. I could (and have) respond to them saying what they're doing is rude etc., but it's like I'm talking to deaf ears as they repeatedly do those things, even if unconsciously at times. Seeing the hopelessness of this struggle, I was more open to embracing the idea that I need to just 'accept myself' and they will accept me. The (perhaps) common sense realization I eventually had was that I could accept myself all I wanted, yet my blocks wouldn't disappear -- so even in self-acceptance, as long as I still stuttered, I would be treated the same by those around me. This has led me to question, is accepting their responses to my stuttering part of the equation in accepting myself?