> So I would like to ask you, do you have any tips for “breaking out of your shell”? Sorry if that sounds vague or not specific enough, I can’t think of any way else to describe it. Not vague at all! I totally get what you mean. It's really all about deciding to let fear dictate your path in life. I remember chatting with my now-wife on the dating app, and it clicked so well, but I was filled with anxiety about my stutter and me being a nobody. I then realized that if I continue to avoid doing what I truly want (like going on a date), I will be miserable my whole life, and I there and then decided I do not want that life anymore. So what I did was, I was super open and honest about who I was and my stuttering. I didn't make it a big deal, but I simply let her know I had a stutter and that I sometimes would have difficulties here and there with speech. She said no problem. Then after a few days of chatting, we decided to go on our first date, to an AMUZEMENT PARK. It was the best time ever. I never saw her in real life before this. We only knew eachother for like 3 days through a dating app. Fear.... It's just a voice trying to 'warn' you of made-up potential threats. It's not necessarily a real threat. It's up to us to choose whether or not we choose to believe what Mr(s) Fear is telling us. We can literally choose to follow our fears, or not to. Most often than not, our fears are holding us back from being happy in life. From enjoying life. The choice is literally yours. The only thing that is trying to tell you it isn't your choice, is your fear, which is just another lie being told my your fear. Fear will always try to creep up on you and try to "one up" on anything you do (if you know what I mean?), but you just need to learn that fear is just a thought, nothing more. It can't control you, unless you let it control you. You desensitize yourself to fear, by facing your fearful thoughts, time and time again. Stuttering and fear go hand in hand 99,9% of the time. You don't HAVE to let stuttering make you live an unhappy life. There are PLENTY of genuine people out in the world, who would truly appreciate and/or love you for who you are, regardless of your stutter or whatever. You just need to open up and let go. Hope this helps some more. :)