I'm 38. I've been on the path of acceptance for a very long time now, but only in the past couple years I have developed a realization that it doesn't matter...any of it. We think it does when we are young...like we are really adamant about it, but a lot of it is catastrophizing in our head. I live freely now. I stutter, but it no longer burdens me. I realize I have been successful, and I stuttered through every second of it. In highschool I was writing my college essay and they wanted to know my weakness. Hell if I was going to mention stuttering. I was absolutely convinced the school would reject me. Hindsight I realize that was ridiculous and it was certainly an opportunity to show people that I have persevered through all this. Years later when I finally embraced my stuttering my world opened up and did things I never imagined. I founded a stuttering support group, spoke at universities close to a dozen times...I even auditioned for a TV show. I found myself in meaningful romantic relationships. I am happily married with a little boy now. My dad has a saying. "Hire a teenager while they still know everything" You have particular thoughts and feeling towards your stuttering now. Don't take those as gospel and let it limit you. It limited me. Be open to change and take risks.