I see this concern come up time and time again on this sub, and I get it. Been there, for sure. It's absolutely fair to have concerns about how our stutter may affect our life, whether it be relationships with friends or potential partners, our jobs and careers, how we interact with our children, all valid. Self-loathing and self-pity were regular for me, along with anxiety about all the things I was certain I would miss out on because of this hand I was dealt. However, I've since worked very hard to make changes in how I approach my stutter and, for me, it has completely changed my life. I now see my stutter as an advantage. Hear me out. If you're reading this, you have made it this far in life with a stutter. That has taken resolve on your part, despite how rough it may have been. Appreciate that about yourself. Things may have been more difficult, unfair, uncomfortable, embarrassing... but you did them and you're still here. That took strength on your part, no one could do those things for you. Appreciate that about yourself. Relationships and speaking with potential partners have probably been anxiety-inducing, awkward, painful at times... but you still put yourself out there, even if it was just a tiny little bit, and that took guts. Appreciate that about yourself. So many of us have found wonderful partners that support us and don't look at us differently because of how we speak. If anything, it makes for a stronger bond. Popular culture hasn't come around, but the vast majority of people are not your cookie cutter sitcom character and are empathetic human beings. Mind you, empathy is not pity, but rather compassion and understanding for what someone else may be going through. Everyone has their own insecurities and anxieties, and you can support them, too. You know what it is to deal with a difficult situation presented to you. For this reason I truly believe you have a greater capacity for empathy than most people. Appreciate that about yourself. In the end, it starts with you. There are infinite variables that alter the course of our lives, the vast majority of which we can't control. How we think about our stutter is not one of them. That said, confidence does not come overnight. You will fail at times in life for reasons completely independent of your stutter. You'll probably fail as a direct result of your stutter. The confidence in yourself needed to bounce back from these things will temper your resolve to push on. I see my stutter as a built in mechanism to remind me that no one is perfect, and that I have succeeded in so many ways despite my more difficult path and my many failures. I try to project that self-confidence as best I can. Not infrequently, it escapes me, but I persist. Keep at it. Own. That. Shit. You will be successful.