8 Responses to "Geeez"
October 19, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Funny, I just blogged about something very similar. Maybe there is something in the air!
http://istuttersowhat.com/falling-backwards/
October 19, 2012 at 1:30 PM
This is fun! Seeing the same topic on two blogs on the same day 🙂
As I had mentioned in the comments section on Evan’s blog, confidence is something we develop from sadness and suffering. It’s a great feeling to conquer a fear and grow from it.
The only problem is, we’re living in a society that seems to demand absolute perfection in everything even though it’s humanly impossible. So on top of having low self-esteem, we unnecessarily feel foolish for it.
Nothing wrong with retreating a bit then making your triumphant return. Adapt and overcome 🙂
October 19, 2012 at 2:13 PM
I also consider myself to be a confident stutter, but I totally have those moments where I wonder what happened to that person I used to know! I completely agree with Heather that we are all human and that we need to recognize this in our day to day life. For myself, I think that areas in life that are not necessarily connected to speech still influence my speech, such as whether I am under pressure, feel accepted and cheered for by those around me, if i am well rested, or confident in my abilities.
I have found that my speech has taken a major plunge here in Jordan and I think it has to do with the combination of being in a very different culture where no one knows about or understand stuttering. Plus, I am attempting to learn and speak Arabic, which also adds a lot of pressure as I am constantly watched and evaluated by everyone around me. I think that overall, those low times have a redeeming factor because they force me to rethink what I believe about my stutter and the way I deal with it – confidence is a choice more than a feeling or circumstance.
October 19, 2012 at 9:20 PM
Thanks for the insightful response Kelsey. Can you talk with anyone in Jordan about your stuttering? The teachers evaluating you?
I have great admiration for what you are doing – so courageous and fun!
October 20, 2012 at 12:36 AM
Thanks, Pam! I am open about it, but there is usually a large language barrier. I do talk about it in Arabic class so everyone knows about, but no one has really taken an interest in it. Though my teacher is patient, I don’t think that she realizes that it is an actual condition . . . It seems like she sees it more as me having difficulty with the new sounds.
By people evaluating me, I am more referring to just being that people that people notice and watch. People in my village/city are not accustomed to foreigners learning Arabic, so everyone stops and eavesdrops every time I talk, which I am always very aware of. It is quite fascinating being a stutterer learning a language and living in a different culture!
September 27, 2014 at 8:48 AM
Very nice article. I absolutely love this site.
Keep writing!
Make Room For The Stuttering 
October 19, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Because you’re human! I’m pretty confident these days (not fluent, confident) but I still get frustrated from time to time, although I tend to use a different word than “geeez”. 😉
October 19, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Ha ha . . . . . me too, but in the office, “Geeez” seemed right!