Feb 29 Mtg Update: Go Out There & Do

People who stutter will surprise you. Their speech might sometimes sound "funny," but if you take the time to listen, to get past appearances, you discover truly amazing individuals. They've accomplished so much in spite of the continuous struggle with their speech. They've made a point not to give up, no matter how hard the going gets. They have dreams for themselves, and they work hard to make them come true.

One of our group members had the dream of being a public speaker. Can you imagine being a stutterer and at the same time wanting more than anything to speak to large groups of people and make your voice heard? Another group member recently got his master's degree, coaches a high school lacrosse team, and also works as a waiter. How amazing that he embraced these opportunities instead of running away as fast as he could from having to give presentations, and to talk to teenagers and hungry strangers every day?

Their secret? Preparation and practice. They make sure they know their stuff. They practice every day the speech techniques they've found useful. And they don't stop doing. The only way to build confidence that you can do something is to go out there and do it. Sure, you will fail sometimes. But you are also strong enough to learn from your mistakes, to bounce back. We all know this. But to see it work in someone's life is an amazing thing.