A speech success today!

[Adam Playfoot]

So today I had to do an in person lab for school and I knew I had to say my name three times in the day. I was anxious all day and kept thinking how can I say my name? I kept defaulting to the stuttering mindset so I finally just said “ok I will use crutch 4 and soft voice to say my name”. It didn’t totally rid the anxiety because I still don’t know for sure if I will stutter or not. I said my name all three times today,  pretty much forcing myself to and I felt great afterward. It was 6 hours of stutter worrying for 2 minutes of joy and peace. I am REALLY hoping that the more I force myself to use a crutch on a feared situation I will eventually lower the fear meter. Let me know your thoughts!

[Anonymous]

Adam, this is EXACTLY what happens. You see, you have taught your brain (from years of repetition) that saying your name = stuttering = humiliation and embarrassment.

So now what do you have to do? Prove to your brain the exact opposite ie. saying your name = fluent speech = calm = not even an important event.

How do you do this? By continually using a crutch and showing your brain that saying your name is not actually something to fear. Your mind will eventually wash out the stuttering memories with fluency memories and it will completely forget to fear saying your name because you have given it no reason to continue to do so.

I cannot remember the last time I even thought about saying my name. You will get there too, just have some patience and trust that it will only take a couple of weeks for this new fluency habit while saying your name to form.

[Adam Playfoot]

Yes great! Hopefully I never think about saying my name in time haha.

[Javier]

Great job Adam! You have proven to yourself that you can do it. Celebrate this success, remember it as many times as possible. The next time you have to face a similar situation, remember that you have already done it successfully, so there’s nothing to be worried about, you can definitely do it again, and it will be easier. This is how we expand our comfort zones. Very soon saying your name won’t bother you at all.

[Adam Playfoot]

Thanks Javier!

[John Kerr]

Well done, Adam! All the times I’ve seen you in the SAM meetings, you speak fluently without any detectable stutter. The more we practice the crutches and mind training the better we all get each day.
I genuinely thought I’d struggle when I gave my SAM Talk but I was mindful of the crutches and it certainly helps when you try and become a more exaggerated form of yourself when giving a presentation.

[Adam Playfoot]

I guess I have been lucky in SAM meetings! 😉 Great to hear!

[Anonymous]

No, Adam. You have not been “lucky” in the SAM meetings. You have worked hard to achieve fluency and it SHOWS!!!

[Adam Playfoot]

Thanks Leah 🙂

[Gordon Seltz]

Great job! Overcoming the fear of saying your name is so empowering

[Adam Playfoot]

I’m definitely not over the fear haha but I have found 3 or 4 different ways to say my name that are comfortable for me and haven’t failed. I still think of my name before I say it I just make sure to use 1 of the 4 ways to say my name (mostly crutch 4).

[Anonymous]

Great work, Adam! It took me about one whole year to lose the fear of saying my name. But I was patient as I understood that I had feared saying my name for years, and it would take a little bit of time for my brain to jump on the “SAYING MY NAME DOES NOT EQUAL FEAR” TRAIN.

As long as you know that you are capable of saying your name ANY PLACE, ANY TIME, you are winning. Pretty soon, you will be jumping up and down to introduce yourself. I remember being out somewhere, and I was just walking up to everyone introducing myself. It is still one of my most cherised memories, that powerful feeling I had. You will get there soon, patience!

And by the way, I LOVE CRUTCH 4. That and crutch 1 are my go to crutches when I have to say my name!

[Author]

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