How I Overcame My Fear of Stuttering | LeRon Barton | TEDxWilsonPark
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- čas přidán 9. 10. 2018
- Video from TEDxWilsonPark in Florence, AL on Sept. 8, 2018 More at tedxwilsonpark.com
Writer LeRon L. Barton has stuttered since he was a child. Listen as he describes the challenges of having a speech impediment through college, in the workplace, and his personal life.
LeRon talks how he was able to conquer his fear of stuttering, leading to giving talks at universities, participating in workshops, facilitating panel discussions, and being a guest on national television
programs.
www.leronbarton.com LeRon L. Barton is a writer from Kansas City, MO currently living in San Francisco, Ca. A graduate of Paseo Academy of Fine Arts, LeRon is the author of two books, “Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American Drug Culture” and “All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of Dating, Relationships, Heartbreak, and Marriage.” In addition to the books, LeRon is an essayist; whose topics cover racism, mass incarceration, politics, gender, and dating. These works have appeared in Salon, The Good Men Project, Elephant Journal, East Bay Times, and MoAD.
As a young man, LeRon has had to live with a stutter. At times it was debilitating and confidence hindering, but he has learned to manage the stutter and not let it stop him taking on another passion: public speaking. LeRon has given talks and speeches at University of San Francisco, Glide Methodist Church, been a guest of Al Jazeera’s The Stream, Story Corp, Dr. Vibe’s Do You Know What Time It Is podcast, and has participated in panel discussions on race and prison recidivism. In his spare time LeRon mentors young men in San Francisco and loves to backpack around the world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
To those who are shy to talk to people without having a stutter, just talk. You have no idea how lucky you are.
Thank you 🙏🏽 I Finally got the confidence
You can't discount the feelings of these people. The same can be said about the stutterers, comparing them with the mute.
@@LYSHEmusic bro
Comparing mute and introvert are different thing
We had everything we needed but just can't speak those words
At our point we neither are mute nor normal talk people
We are just stuck up people
Whose days of happiness depends upon how well you spoke today
Yeah but I know up to now
No one's life is easy
@@surendrakshetri2105 im a stutter too
I can relate with your words 😥
@@kallurathore4733 yeah bro
Being stutter is not easy as people think as we are
Life is not that easy for people who stutter. People with no disability make it worse though when they start mocking us. Every morning when I wake up to get ready to go to work I feel like I'm carrying a 10 tonne load on my chest and I can't help but be tormented the whole day. Meetings at work are always more than a nightmare. May God help us all overcome it.
I understand. I used to and still have a hesitation to speak up in meetings. Honestly, sometimes I do and sometimes I do not. When I do, I take a deep breath and talk as slow as I can.
We can not let our stutter define who we are. The more we do the things we hate, the better we will get as long as we just get up and get right back at it. Keep moving forward..
@@toddboddington thank you bro. This is a nice sobering comment. I appreciate
Frisky Bull No worries at all Bro! If you would like to chat about it all just let me know. I have been where you are and still am going through it all. Reach out mate 👍
@@toddboddington I would love to but this could be a little bit complicated on CZcams (through comments).
90% of people who stutter are low in confidence.I was a stutterer but now i speak fluently.the best advice i can give is
To be confident
Not to overthink
That you dont give a damn what anyone thinks!!
YOUR DaD how did you get fluent
YOUR DaD I’ve grown up a stutter that really bad as a kid and when I stop caring and learned to be more confident it’s 1000x better
When do you start stutterring?
@@Jerkintillidie15 when do you start stutterring?
I can speak fluently when iam alone in a room. But not in front of people
It’s honestly sad because I know exactlyyyy how he feels😞
I have overcome my stuttering issue by singing, a friend of mine gave me this tip. I had a severe stuttering while growing, and I could barely speak. By 2010 my stutter desapear. I was always singing all my time.
You can even notice that, when you sing you don't stutter. It worked out for me.
So Always sing.
Same
Isaac Mbemba f
@@isaacp10 Yeah i stutter as well, and i have noticed the same thing about singing. Sometimes i cant even speak
@@isaacp10 thanks for sharing😀
i broke a dudes nose when he starter mocking me for stuttering
Lol 😂 I will do the same thing
ur dad that was right
Peter K lmaoooo
Bravo!!!!
as you should. 😌
I would almost believe you didn't stutter but I could recognise the micro pauses you did when you came to a difficult sound. I am struggling at the moment in life with my stutter but am inspired to get past it and move onward. Thank you
Gene W I am as well man. It’s help me back quite a bit, especially in college. I too am inspired by this. We’ll get through it!
@@lesterrivera7010 Best of luck to you! I am trying several different techniques right now
Gene W Out of curiosity, what sort of things are you trying?
@@lesterrivera7010 I am going to look at Hypnotherapy. I'm skeptical but it's worth a shot.
juss pray,
I have a stutter and he gave me light and hope to embrace it and overcome it.
Thank you Fernando! We cannot stop talking!
HI...even i stutter because of which my professional life having a hard day daily,,please help
@@nickbarra5797 Focus on your breath and dont think about it.
Me too.
My to
I will overcome my stuttering, in Jesus name! Amen 🙏🏽
i will also overcome it
I belive that only Jesus that can heal my stutter, amen.
@@Raphieboy18 Amen Brother
@@DavidGTech we shall brother 🙌🏽
Amen
“I will not be a prisoner of fear” !!!
Same here 😢
When i talk to people, i stammer rarely but when i have to present speech front of class, i stammer alot and and brain stops working.
Hey Ravneet, thank you for watching the TEDx. Taking a deep breath and talking as slow as I can helps me out.
Do you know what? When I talk to people, I stammer some words. But when it comes to public speaking, I don't stammer. That's strange
@@MainlinePub i would love to know , did the mindset of not worrying so much about stuttering anymore help improve your stutter ? i feel that my stutter is worse bc i try to badly to hide it and not to have it...what you resists persists kind of thing. Thank you !
Ravneet Singh I’m in the same boat with u, I just had my presentation and I was worse now I feel like I don’t wanna live😔😥
@@StevenSenjaya Sometimes it depends on our bad experiences that we have had that we go back to in our mind. These can all be different for us. This could be why this is happening differently for you then others :)
Im 21 yrs old and i have a stutter as well
And im gonna tell u something that i've been working on for a while, which has actually worked for me a couple of times now
So u guys must have noticed that u never stutter when u speak to yourself when u are all alone right?
No shortness of breath,no jaw lock, u can speak in whatever speed u want to
Just complete freedom like normal people
I discovered that the problem is our subconscious mind
Throughout our childhood we have developed this innate fear of words,fear of speaking due to the reactions we received
So what we gotta do is
Use affirmations like "i can speak fluently" "im not afraid of words, im not afraid of speaking"
Say it in your head, or say it out loud over and over and over again
You can do it anytime u want
I do it while im going to sleep
Our subsconscious mind listens to what we say to ourselves
And what others say about us
Thats how we perceive ourselves
So by telling urself these things
U are rewiring your mind to not be afraid of words
To not be afraid of speaking anyone
If it works for you please let me know
Hope it helps
Just know you arent alone
You are awesome and the right people will love u no matter what
Have a great day
what is that please tell us...im suffering,crying every day.
@@lielenetsanet7919 i know it sounds ridiculous to u
But just keep saying in ur head "im not afraid of words" over and over again
It will help u a lot trust me
Wish Beatz Bro do you mind talking to me on twitter regarding stuttering?
wow never thought about it like that..
i’m going to try it !! whatever we say to ourselves matter and reflects how we see things
@@lielenetsanet7919 these are affirmations, a way of putting yourself at ease by thinking positively
The “um” is so relatable.When you feel the stuttering coming I would usually say “um” and children teased me about it.
Exactly the same.... Whenever i have speeches in school that have marks i always ruin my speech by this 'um' thing
@@ancillarodrigues1132 i hope that we will get better!! 💕💕
@@pandachan8962 i too hope we are relieved from this thing.. 😔😔😔😔
I thought I was the only one who does this omg
@@ancillarodrigues1132 same here
We’re all one big family
Yes we Are ❤️
@@loyaltyangel1272 hmmm
All 7 million of us 😂 I began looking around online for solutions and asking people for solutions and their experiences a few weeks back and I was stunned at how positive the people in our little family have been it’s been truly heart warming
I still worry that people who don’t stutter will never understand our pain, and as such as they don’t realise how debilitating it can be for us
Time to form union
Yes
I will not be a prisoner of fear.
I know I'm worth it. Anything I want.
Once I stuttered really badly on the bus when the bus driver asked me a question i stuttered like crazy and it was embarrassing I felt ashamed of myself but im still trying to overcome this and this guy gave me the motavation.
Michael Reid you’re not alone! ❤️
Michael Reid yea man I feel you, it’s terrible I’m 15 and I can’t do anything.
Lol I’m 19 and still stutter 🙃
@@LeoniloArellano it wont go away dude. We Better learn to live with it soon 😢
Hey you should do a class. It will change your life
I stutter too. You're absolutely true that sometime I also complete whole presentation or conversation without stuttering and sometime it leaves me embarrassed.
I hate it and I want to get rid of it. I want to be example for those who are stammering like me.
I wounder how much I would speak if I hadn't had this problem. I literally speak 50% more in my mind than I do outside. And people think I'm introvert but I'm not, I just can't speak as freely as you do. I've to think and plan before speaking.. 😢
It's really hard!!
Yeah bro...
Even I feel the same
I feel it...🥺
Same here brother. You are not alone . People think we are shy or anti social without realizing our fear of embarrassment.
This is also affecting me .. when I was a kid I do read fluently .. I went to many competitions I can read with full confidence but when I was 18 everything change I can’t read a sentence without stuttering, Most times I do a lot of things inside my Mind .. it really hurt me I can’t even participate in anything just scared the won’t call me out to read
Stutterers like us are pure geniuses girl! Don't give up and keep fighting
Stuttering is so frustrating ...
His confidence was through the roof, this video definitely inspired me. Im 15 and I have a stutter, and i will not let that stop me💯
we're same
Same here brotha school is tuff but atleast I don't stutter around girls or my friends
Sure, Never give up. I also have stammering till 2019. But, I can cure my stammering💯💯
I thought I was the only one in this whole world, but then seeing all this comments and listening his speech make me feel better. Oh My I am not alone 🥺
thank you for this, my stutter has gotten much worse over the past year and is really beating up my confidence. I know how you feel with the job interview thing, I'm currently going through that right now. I have so much experience but because of my stuttering I don't get a call back after the interview. You really motivated me to just embrace the stuttering and begin to not care about the reaction of others. Hopefully I get a job soon lol
Celestial ASMR Thank you so much for watching my TEDX! What I would recommend in an interview is at the beginning, tell them you have a stutter. That could lower your anxiety and put you at ease. Also, just talk slow and not put too much emphasis on it.
@@MainlinePub thank you for the advice and for responding!
Going through the same thing girl.. stuttered my whole life. In high school they told me I didn't need speech anymore because I really wasn't stuttering that bad. I go through phases where I rarely stutter than there are times when I can barely get a word out. I'm going to try the technique if saying the word three times in my head, then saying it out loud. I pray we both get a job soon!
@@blkbaby123 yes exactly the same here. Praying for us both.
I just posted my story on my channel about how I over came it:-) Hope I can help
I have a stutter, but l speak smoothy most of the time with that stutter....l have learnt to put a lot of humour in it....when l tell people that l stutter they do not believe me, they often think, its me being funny.... however, l realized l stutter a lot if l panic and start to hyperventilate, so l make it a point to take my time to talk and not rush and never allow to be pressured....infact l love my stutter..because l have been told by most women that they like the way l talk.....love yourself as you are and just be confident about it...stutter yourself into success...lm proud of my stutter....
Hey Tinn, I am glad you are thriving!!! We have to have confidence!
@Tinn Ginn...tqs bro...from nw I will also accept stuttering
my stutter is noticable when i fear in presentation or if im nervous....but i couldnt avoid my fears..help
I’m so glad to hear that!
I stutter most when I panic and I tend to stutter more when I remember that I do stutter. Though I was not born a stutterer. I mimic a friend when I was young, the stuttering becomes part of me.
It do pains me
It feels like a curse.... I hate it.....
I will fight it !!!!
God help us !!!
Prayer and hardwork can beat it !!!!
It is a curse...n
amen
FACTS !!
Amen, god help me
God clearly gave you a curse
Fitness is key. Focusing on the art of breath through yoga, and weight training have made me into a success story.
you mean we have to do exercise
Is it real
I workout 4-5 days a week and still stutter so there's no correlation. But I don't know about yoga.
I 100% agree with you. Breath is the only thing which keeps me stuttering
Can we discuss more about it on WhatsApp +971 52 692 3013
Or pls give me your WhatsApp
I have a huge stuttering and this just put me in tears I appriciate you leron
My stutter is getting worse. Although I am quite comfortable once I get to know the person but for unknown people i stammer like anything. Fhone calls are much worse
Please guide me.
I stammer a lot..
If you have any techniques/suggestions/doctors please let me know.
I'm in college I like teaching, talking to people but I stammer a lot.
Any help done would be appreciated.
Ruth Mag "Speech is a river". This book helped me a lot
@Meme Moyra I do understand. But sometimes it's like we have to face what we fear. One trick I use I think before talking to someone what I want to say that somehow reduces the stutter. But I still haven't found a proper cure.
@@namelessname9306 thanks a lot dear . that's means a lot.. I will read definitely.
@@jatin_jangra one trick you can use that think before you speak that somehow reduces but doesn't eliminate sadly
Im 26 and stuttered since I was 3 so I feel this so much. Im lucky and happy it isn't has severe as it could be. I've found my own ways around it but it still has hindered me so much in many life situations. Besides the 8 years of speech therapy through elementary and middle school, ive never made efforts to control my stutter aside from my own ways of getting around it. Witch was changing words, knodding my head in a twitch matching the stutter, jumping or hitting my leg to get the word out. I could go the rest of my life like this but I dont want to feel like this the rest of my life. I hate feeling held back just from my own voice not working the way it should normally. I never wanted to work on it with exercises and techniques I just wanted a fix. Well, its just not a thing. So, 26 years old, im now officially going to be practicing techniques everyday so that I can get more confidence in myself and my own voice. Thank you for these videos and anyone who makes these kinds of videos helping people. Its amazing. Thanks for reading my short story and I hope you find this helpful aswell. If you stutter, other then OWN IT, slow down, take a breath, and try again. We will get there! Practice makes perfect! Just like with anything else!
Any results ?
any updates bro?
how happy I am to have finally gotten rid of stuttering with the use of doctor eromon herbal product.. it stopped it completely and permanently..
I feel your pain, because I have been Stuttering since I was 3 years old, and looking for a cure for my Stuttering Disorder for real.
I was lucky enough to attend this talk in person! I want to tell you that roughly a year after this talk I started dating a person with a stutter. I don’t know how that came to be, if it was fate or whatever, but it totally changed the way I see how he lives. People treat him differently and assume something is wrong with him. It makes me so angry! He has dealt with it his whole life and it’s just something I didn’t understand until I saw it first hand. I just want to say your speech made a difference to me bc it prepares me to meet someone who has become very special to me!
Hey Hella Bella! I am glad you were able to attend!
Wow this actually made me breakdown and cry. Thank you for this video. I have been trying to overcome my stutter ever since I could talk. My family didn’t understand me and would hit me or make fun of me everytime I stuttered. I am the only one I know with a stutter so it is amazing to hear from other people who have the same. I improved through loads of public speaking, but still have episodes of stuttering when I read out loud. But like you said, I own my stutter. It’s a part of who I am, but it does not define me.
THANK YOU AGAIN, this is THE best TedX talk I’ve ever seen.
Wow!!! Thank you soooo much Julia! That made me smile and feel so good. The reason why I did this TEDx is to make people feel as if we can do anything! Our stutter is a part of us, but not a big part. We are strong people who have a speech impediment, but we cannot let it control what we want to do. Thank you for watching Julia. If you need anything, reach out.
This is so relatable ! Do you still stutter today?
I stutter too. i was actually thinking of making a friendly skype group of people who stutter. that way we can monitor our progress and support each other.
@@mehdikhadem2576 yes that would be helpful
me too i cryed cos his past experiance perfectly matches with my problem....i had suffered a lot by my stuttering problem...it totally erodes my confidence in presetations and oral exams....
The irony of a stutter is that the fear is what ultimately completes the stuttering cycle, and it's that fear that leads to the doubt, hesitation and limiting beliefs that cause it in the first place. It's self-fulfilling. The fear is the single factor in my opinion that locks people into stuttering, and especially into blocking, both in the short term, while you're struggling to say a word, or an anticipating a word, and the longer term while trying to overcome the problem of stuttering as a protectionism behaviour. The negative emotions we associate with stuttering only serve re-enforce that feeling of fear and powerlessness. The fear invokes self doubt, a lack of confidence, or in the case of blocking, a complete lack of action. It's a surprisingly powerful fear, as despite being able to speak completely fluently in some contexts, it 100% convinces you that you're unable to speak fluently in other contexts.
While some people's disfluency may be something other than fear/emotionally driven, and may in fact be developmental or motor coordination problems, I would say this is by far the exception, and if you find your speaking performance is worse in some contexts than others, and especially if you're 100% fluent in some of those contexts (e.g. speaking alone), then it's only your psychology that cripples you; fear, uncertainly, doubt, etc.
If you can disrupt any part of the cycle, then you can start overriding old habits; old urges to block, hesitate, doubt, etc. If you no longer identify with your disfluency, emotionally, and start to see as you would a broken leg you know will heal, then those things situation you fear and stutter the most, all of a sudden become exciting oppurtunities to re-train and challenge old habits. After all, what's scarier, a life shackled to the self-imposed limitations of a stutter, or a moment of perceived failure or embarassment on your way to a life free of dibilitating fear and anxiety of speech.
I write this as someone who feels like they've just started to glimpse and experience how this mental shift impacts my own speech. The intense fear of stuttering is completely irrational, and by failing (i.e. blocking and stuttering) postitively, it begins to lose its power, and you're able to just speak as you know you already can. I could also see how focusing on the problem from the wrong perspective, or trying to fix the wrong thing, and judging my speaking and self negatively, it has the opposite effect of excacerbating the stutter.
Also keep in mind that as you begin challenges these old habits and facing more fears, it may seem that your problem gets worse, but only because you're taking yourself out of the jail cell we call our comfort zone, and so it would be unreasonable to think taking those first steps wouldn't temporarily seem to make things worse.
U summed up it right
I totally relate with you , i am a tech student who love to talk, i am really good at writing and tech . So i also face the issue with interviews . Also i am good at my skills and was invited to a college for a session and i denied to go there saying i don't have time whereas the reality was that i was scared , but that was turning point and now i am taking speech therapy and i will conquer it
What a truly inspiring talk.
Fellow stutterers I have lots of tips to be more fluent. Such as:
-lose the fear of stuttering, this will make it easier once the pressure is off (having bits of fluent conversation can build that confidence and get you going)
-have a conversation in the morning to get into a flow, and also to see how your fluency will be like for the day to see what words, sounds are blockers for you today-each day is different) sometimes having conversation can get me into a flow where I stutter initially but then break out of it and get into a rythem.
-standing and using hand motions helps me become more fluent (mind trick)
-i do ten minutes of "carryover fluency" practise a day. -its on CZcams.
-if I'm not fluent a particular day. When I'm talking, i soft focus on to a particular object, and it gets my mind off stuttering (mind trick)
-last but not least do not rush to the point where you aren't fluent any more or are jumpy or say things you don't want. This makes you look insecure, I'd rather stutter and own it like I got a pair and call anybody out who laughs.
Contact me if your struggling we can talk. :) Cheers
Cman hello how can i contact you
Thank you so much
@@shatiapitts thanks for that, I'll give it a try.
I have overcome my stuttering issue by singing, a friend of mine gave me this tip. I had a severe stuttering while growing, and I could barely speak. By 2010 my stutter desapear. I was always singing all my time.
You can even notice that, when you sing you don't stutter. It worked out for me.
So Always sing.
Omgg thank you so much for this! How can I contact you?
I have a stutter. I also have a presentation tomorrow. I’ve been freaking out about this all day! Thank you sooo much LeRon you are my new idle. Wish me luck tomorrow. Again thanks so much!! 😀
let me know how it goes man
Good luck man!
How did your presentation go?
I own the stutter and the stutter does not own me! Take a breath and conquer it:)
up until my freshman year of high school, i had a stutter. in middle school, i would try to answer questions in class but my stutter would hold me back. you can really feel when people start to ignore your words once u begin to stutter. it's painful. 4 years later and i'm a senior in high school. 6th best debater in my state and top 15 for speech. anything's possible, u just gotta work at it.
Please don't spread negativity in the comment section. Stuttering is not your enemy, its just an obstacle that you have to overcome.
I know about it because I have suffered from this. Just enjoy this beautiful talk and promise yourself that whatever happens I will not stop Trying and never get disheartened and eventually, not immediately, I will win over this.
ur comment touched me so hard. but each and every second i live i die inside...being a stutere at the age of of 5 and not overcoming it till 19 ...im so fed up ...i cry every night hoping that my stutter will be gone the next morning,but it just gets worse day by day.. BUT I DO RESPECT UR COMMENT ALOT MATE !!
Personally what helped me to overcome my stutter was to slow down the pace of which I’m talking cos we usually talk a lot faster than we think we are and slowing it down will bring it to normal speed, make sure we have breaths and have a nice flow, visualise the word in ur head before saying it and make sure we don’t block off into our thought and maintain eye contact and focus more on what the other person is saying. Also i think volume is a major key, notice we never stutter when speaking loudly ? Though, I believe my stutter came from learning two languages at a young age and I don’t process things right and use too much right side of body/brain in general. I’ve got rid of my stutter in English but in Bengali it’s still kinda there, when I try to learn or further learn my Bengali it comes back and affects my English- so guess trying to solve the puzzle so I can be good in both and not just one. Hope this helps!
I’m watching this and I’m literally crying
Stuttering has changed my life , I was laughed at a lot while reading out loud in class ,I never got to medical school because of it and there is no need to mention dating is a disaster and when you talked about wanting to get into a discussion or knowing the right answer but couldn’t say it that hit me hard because I know how this feels. But the thing is, when I read out loud alone or when I talk to myself into the mirror I NEVER stutter which gives me some kind of hope that maybe one day, stuttering will stop taking away my life Thank you so much Mr. Loren for this video
same... i hope you will overcome it
Read Never Finished. That is the answer. You’re not alone
It’s all about fear. I wasn’t born a stutterer. One day one of the substitute teacher accidentally stuttered for a few words and i just remembered it and then sometimes when i have to talk i remembered how that teacher stuttered which made me nervous “what if i stutter? It will be embarrassing.” Then sure enough, i stuttered too. The best advice is to not fear. Stuttering isn’t a part of you, it comes with fear.
I always try not to fear, but I get nervous everytime, lots of thoughts come around my mind "what if I will stammer?.. and you know how people react when someone stammers... it just gets worse for me...
@Venkatesh P Do you use any speech techniques or speak naturally? I have moderate stammering and not sure what to do
@Venkatesh P Yeah, I feel talking more and practising is the only solution. I face starting problems mainly and feel breathless after 6-7 words. Once I manage this it will reduce considerably.
Yeah!!! We know we stuttured in our past which makes us think "what if we stutter now" that's major cause of our fear
I have stutter too and been struggling with it a lot. I just finished college and going into work life soon but the thing is i'm scared to go to job interview because of the stutter i had. It effects on my confidence a lot.
Hey Shahrul, I have been there. Before you start in your interview, tell the interviewers you have a stutter. That will put you at ease and disarm them. Then talk slowly and if you feel a stutter coming on, stop, take a breath, and start again. Do not be afraid. Let me know if you have any questions.
Also, don’t be too concerned about what the interviewer thinks about you. If you get rejected, you never have to talk to them again, but if they hire you despite knowing you have a stutter, then its probably the right place for you. Projecting confidence despite the stutter is the key.
Shahrul Suhaimi Same thing with me, I’ve been stuttering for more than 7 years and it was really frustrating.
I just posted my story on my channel about how I over came it:-) Hope I can help
I have overcome my stuttering issue by singing, a friend of mine gave me this tip. I had a severe stuttering while growing, and I could barely speak. By 2010 my stutter desapear. I was always singing all my time.
You can even notice that, when you sing you don't stutter. It worked out for me.
So Always sing.
Thank you for sharing this.. I too have a stutter and this gave me confidence in who I am. I will not let my stutter hinder me on my accomplishments ❤️
Thank you for this, man. It can be very tough having a stutter. You can be telling a good story, having people engaged; then it all falls off the rails when you start stuttering. You see their attention fade from interest in your story, to your stutter. Any point you were trying to made is nullified, and they look at you with pity, bemusement, or start mocking you. Its extremely frustrating to try and add in a quick one liner joke or something to the conversation and stumble over your words completely. It adds an extra layer of social anxiety for me, but I'm learning to try to move forward with it. I have stuttered my whole life into adulthood. Its nice to hear the stories of others who have had similar experiences, and how they've dealt with it.
I was a stammer and I stopped stammering on 14th of August 2022.
How did I do this?
Here is it;
Stammering is a state of the mind.
We stammerers have over the years fed our minds with the thought of stammering.
Our subsconcious mind has been so used to this dominating thought of stammering such that we stammer on autopilot.
You open your mouth and your thought tells you that Mr you are going to stammer.
Once you silence your thoughts and tell your mind that you are no longer a stammer; you’ll
subdue that thought of stammering.
When I was still a stammerer, I would see someone I know then my mind would remind me that Mr you are going to stammer. And I would surely stammer.
This is how you tell your mind that you are no longer a stammer;
Write down beside your bed and say this every morning and in the evening:
I USED TO STAMMER BECAUSE I HAD LET THE THOUGHT OF STAMMERING DOMINANTE MY MIND.
ONCE I KNEW THIS, I STOPPED STAMMERING ON 16TH OF AUG 2022. I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO STAMMERING AGAIN AND WILL NOT ALLOW A THOUGHT ABOUT IT SLIP INTO MY SUBSCONCIOUS MIND AGAIN. SO MY MIND STOP REMINDING ME ABOUT STAMMERING BECAUSE THAT IS NOW MY PAST.
Thank you for sharing. After years of feeling sorry for myself, I am finally building courage to do whatever it takes and shake off all the fears out of me and just own my speaking difficulty. I will not let it define who I am anymore.
Leron L. Barton, your speech is flawless. Very inspirational!
LeRon, congratulations on your accomplishments! I can relate to EVERYTHING you said in your video! I too, have stuttered my entire life. The Marines taught me to never quit, no matter what the consequences. This mentality has served me well and allowed me to persevere and thus be articulate and successful. God Bless you, LaRon. 🙏🏽 Keep delivering the spoken word!
I don’t stutter when I get angry. It’s weird ,when I start stuttering ,I’ll pause and then scream what I wanted to say, and it comes out perfect.
Thanks for the tip!
Great job LeRon. I’m an executive of a major financial company. Very successful and very confident. I stutter as well. I present in front of large groups and clients alike. It’s a terrible thing. However we have to remember to breath and take it slow. It’s a weird thing. I developed it later in life. I wont let it define me. I bite down on the mouth piece and keep my head up. Own your stutter. Well said. God bless us !
I have had stutter for most of my life and i feel like ive found this video too late. It really feels like being caged within yourself. I still cant forget a closest friend of mine calling it a disability when i hadnt thought of it as that. I hope me and everybody who has it finds the strength to own their stutter and be able to truly say i own my stutter.
Man sending tons of love to anyone who has dealt with this. I dealt with stuttering for the first 23 years of my life and I FINALLY overcame it. I use to have to use synonyms for words I couldn't say lol. I had all the tricks in the book man. I would hate going to dinner with my family because I would get anxious as the waitress approached me so I would have to order something off the menu that was easier to say other than what I actually wanted. The main reason I started my social media was to speak to people and put myself outta my comfort zone. It's all in your mind. You must recondition your subconscious mind and take control of your life. Now I speak for a living! I created a program to help any and everyone who struggles with stuttering like I did. I won't lie and say it'll be easy. but it definitely will be worth having control over your life!
I feel you with the synonyms part 😂 I’m a group exercise instructor and would struggle with saying “easier” and “modify” so for awhile I’d say “here’s to make this exercise less challenging” nowadays I say the words I wanna say and it turns out fine 😂❤
Samuel Jackson has a stutter too, recently say an interview where he addressed it. Very inspiring.
Thats interisting because we never hear him stuttering
You made me feel so strong with you talk. I love every word you said. You fill me heart with courage. I can do whatever I want there isnt anything stop me.
I used to be scared of speaking, especially if it was public speaking. I would get stuck on letters like 'v' or 'b' and I usually changed the word I wanted to say because I couldn't get past the block. Then... I discovered breathing techniques and ways to structure my thoughts. I slowed my breath down and relaxed my jaw when I spoke, and because I used visualisation techniques to remember the structure and flow of what I wanted to say, I became less nervous about stuttering. When I became less nervous, I overcame it. Now, I am a soft-skills trainer for youth groups, and I love it.
Wow. I really can relate with this being a stutterer myself. The hardest thing is how it affects the confidence. For me I’ve mostly overcome mine by simply not caring and just did my thing. It’s done wonders for me
That was beautifully spoken! I couldn’t believe you have any stutter issues. Very smooth. Wow😍 this really helped me, inspired me and motivated me in so many ways. I’m dealing with the same thing atm. So, thank you
Dads always strive to make you feel incredibly special. Kudos to them for that.
I have stuttered since the very first convo I can remember, tbh it feels like a battle won every time I speak w/o an evident stutter. I used to feel so ashamed of myself and have even cried at nights after being made fun of at school but now being 22yrs old, my stutter has taught me how to stand up for myself. It's still a struggle especially giving a presentation but as you said we all have our own struggles to overcome.
@@carramboardlover938 I can understand. It's difficult tbh.
I feeel your breathe, the pace your speaking at
one of the best videos, I ever watched, I always, go back to these video, when I need to present in the class for motivation.
That changed my life really thank you TED
My stutter comes from trauma. When I was 11 I was bullied so much for three years that at one point some girls tried to suffocate me during lunchtime. I was too naive and shocked to do anything, to the point where 5 more seconds and I would have fainted. I have also had trouble with my family, being minimized, rejected, called a weirdo, and it has made me so insecure because it has been a recurring event, I'm trying to let go and shine because there have been times where I don't stutter and I'm just this free, happy, careless Dani, I glow, so much to the point where my light bothers those near me, and that makes me feel bad, I can feel how others see me as a menace and try to put me down, so it is all a recurring cycle. I know my cure is to not give a bat about what anyone thinks or does when it comes to me, but unlearning behavior is much harder than learning it. I pray for everyone out there who feels as if their life just freezes in time because of a stutter, we'll live, nonetheless, we will wake up every day, so take up space, don't be afraid to voice yourself, it is hard, but we can do it, I have faith in you stranger, you are amazing and intelligent, capable and witty, thank you for being in this world despite all of the complications that come with it, your stutter does not define you, you define yourself however you want to, you're amazing
loved your talk ! it motivated me ! thank you so much
That was impressive and Flawless.
You've made me believe that Everything is so very possible, it just a matter of losing no hope. For real, you gave me confidence.
Silver, that was awesome, thank you soooo much!
Thank you for this speech and sharing your story. It is a true inspiration.
Excellent speech and spirit! Overkill your fears by facing them head-on. You embraced stuttering and became a eloquent speaker.
Thank you so much Joerg!!
Some days it feels like the world isn’t meant for me just because of my stuttering speech impediment that hinders my life. I feel like life is meaningless when I have to deal with it on a daily basis. I think about people with cancer or people who are deaf, like how can I not be happy with myself when I can still live and see? I’ve had suicidal thoughts, but thank god I don’t attempt to end my life. I wouldn’t want to put my family through that pain.
you're not alone man, just keep going, something brighter is waiting for us in the future, ..just keep dreaming
ERYS Thanks. I really appreciate the understanding.
Saw your video 3 days ago. Helped me like a miracle. Whenever I was gonna stutter, I suddenly thought about what you said. Took a deep breath, and did that presentation. Thank you very much man
Thank you so much Kunal! That made me feel so good.
Congratulations on all the hard work and on a successful TEDx Talk LeRon!
Stuttering made my dating life hard.
Bruh u ain't alone
Yesss i be so scared to talk to women!!!
Same problem
I feel you brother.
At least you had a dating life...
I don't stutter all the time. I have had a stutter since childhood, I'm now 45. I've noticed with certain people I don't stutter at all, and with others I do. If I'm tired I find its worse. I feel it has held me back a great deal, for jobs definitely. It's been with me most of my life, I guess it's just who I am!:😉
My solution was to stop speaking in general. No point in embarrassing myself. I hate the way I talk with a passion.
@@deiflopez3761 that's no solution. Running away from the problem is not the solution.
i also stutter some time.suggess me how to overcome .
I thank you from my heart for inspiring us and building up our confidence in the face of the society
I remember watching Bill Withers talking about his stutter and seeing him speak to kids about his experience. His tears moved me to tears.
This really hits home 🥺 I hate my stutter and it make me really insecure. Thank you for this.
Hi, WhatsApp me at +254797691763
I am really inspired by this and this was very helpful I also have a speech impediment and a studder but I'm also trying other things to help me get better at it Thx so much for the explanation:D
I really felt every word you said we're birds of a feather my friend. This was very inspiring 😊
Inspiring talk! I stuttered badly when I was younger. But my stuttering is very specific now (on phone calls, certain words/phrases and poor breath control). I appreciate the advice of just going for it and giving talks, etc. Owning this has been a process and this talk helped a lot. Thanks
For me if I am anxious I stutter, but also if I am excited to say what I want to say, I also stutter. The fear of what people think is big, getting over that hurdle is important and possible.
I stutter as well, it was terrible when I was younger. I hated doing any talking at all, but as I got older I embraced it and it eventually got better. I'm starting to learn what triggers it. When I want to say something too fast, I start to stammer. I have to relax myself, slow down, and think of what I'm going to say before I say it. Because when I read out loud, I don't stammer at all, so when I'm speaking, I pretend like I'm reading and my words come out more smoothly. So for anyone that stutters, don't hate it, embrace it, it's part of who you are and it always will be. It what makes you unique.
Had listened many ted talks on stuttering but yours is great one
Thank you, this made me tear up cos I know the struggle of stuttering. I hope all of us could get through this.
Stuttering destroyed my confidence, gave me anxiety and deep suicidal depression.. it has held me back so many things that I'd like to participate in.. I backed out of college and many jobs due to my stutter. I was ridiculed and humiliated on a daily basis. Girls loved me but kept me secret alot of times.. writing saved me, singing saved me but my dream is to someday speak as fluently as this young man in front of a crowd.. seeing people's reaction is the worse.. my biggest fear also was to embarrass my beautiful ex girlfriend in front of her friends and family.. the insecurities that I had due to my stuttering caused me to destroy my relationship. It has really taken a toll on my life..
Try to find a good hypnotist. Try a few before you find a good one. Hugs
Ironically, my lifelong stutter has been a HUGE boom for my language and literary skills, as I spend most of my time thinking about different ways to express things. However, my dad never overcame his and it was truly awful having to grow up without him being able to speak up for himself no matter how hard he tried :(
I needed this one majorly!! Thank you very much. I’m gonna watch this multiple times no bs!! 🙏🏾☝🏾
Glad to see we're in this together 😂 I hope we overcome!
I been a stutterer since 3 years old I’m 33 now and I still stutter. Stuttering has affected my life a lot and there have been plenty of rough days where I can barely say a word it’s painful and difficult living with a severe stutter but I learned to live with it and still be able to live my life in spite of it. Im glad it’s getting highlighted more because stuttering has always been viewed by society as something to laugh at.
Stay strong. 30’s we’re harder for me than any other time, perhaps. By 40’s I forgot I had the affliction. It never goes away, but mindset is critical. Also, learn about fear and don’t indulge it. It’s not about control, it’s about awareness and acceptance
I never thought stuttering could be overcome until I read Lee Lovetts’ “How to Stop Stuttering & Love Speaking”. It’s truly the best book ever written because it tremendously improved my speech and mind.
I bought this one a few weeks ago and have already seen a massive difference! I even had an appointment with a therapist (mental health, not speech) today and barely stuttered at all. It was amazing. The only issue is, now I’m obsessively thinking about my speech more than ever 😂 but I’m in the right direction❤
@@sophiethelk9557 Fantastic to hear! The book is immense help, but his WSSA online program is just on another level. So many helpful methods throughout the website to help. I’m glad we both gained benefits from the book.
Me too
Please how can I get the book?
I feel him, I've had a stuttering problem since a kid and i became alil better with my speech the older i got. I use to get picked on in school and in my neighborhood for my speech. I've accepted it better now and "I am who I am" and I love myself...
LeRon Barton, such an inspiration. I couldn’t stop smiling as I tuned into this TEDx Talk.. LeRon articulates his speech so beautifully and I can notice the confidence that he obtains within as he speaks. Speaking and trying to get one’s point across is such a challenge when one stutters, but not impossible ❤️
Bri. R, thank you so much. This is making me smile so big.
@@MainlinePub You’re very welcome! Continue to inspire the world with your content.
Absolute legend
Thank you my man!
Once in a class,I had to read a poem from a book with voice,and when I was about to star ,words just didn't come out,I was trying so hard to speak but I couldn't,and the whole class and the teacher were getting frustrated cuz I didn't want to read,but I wanted just couldn't,It was sooo embarrassing,and I still do stutter...
That is called a block its rly the worst part of stuttering
@@flistopsbi ikr
I’m so sorry I know EXACTLY how you feel
When I have a stutter block I line up my tongue to the sound I want to make then I kind of let go of the words and let my jaw loose
a presentation which was very well-delivered!! thank you!!
You have really motivated me even as a stutterer myself.
I believe I can also overcome the speech blocks and push on to achieve more things
I know how it's difficult for person who suffer from stuttering to give a speech in front of the audience. And I respect this guy.
Also, latest researches in mechanism of the brain functionality give good understanding how the stuttering appears and how to manage it.
Unfortunately, methods which could help you with stuttering in "safe and calm" situation fail in stressful situations. I could speak without any stuttering when I was alone or with some people who I knew well and trusted them. But was losing control even when I was talking with strangers in regular, socially safe situations.
Luckily, it has changed.
My parents say it started at the age of 3, they were advised I'll get over it, so they practically did nothing about it. They made me feel Norm not to hurt my confidence. But right from basic school, it's been difficult, even getting a job, now 30, it's been hard. And to make things worse, there's little or no consciousness about stuttering here in Africa, no therapy either. I'm a tough dude, I try my best to get by mentally, but sincerely, we need help. God help us
I related to this on such a high level🙏
And me being a stutterer as well, I was given a glimmer of hope and solution just to keep going and not to care what anyone says.
Thank you for sharing your message. I struggle with stuttering. I needed your inspirational message.
I have a stutter and it´s hard to socialize with people. There is no meaning to bring up jokes because my friends will laugh at my stutter. I cried already in the middle of the video.
Tayzo569, I have a hard time telling jokes because I sometimes mess up, but I keep going. I think that is the key - keep going and don't let this stop us.
Hey search pro90d ultimate smooth speech system..its holistic approach and do work..
Saying my name is the hardest thing for me. Thanks for your inspiration.
Yah I understand
I hate to tell my name
I have stammer too ,always I think I am alone nobody can understand me nobody knows how hard it is ,but when I read the comments and listen to this talk, I feel better,
We have to keep going!
You give me hope, you are a confident, smart guy and very articulate. My 10 year old son is struggling at the moment. He just can't get his words out. Its heart breaking as a mum that I don't have a solution. I hope he will overcome.
Natural herbal medicine helped me beat stuttering, after long period of battling almost lost my job thanks to Dr Isibor on youtube his herbs are wonderful.
I am exactly you were before. I know that I really afraid people's reaction and it holds me back. I need like this jump.!!!!
Hey Halise! If you stutter, just keep going. Keep talking and that will build confidence.