It's easier said than done, but I've been blessed with giving 0 fucks about people viewing me in a negative light over things I can't control. I am me. This is how I talk. This is how I look. Whether or not I decide I want to try harder to be fluent - not their problem. I don't have a TON of friends, but I do like hanging out with people and even though I can barely talk on the phone, I have confidence to speak in front of large groups of people through practice. And is it hard some days? Sure. When I'm PMSing, my fluency drops so much I can hardly get 2 words out. But everyone has their hardships. And as the mother of a child with far more debilitating developmental issues than just speech impediment (and oh yeah, he has one too), I'd say we can overcome to the point that we're comfortable with ourselves. It might take 30 years, but you'll get there. You just gotta kick the victimization thing. You ARE in control. Start with small goals: inchstones.