30 year old male here, I don’t usually post anything on reddit but I feel my words would help some of you… I don’t remember when I started to stutter but my childhood was traumatic. My old man was very strict and mean to me, would always yell at me for small mistakes, never showed any love to me. This created a fear in me to speak up when needed which I believe contributed in carrying my stutter into teenage years and then eventually adulthood. Somedays I wished I wasn’t even born or I was born an orphan so I might not have this condition. School was shit, my teachers saw me as a clown, whenever they asked me to read out something, I would stumble and they would shame me in front of the whole class. That is the art of Great Indian teaching LOL. This added oil to my shame which would later turn into repressed shame as time passed. But I was thankful to have so many friends who didn’t care I stutter and would never make fun of me. I enjoyed those days despite all the bad treatment I got from my educators. Although I did stutter, I used to be an average student, so I passed out school with okay grades. Then came college, as Bryan Adams sang, those were the best days of my life. I felt more confident in college but still I had my ups and downs frequently. I played soccer then, was getting good grades and met my partner in my final year there. Later I finished my college and moved to Dubai looking for a job. I still remember my first interview, anxious and perplexed. It didn’t work out, however in my 3rd interview, I got my first job as an accountant in a multi national electronics wholesale trading company. Slowly I started to gain more confidence in life, still I stumbled here and there but I assured to put my 100% effort in everything I do and stay on top of things. 2 years later, I saved up enough and was about to quit to pursue a photography career but my company asked me If I could move to their Hong Kong office. I said why not, at least I could see Hong Kong with no cost incurred. I started in accounting and then moved to sales. Stayed in Asia global city and travelled to other east asian countries for business development. It was an honour for me to work with great minds and good people. Finally I left Hong Kong for Canada for Higher ed. Completed my school, got a coop and then got employed full time. So If a sever stutterer like me could do all these things a PWS would dread I am sure all of you can do it. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Still I have bad days and good days, still I stumble. I consider this a uniqueness. Just stay on top of what you do and good will come. As Rainn wilson said “ we are all luminous spiritual beings, having a beautiful but at times difficult human experience” for us stutterers it’s a bit more difficult but still its a wonderful life.