Self-awareness is the ability to focus on oneself and how your behaviors, ideas, or emotions align or do not correspond with your internal standards. You can objectively analyze yourself, manage your emotions, connect your conduct with your ideals, and accurately grasp how others see you if you are extremely self-aware.

People who are self-aware are happy and have better relationships. They also have a greater sense of personal and social control, as well as higher job satisfaction.

Here are some benefits of self-awareness:

• It allows us to understand things from different perspectives.
• It frees us from our assumptions and biases.
• It helps us build better relationships.
• It gives us a greater ability to regulate our emotions.
• It decreases stress.
• It makes us happier.

This week we are sharing the story of Haris, who in his own words expresses the sense of confidence that came with self-awareness and accepting his stutter.

I’m stuttering since I know for myself. I would say when I was 5 years old I figured out that I ‘talk differently’.

More dedication to the psychological aspect, since I think that techniques without self-awareness and self-acceptance are not as fruitful as they can be. More public conversations about stuttering need to happen to understand this phenomenon.  

Since 2010 I have spoken publicly for the first time about my stuttering. Since 2020 I stutter openly, I’m more confident about it, I spoke about it on national TV. When I stopped hiding my stuttering and took pride in it, everything changed.

Be confident, do not worry. Allah has great things for you in store. It becomes easier when you don’t hide your stuttering and you are proud of it.

I stutter, so what!?

Stuttering is not a disorder or disability. I see my stuttering as a partner I have to cooperate with to live my life to the fullest. If I hide it, it will become angry and come out when I least need it. If I cooperate with it, it will hide itself when I fear for it to come out the most. I take pride in it and I go through the choke and block because what I have to say is important.

Stuttering has made me more empathic, more human and I have other skills with which I’m able to express myself and prove my worth. If I was able to cure my stuttering and achieve 100% fluency, I wouldn’t accept it, because this is who I’m and stuttering is part of me. Like I said, I stutter, so what!?  

The takeaway from this story is that once you accept yourself and be confident in who you are, things will become easier with you being able to control and navigate your stutter in situations that are hectic or stressful

As the quote by Indian-American author Lawrence Bossidy very well states:

“By becoming self-aware, you gain ownership of reality; in becoming real, you become the master of both inner and outer life.”

Once you accept yourself and your reality, that is half a battle won. You will still stutter in certain situations, your stutter may never go away but what self-awareness and acceptance gives you will help you lead your best life that you deserve.

Has this left you inspired to share your own story? We’d love to hear from you, share your story through the Share Your Story link, here.