{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "id": "CC-021",
  "title": "What did going first change for me during introductions?",
  "topic": "Names, orders and fixed wording",
  "author": {
    "name": "Craig Coffee",
    "id": "https://usedtostutter.com/craig-coffee#person"
  },
  "canonical_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/waiting-for-your-turn-to-introduce-yourself",
  "access": "public",
  "content_kind": "author_published_article",
  "context_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/about-this-material",
  "source_sha256": "a31c88e406f13c62533c3fb06e594bafad8699b8859b4289ae6b0b8cd3536945",
  "source_markdown": "# What did going first change for me during introductions?\n\nBy [Craig Coffee](/craig-coffee)\n\nI was in a yoga class with a girl I liked a lot. She had invited me, and we were friends at that point. There were about thirty people. The teacher put us in a circle and said we were going to introduce ourselves.\n\nMy heart dropped. I knew the thoughts: run, use the bathroom, make up an excuse. But I was sitting next to a girl I liked. I had already beaten a lot of my stutter, and I was still very nervous.\n\nI raised my hand in front of the whole group and said, “I will go first.”\n\nWe also had to tell an embarrassing story about ourselves. I did it. When I told this story later, I said I killed it because I relied on [spontaneous speaking](/preparing-without-scripting).\n\n## I was still scared\n\nThat is how I wrapped up the account too: I told a killer embarrassing story, but I was still scared. [The nerves](/stuttering-when-nervous) were there.\n\nI would rather volunteer and go first than sit counting how many people were left before my turn. Four more people. Twelve more. I knew that game of counting down and dreading it.\n\nThat was the choice in this class. I saw a chance to go first and took it while I was nervous. I didn't want to spend the time [preparing to stutter](/stuttering-anticipation) over my own name.\n\n## Related answers\n\n- [How do I start a conversation when I stutter?](/starting-conversations-when-you-stutter)\n\n[Find your question](/questions)\n",
  "relative_link_base": "https://usedtostutter.com/waiting-for-your-turn-to-introduce-yourself",
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      "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/waiting-for-your-turn-to-introduce-yourself#reading-content",
      "role": "source_context",
      "source_markdown": "I was in a yoga class with a girl I liked a lot. She had invited me, and we were friends at that point. There were about thirty people. The teacher put us in a circle and said we were going to introduce ourselves.\n\nMy heart dropped. I knew the thoughts: run, use the bathroom, make up an excuse. But I was sitting next to a girl I liked. I had already beaten a lot of my stutter, and I was still very nervous.\n\nI raised my hand in front of the whole group and said, “I will go first.”\n\nWe also had to tell an embarrassing story about ourselves. I did it. When I told this story later, I said I killed it because I relied on [spontaneous speaking](/preparing-without-scripting).\n\n",
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      "id": "i-was-still-scared",
      "heading": "I was still scared",
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      "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/waiting-for-your-turn-to-introduce-yourself#i-was-still-scared",
      "role": "source_context",
      "source_markdown": "## I was still scared\n\nThat is how I wrapped up the account too: I told a killer embarrassing story, but I was still scared. [The nerves](/stuttering-when-nervous) were there.\n\nI would rather volunteer and go first than sit counting how many people were left before my turn. Four more people. Twelve more. I knew that game of counting down and dreading it.\n\nThat was the choice in this class. I saw a chance to go first and took it while I was nervous. I didn't want to spend the time [preparing to stutter](/stuttering-anticipation) over my own name.\n\n",
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    {
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      "heading": "Related answers",
      "heading_level": 2,
      "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/waiting-for-your-turn-to-introduce-yourself#related-answers",
      "role": "navigation",
      "source_markdown": "## Related answers\n\n- [How do I start a conversation when I stutter?](/starting-conversations-when-you-stutter)\n",
      "source_span_sha256": "7b06c8f78471b1023f405afbc13757e8562cd47910ee6404331eac876fed8538"
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  "related_book_sections": [
    {
      "id": "i-will-go-first",
      "title": "I WILL GO FIRST",
      "url": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/i-will-go-first",
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        "md": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/i-will-go-first.md",
        "txt": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/i-will-go-first.txt"
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}