# Do I ever stutter now?

By [Craig Coffee](/craig-coffee)

Yes. In a group conversation, I was saying, “It's too early in the day to hate yourself,” and I pointed out a stutter right there.

I explained how much emotional baggage was tied to that phrase for me. It had been a personal fucking struggle. Then I said, “I'm real, and there are stutters at times, and there was one there.”

## I've spoken about less-smooth work moments too

In that same conversation, I said there are times I'm less smooth at work, when presenting to five or ten people feels uncomfortable. That was something I acknowledged while talking about my speech.

In a call with Don, I talked about how my speech and confidence had felt between two recordings.

> **Craig:** I don't always live in a flow state. […] between recordings one and two today, right? I felt tired and low energy.

## What I mean by the life I have now

I can go out, talk to strangers, make calls and speak in the places that used to intimidate me. I love my style, and I've worked on it. That is the life behind [what fluency means to me](/what-fluency-means).

I still do the things that helped me. Most of the time it's subconscious because I've done them for so many years. I still have to [bring it again](/keeping-my-speaking-practice-going) in the next conversation.

When I point out a stutter in the middle of sharing this, that is part of my account too. I have said it plainly.

## What an earlier note actually said

I wrote about the ongoing work in a short manuscript passage:

> **Craig, in the manuscript note:** I’m going to share with you what’s working for me. How I have been able to increase my fluency. I do want you to understand one important thing: I am not 100% fluent. I am still working on myself. But I can proudly say I have come far. If you knew what I overcame, you’d be amazed.

## Related answers

- [Do I mean a cure when I say I beat my stutter?](/can-stuttering-be-cured)

[Find your question](/questions)