How did it affect you growing up?
It was definitely tough at times. I had many moments where I just didn’t know what to do anymore, and I would just give up on trying to improve it. It took me awhile to realize that I am more than a stutter. When you let it just absolutely consume you, it only gets worse and worse. So, as a young kid, it’s hard to accept something about yourself that nobody else around you is going through. I didn’t have the confidence that I needed yet.
How does stuttering affect you as a professional driver?
As a driver, we have to be in constant communication with our team, do interviews, and interact with fans. It has its challenges, but I have always tried to not let it affect me doing what I love. As a kid, it was definitely harder because I just didn’t like interacting with people. I’ve had a good experience in NASCAR with it so far. I’ve put myself out there way more, and that has helped me gain so much more confidence.
How has discussing your stutter openly been received by fans? Any special stories of feedback from fans or other people who stutter? How is your stuttering today? What do you do to control or manage it, if anything?
It has gotten an overwhelming amount of positivity. I have talked with many people who stutter since then, and I’ve really enjoyed the conversations I’ve had with everybody. I just make sure other stutterers know that if I can do what I’m doing, they can do anything they set their mind to. It felt like a weight that was lifted off my shoulders after I started being open about it. It has actually improved since then. I do believe that if you let go of that anxiety of hoping people don’t hear you stutter it can be freeing.
What are the biggest challenges stuttering has presented to you?
It was definitely tough at times. I had many moments where I just didn’t know what to do anymore, and I would just give up on trying to improve it. It took me awhile to realize that I am more than a stutter. When you let it just absolutely consume you, it only gets worse and worse. So, as a young kid, it’s hard to accept something about yourself that nobody else around you is going through. I didn’t have the confidence that I needed yet.
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