Self-Review Check List

It's very important to review our speech progress every day and to take proper adjustments if necessary but we usually forget or don't have a proper strategy for it.

Here is a check list to help this self-review which can be done after an speech event such as a phone conversation or a meeting or at the end of the day to monitor our progress and remind ourselves about the techniques and strategies to handle the main scenarios.

Once my list is completed (it would potentially become more mature with your contribution), I'm going to produce and submit an audio CD which can be listened to easier and every day:

• Did you speak with control? When the words are spoken with control, it ensures that the old automatic stammering habits will have no or very little chance to appear again.

• Did you keep the smile? Keeping the smile helps us and the people around us to be at more ease and happier which helps us be more confident and more fluent. No matter what, try keeping the smile and being strong. Always have smile :)

• Did you release the air before and after each sentence? Starting or continuing the speech without having enough breath may intensify stammering and blocks. Before each sentence, make sure to release the air, breathe again and say your sentence. Don’t rush.

• If block happened, did you release the word and retried? When the block happens, we usually try to push and say the word quickly. This may intensify the stammering and takes away the control. Make sure you release the word, pause, breathe in and try again.

• Did you move your jaw freely? We sometimes keep our jaw tight stick to our teeth which may intensify stammering. Make sure your jaw is free to move, open it and breathe in deeply. With each inhale or exhale relax your throat and lips; no matter what technique u use if they are tight, the stammering will happen. Feel they can move freely. 

• Did you start your speak from the top of a full breathe? The power from the top of a full breathe can prevent any block.

• Did you let/feel the air flow through your throat? A person who stammers has a high chance of blocking the air flow which may intensify stammering and reduces fluent speech. By feeling the air flowing freely, we make sure that we’d have enough air to support our speech.

• Did you use positive and helpful auto-suggestion? Auto-suggestion has enormous power, leads and controls the thoughts and actions to be absolutely in direction with what has been auto-suggested.

• Did you relax your body and shoulders before and during the speech? Anxiety in the body, voice box and shoulders may intensify the stammering and blocks and reduce fluent speech. By relaxing your body, voice box and shoulders you will help maintaining a fluent speech.

• Did you practice positive expectation and visualization and projecting confidence before and during speech? Negative thoughts may come to our thoughts quickly and reside which may intensify the chance of more stammering and blocks. Make sure you project and expect the positive and constructive from yourself and others.

• Did you lower your speech rate and pronounce every word? Our mind’s speed is usually higher than our tongue can handle which may intensify stammering. Make sure you lower your speech rate, take it in control and balance the speed in which case you’ll easily have a higher chance of being fluent.

• If stammering or blocks happened, did you immediately stop blaming yourself? Did you congratulate yourself for your bravery to try?

• The block happened, you tried relaxing, releasing the air and inhaling but still there block is there. Did you pantomime the words without sound? A great technique that most of the time works very well to modifying the block is to pantomime the first few words of the sentence in our mind once or twice then trying to say the word with voice. I discovered this technique to be greatly effective which releases my blocks always :) - not sure how my mind does it but it works!

• Did you continue accepting, loving and respecting yourself unconditionally? Sometimes, we may tend to blame ourselves for our inability to speak fluently to communicate easily; that is not helpful and indeed it would damage the self-esteem and self-confidence. Make sure you always respect, love and accept yourself unconditionally and instead congratulate and appreciate yourself for the bravery and the try.

• Was your posture good and confident? Our posture not only speaks with our sub-conscious mind but also with others. A good, straight and confident posture can reduce stammering and facilitate fluency.

• Was your voice deep and strong? Our voice may become weak and trembling which reduces our confidence and that reduces other people’s confidence in us. Make sure you’d produce a deep and strong voice no matter the stammer happens or not. Saying “Huumm” helps.

• Did you review your speech techniques today?

• Did you take care of your self-esteem, unconditional self-love and self-acceptance and potential?

• Did you maintain your eye contact with smile and relaxation? Eye contact helps you have greater influence on others.

• Did you practice reading with control and techniques today? Your voice box muscles are like your body muscles. The more and better you practice, the stronger they become so that’s why it’s important that you spend some time every day practice reading in a quiet place if you can.

• Did you practice socialising? Be more sociable, initiate conversations; don’t forget the eye contact and smile and practising your techniques.

• Don't worry too much about your stammering, strengthen your other areas of expertise and dedicate about an hour every day practicing and learning about stammering and fluency.

• Did you change your voice pitch while speaking? Having melody helps us show we are human and we have emotions. Practice adding melody and rhythm to your speak. 

• Did you keep your joyful state of mind? Being joyful and happy as life habits helps us be more confident which results in being more fluent.

• Were you positive in thoughts, words and actions? Have a positive outlook on life.

• Did you resist the time pressure? Did you speak with control and at your own time? Do not let anyone pull your strings; speak always with control and at your own speed and pace.

• Your physical, emotional and mental health and balance are the most important matters in your life. Did you exercise for at least 30m today? Did you take care of your happiness, self-confidence and self-esteem?

• If realized that you feel down or negative, did you listen to and write down your emotions at your free time then took positive action? Writing down emotions honestly and clearly, helps us to be more in control with and observe our thoughts and emotions. Then we can outline and direct next positive actions to take which would be helpful for us.