Watching the kid come as a runner up in pop idol, Gareth Gates changed nine year old Liam Pogson’s life. But why did Gareth Gates change Liam Pogson life, anyway? This is what he says:

“I thought if he can go on television and sing to millions of people with a stammer then I can make my dreams come true too”.

It’s weird how a lot of stutterers are so embarrass to speak in public, especially in front of a group. Now, here comes a child standing in front of a panel of judges barley able to say his name without making funny faces and repeating the same word four or six times, he’s a very brave kid obviously and it shows that he refuse to let his stuttering problem get in the way of his dream and success. Even though Will Young won, I still give Gareth Gates a 10, because at a child, I was never brave enough to speak in front of my class mates, better yet on television in front of the world?

Stammering does bring an uneasy feeling and it makes it seem like the entire world doesn’t understand how you feel and the condition, and truth is, a person that doesn’t stammer will never understand your feelings and how embarrassing this speech problem really is and how it can take control of your life and how you interact with your family, friends, and even lover if you let it.

I say that to say, after ten years, Gareth Gates is helping stammerers overcome their stutter and he shows little signs of it. He says that accentuated breathing is one key that helped him gain control of his life, but he also admits that he struggles with stammering occasionally.

Gareth recently agreed to allow BBC 3 documentary Stop My Stutter to see him as he takes 5 men and women who has stuttered since childhood and turn their lives around. During the four days, this group is scheduled to live and work together in confronting their stuttering demons. I guess stuttering demons are the different reasons why people stammer. For instance, some people stammer when they get nervous or scared. And others stammer whenever they are mad or is reading a book or talking to fast. Going through the multiple exercises and challenges is designed to help them overcome their stuttering problem.

Speaking is every stutterers dream, because stuttering makes it seem impossible to communicate properly. Not to mention, it’s very isolating and you feel like you’re alone in the battle. One guy says that he use to ask for a bus fare to Ravensthorpe, because he couldn’t pronounce the word Mirfield without stammering. I can believe it, because I use to avoid saying certain words to people, just because I knew I would stammer over it. It’s more of a self conscious factor than low self esteem issue.

To make a long story short, Liam is now a fitness instructor which he has to talk to a lot of people and do presentations, but because Gareth inspired him, he is a much stronger person dealing with his stammering problem.

Final thoughts on the subject

Don’t let your stammering problem take control of your life. You can overcome it one step at a time. It won’t come easy, I know because I stutter, but I don’t let it control me. I believe in you, and I know that once you make up your mind that your stuttering problem is not a big issue and confront it and work on your breathing, you will soon realize how small stuttering is and you can communicate with others without feeling afraid and alone.