Method 1 of 3: Become Self Aware and Plan
1. Recognize why you want to stop. Using bad words can reflect poorly upon you. In many circles, people who swear are seen as uncultured, uneducated, unrefined, immature or worse. On the internet, swearing can you get you banned from all sorts of social sites. Additionally, if you are using swear words directed at other people, you may be seen as a bully, unreasonable, or abusive. So there are many reasons to get your language under control. Take a few moments to consider why you want to quit, and how getting your language under control may improve your relationships and public image.
2. Notice when you curse. Figure out your triggers and bad habits. Get a notebook and a pen, and spend a week noting your cussing. When do you cuss most? Is it around certain people, at certain places? Notice what are your environmental triggers. Is it when you are traffic? When you have an irate customer on the line? Is it when you are stressed, frustrated or angry? Write down the words and the situations for a week. This will help you become aware of your behavior, which is the first step in changing it.
3. Enlist help (optional). Tell some trusted, kind friends and family that you want to stop cussing and enlist their help. Ask these people to tell you when you cuss.
- If you do this step, realize that you will be getting critiqued. Decide ahead of time, if you can handle this kind of feedback. If not, skip this step. But if you do enlist help, make sure you do not get mad at your helpers for critiquing your cussing - after all, they are only doing this to help you.
- Instead of saying "#@$% the management!", say "I am really frustrated with the management right now" or some equivalent. Note how much more powerful and better received your thoughts and feelings are when you do not cuss.
- You can also substitute more neutral words like darn, rats, crud, oh man, lame, shiz, sugar, shoot etc. in place of your normal cuss words.
Method 2 of 3: Start by Making Small Changes
1. Start small. Start to change your ways, but start small. Picking a small manageable task is the best way to form a new habit . Pick one place, one situation to improve in. For example, you may choose to start by no longer cussing while driving, or in front of your nephew. Just pick one situation, and spend the first week avoiding cussing in that one.
- When you (or your helpers) do catch a cussing in this situation. Apologize and rephrase the sentence without any bad words. This may seem awkward, but practicing talking without cuss words is the only way you will get better.
3. Reward yourself. When you meet your goal for that week - for example, no swearing in front of nephew - reward yourself with something: a night out, a movie, a good book, a massage.
Method 3 of 3: Continue Adding Challenges and Practicing
1. Expand your challenges. Once you have succeeded in cleaning up your language in one situation (say in front of your nephew), add new situations week by week.
- For example, if you successfully did not cuss in front of your nephew all week. Next week do that, and do not swear when near playgrounds.
- If you are not successful at your first goal, then that means your challenge was too big. Make it more manageable. Instead of never cussing in front of your nephew, make your goal smaller. Such as, "I will not cuss before 8 am", or "I will not cuss at the drive through window". Pick a time frame and situation that you know you can do, then expand the challenge from there, week by week.
Things You'll Need
[] Journal
[] Pen
[] Jar
[] Pen
[] Jar
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