I'm trying to quit cursing.

[zanne]

I have a rubber band on both wrists and my skin is getting raw. Damn, that hurts! (Here we go again---snap!) I've been cursing for about 30 years and I'm finding it very hard to stop. (I heard a recorded conversation of myself and a friend and I was embarassed at my language). I'd like to think that it's not like me, but if I've been doing it for 30 years, I guess it is. Does anybody have a good suggestion for ridding my speech of four-letter words?

[madeline_con]

1. Look up new words so you'll enrich your vocab....

and use them when you would normally curse. Try it, it may be worth a shot.

I had some succes when I had to give it up when "inappropriate language" almost slipped out at my work (which is school)!

:hi:

edit: I can't claim to work in education and misspell so much!

[wildhorses]

2. ahhh--good luck with that

sounds painful---ouch

[ghostsofgiants]

3. Why the shit would you want to do that?

:P

[EstimatedProphet]

4. How's it fucking working so far?

You just have to have the right fucking attitude.

[Elidor]

5. Good golly, you'll be talking like Rumsfeld before you know it

Henny penny.

[zanne]

6. Is that helping? nt

[YellowRubberDuckie]

7. Get creative with your language.

On Ghost Hunters, Grant is always saying What the fetch? It's slipped into my husband's vocabulary. It's cute actually. And I tend to say what the crap or something equally as benign at work. Good luck on quitting. You'll use much more creative, colorful language without cursing. Just find some words you like "Holy Kelly Clarkson!" IS always fun. Just make shit up, and not only will you sound more intelligent, people will think you're a riot. GOOD LUCK!!
Duckie

[Gormy Cuss]

8. I always liked the idea of a curse jar better.

Throw a quarter in a jar every time you use a four-letter word on your banned list. At the end of the week or month (depending on how much you curse, LOL) count out the money and write a check to a charity.

I've never had the urge to rid my speech of colorful terms but I don't swear like a longshoreman either. I did in my youth. Sometimes the process of trying to cut down on the usage is all that is needed because you discover that you haven't been using all of the wonderful and more descriptive words that you have rolling around in your head. Why say "I hate this shit." when instead you can say why you are peeved at events, or people, etc.? It's a challenge at first but eventually you may find a good balance and allow yourself to curse when nothing but those four letter words seem appropriate.