Okay, so I decided to start this “no swearing club” thing. It all began when I caught myself dropping f-bombs like they were going out of style. Seriously, it was bad. I’d stub my toe, “f-this!” I’d lose a game, “f-that!” My vocabulary was basically 50% curse words.
So, I started by simply acknowledging the problem. You know, like, “Hey, maybe I swear too much.” That was the easy part.
The next step was trying to catch myself. I mean actually stopping mid-sentence, even mid-word, if a curse was about to pop out. It felt super awkward at first, like slamming on the brakes in my brain. I would have conversations, and in the back of my mind, all I was thinking was, “Don’t swear! Do not swear!”
The Actual Process
- Awareness: Like I said, I tried to be super aware of every word I was about to say.
- Substitution: I started using these goofy replacement words. Instead of the f-word, I’d say “fudge” or “freaking.” It felt ridiculous, but it was better than the alternative. For the s-word, I went with “shoot”.
- The Jar: Oh yeah, I even created a “swear jar.” Every time I slipped up, I had to put a dollar in. That thing filled up pretty quickly in the first few days!
- Environment: I tried to be aware of my environment. I swear more when I’m gaming, listening to certain music, or talking with the boys.
It was a total struggle, to be honest. I slipped up a lot. There were times I’d just blurt out a curse word without even thinking. And then I’d have to fish another dollar out of my wallet for the jar. My friends thought it was hilarious, of course. They’d deliberately try to get me to swear, just to watch me squirm.
But, slowly, I started to notice a difference. I was hesitating more before speaking. The goofy replacement words were actually working. I was becoming more mindful of my language, not just the curse words, but everything I said.
It’s still a work in progress. I’m not perfect, not even close. But I’m definitely swearing less. The swear jar is still getting some action, but it’s not overflowing anymore. And honestly, it feels pretty good to have a bit more control over my mouth. Who knew?
