Breaking a bad habit

MrsSippi

Firstly I know this is an odd post so I should make it clear that I am genuinely asking for advice

Basically, I swear too much (well more than I am happy with anyway) and really want to break the habit. I wouldn't say I am coarse when I swear (though I understand a lot of people find any amount of swearing is too much), I don't "f" at all, it's always "b"'s but nonetheless I want to stop but can't seem to work out how to do this, especially as a lot of the time it just flows automatically or is an automatic reaction to something (I.e. dropping something).

Any advice? I really don't know how to tackle this.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Everyone swears sometimes.


What I do is hold my nerve for a minute and take a look around. Patience with a pause. That way when you drop the plate, you wait for other to react first!


I do this at meetings as well. I say my piece and then listen. Use a rule, two eyes to look, two ears to hear. One mouth to speak. Use it in that proportion!






















And Pause!

purple45

I have broken various bad habits including chronic nail biting and crossing my legs (causing cramp and backache and general bad posture). I'd say the way forward with anything is to slow down everything you do and say. If you start to be slower and more mindful you can think more before speaking. It isn't instant, but it works over time if you keep correcting yourself. Nail biting and leg crossing have been very much automatic habits without thinking but it has worked for me.

geminilady

When I was young my mum had a bad swearing habit so every time she swore I said you are swearing again.It took a while but it did work think she had just got into a bad habit and did not relise how much she was swearing

hazyjo

Imagine everyone as the Queen lol. That'll soon make you stop...

TBagpuss

You could tell family or collegues what you are trying to do and ask them to mention it to you when they hear you swear - you may well find that knowing they are watching for it makes you more conscious of what you say!

Also, think about the situations when you swear. What are the most common 'triggers'? Hw can you avoid them, or avoid reacting in that way?

For instance, if you get annoyed with the printer and tend to swear at it (which I could entirely understand!) be aware of that so that when you go to the printer you are already consciously thinking about not swearing, rather than trying to suppress it in the moment.

Giving yourself rewards might help in the short term, too. For instance, put a £1 in a jar every day (or 20p per hour, or whatever feels achievable) you get through without swearing. Take the same amount out each time you slip up, and then buy yourself a treat with the money in the jar. Again, telling people around you what you are doing may help you to 'police' it.

suejb2

Apparently it takes on average 66 days to make a habit, so by definition 66 days to unmake a habit!

So by August 4th you 'should' have cracked it and be swear free.

z1a

hazyjo wrote: »

Imagine everyone as the Queen lol. That'll soon make you stop...

That wouldn't make me stop. I'm about as anti-royal as they come, can't abide them.

jackieblack

I agree with the above posters who said you need to take a pause and also be more mindful of what comes out of your mouth.
I work in a primary school so obviously swearing of any kind is completely unacceptable. I just had to train myself to say 'bother', 'blooming' and 'sugar' instead, a slip would result in a disciplinary and that really focuses the mind!

chesky

z1a wrote: »

That wouldn't make me stop. I'm about as anti-royal as they come, can't abide them.

In that case, make it your grandma.

theoretica

It is easier to change words rather than stop entirely, so you could choose to change to another B word and then gradually reduce how much you use it.