How to stop saying "like"

Today I was talking with Shelbie and Shaylah. I was telling them about that obnoxious youtubes video of Justin Bieber saying the word "like" 63 times in 11 minutes. I showed them the video, and of course we all giggled and made fun of him. From there, we started talking about "What did people say before the word "like" became popular?" I'm pretty sure 50 years ago and beyond people didn't use the slang we use nowadays. My mom piped and said, "Back then I'm sure they used the word, but they used it in it's proper context." An example was: "I would like a new dress that looks like Cindy's." All of us girls started saying sentences that normally we would use the word "like" in, and tried replacing it with a different word, or speaking more properly. It's so funny how once you start thinking, "Don't use _x_ word," it's nearly impossible not to say it. Proper little Shelbie was stumbling all over her words trying to avoid using the word "like!" She used it inadvertently about every 15 seconds, while she tried desperately to not say it. After we were all laughing hysterically and she was trying to be more careful, she couldn't even talk--let alone use the word "like." It was very funny! Eventually the boys and my mom joined in on the conversation, trying not to use the word "like." It was impossible, we were all stumbling over our words and making fools out of ourselves. We eventually just gave up and pretty much the second we quit our attempts at NOT saying "like" ...we weren't saying like anymore. How does that work?!

So, tonight I decided to try to stop using the word "like" as much. I got online to see when and where like became popular (which I just realized I forgot to finish that task...) and instead came across a "How to" article entitled "How to stop saying 'like.'"

These were the 9 steps the article gave:

1) Know how the word "like" is supposed to be used. There are only two correct usages:

Similarity - "This tastes like chicken."
Enjoyment - "I like this movie."

2) Pause when you would typically insert "like." Vocalized pauses are just filling places where you should pause. So, each time you anticipate saying "like," pause instead. This approach works for other vocalized pauses, such as: "um," "er," "ah," and, "you know." Pausing will also make you sound more authoritative.

3) Record yourself to see how often you use the word "like" incorrectly. Once you can pinpoint your most common mistakes, it'll be easier to catch yourself in action and make corrections. In any conversation or when speaking freely for a few minutes, you'll probably notice a few patterns, which are addressed in the following steps.

4) Stop using "like" when quoting someone. Whenever you catch yourself using "like" to put words in some one's mouth, replace it with "said". Better yet, come up with a verb that more specifically describes how the person spoke: yelled, whispered, answered, exclaimed, insisted, etc. Doing this helps the reader imagine what you're describing, and your stories will be much more enjoyable to listen to.

Incorrect: "He was like 'Where are you going?' and she was like 'None of your business!'"

Correct: "He asked 'Where are you going?' and she yelled 'None of your business!"

5) Don't use "like" to approximate. When you're giving a quantity that you're not sure of, you might use the word "like" to indicate that you're guessing or approximating. In this case, it can easily be replaced by the following words: about, approximately, or roughly.

Incorrect: "She's, like, five feet tall."Correct: "She's about five feet tall."Incorrect: "You'll need, like, three tablespoons of butter."Correct: "You'll need roughly three tablespoons of butter."

6) Stop using "like" before adjectives and adverbs. You might also find yourself plugging other fillers such as "so" or "really" in between.

Incorrect: "He was, like, so tall."Correct: "He was tall."Incorrect: "She's, like, really irritated."Correct: "She's irritated."

7) Improve your vocabulary. Your speech might feel "naked" without the word "like" to fill in gaps. The best remedy for this is to become more articulate. Whenever a statement feels plain, try to think of ways you can be more specific or descriptive.

Bad: "He's like 160 lbs."Good: "He's about 160 lbs."
Better: "He weighs 160 lbs and has a stocky build."
Bad: "She's, like, really happy with her new job."
Good: "She's happy with her new job."
Better: "She's more satisfied with her new job."

8) Quit using the "like" altogether. If you find that you're still having a hard time using "like" correctly, you might want to abandon the word altogether, at least temporarily, just to break the habit. Even though there are ways to use "like" correctly, there are also ways to replace it. You can't use the word incorrectly if you don't use it at all!

Similarity: Replace "like" with "similar to."
Enjoyment: Replace "like" with "enjoy" or "savor" or "love."

9) Make sure to see how long that you can go without saying the word like in an improper way.

And having read that....thus begins my journey to stop using the word "like!"