There are lots of words it’s better to avoid.
Mean words. Nasty words. (I’m not going to say any of them, because that wouldn’t fit into the category of avoiding them, now would it?!
There is also a word that appears to be utterly benign, but is not. Not at all.
I have recently taken on the challenge to remove this word from my vocabulary, and I would like to encourage you to join me.
The word is:
I am not advocating removal of this word as a verb.
As in: Jane likes to eat popcorn.
Or: Jane likes to eat popcorn while watching binge-watching Orange Is The New Black, which she also likes very much.
I am advocating removal of like as a filler word. A completely insubstantial filler word that exists purely to create the effect that you are a thirteen-year-old who is spending the day at the mall, shopping for bangles.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being thirteen. Or bangles.
But I don’t want to be thirteen again.
Runaway acne?
An extremely precarious sense of self-worth?
No thank you!
I didn’t enjoy it the first time. No way do I want to do it again.
But here’s the thing:
Using like as a filler word creates the same shaky foundation I experienced at thirteen.
It says to myself, and to the world:
I’m not really sure of myself. I’m not yet ready to speak my truth with authority. So I’m gonna, like, add some extra, like, fluff so you won’t, like, take me seriously. Like, ya know?
It’s interesting to note that women are especially susceptible to like as a filler word. Which, given the current structure of the world, is not at all surprising.
This global power disparity provides all the more reason for women to stand in the strength and beauty of who they are.
Yeah, it’s just a little world. But it’s also so much more.
For those of you like-ers out there who do not agree that like is padding between you and your power, keep on like-ing. Go for it!
But I’m not going with you.
Except when I, like, catch myself because it’s become, like, a habit.
So who’s with me?
Are we ready to stand in our power?
Are we ready to let like be the verb it was intended to be and not a shroud diminishing our power and self-worth?!
Of course we are!
And I have to say: I like this very much!
Are you a like-er? Share your comments below!
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I don’t mind the other usage which is comparing things. “There are many cats who are like a cat I used to have.” 🙂
Yes, like is great for comparisons. And we just got a new cat who is very much like a cat I used to have! 🙂
But how will I do my Valley Girl impression if I, like, eliminate like? This has got me, like, really, really astounded. 🙂
I think that, like, if you use like in a, like, Valley Girl accent, it, like, cancels out any, like, possibility of anything but, like, awesomeness. 😉
Oh like, thank heavens. i am, like, so totally, totally relieved. 🙂
Z,
This is great, ya know. So, like I should uh stop uh using like filler words to uh commando uh like a conversation or something ya know?
(Having an intuitive feeling the above sentence may send you screaming from the room! Aren’t I naughty?!! lolol)
Much uh Love,
River
PS I am really great at not writing these words but am working on not having them in public speaking in any form!
Hi River, What a great, like, comment! 🙂 It is funny that people often use fillers while speaking, but the slowed down process of writing helps, like, eliminate them. One thing that has helped me is to consciously think of slowing down when I speak – both in my mind and my words. This helps me, like, be more aware and less like-ly to use filler words. 🙂 XOZ
I haven’t heard it as much lately but mine was You know or ya know. I mean you know what im talking about you know. I always well you know do this or ya know that.
Hi Georgiann, That’s a good one, “Ya know!” We love you! XOZ