Speech Goofs to Avoid Part II (Fillers)

Subconsciously dotting sentences with like, ums, and ya-know is common. But, when we do this, people consciously or unconsciously question our intelligence (thank you 1980's valley girls...) Recording yourself on a phone conversation will let you know how badly you fall into this habit. Or you can ask a trusted friend who will be honest with you. The way to fix the problem, breathe! Instead of "like" or "um", use that opportunity to take a breath to collect your thoughts instead of filling the silence with a sound. The pause will keep others from interrupting you when they think you are filling time with useless words. Instead, they will hang on to the words you say and not lose interest because valuable words are all that will come out.