{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "id": "CC-046",
  "title": "Why did I sometimes leave filler words alone?",
  "topic": "Self-talk, identity and everyday impact",
  "author": {
    "name": "Craig Coffee",
    "id": "https://usedtostutter.com/craig-coffee#person"
  },
  "canonical_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/filler-words-and-stuttering",
  "access": "public",
  "content_kind": "author_published_article",
  "context_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/about-this-material",
  "source_sha256": "1eca1f6f733906fe4f2f0eda921e125bf36324ddab7cdf42c46f9c15d50ad603",
  "source_markdown": "# Why did I sometimes leave filler words alone?\n\nBy [Craig Coffee](/craig-coffee)\n\nIn one conversation, someone was worried about using “like” too much and sounding unprofessional. We had only been discussing it for a few minutes. My response was that, right then, I wouldn't change it.\n\nI wanted to reframe how the person was thinking about it. I said there were a lot of directions we could take, but this was how I would think about it for myself. They could decide whether it felt appropriate to them too.\n\n## The thought I suggested\n\n“Who cares that I say this word a lot,” was the way I began it. Then: “It helps my speech.” I was offering a different way to think about the word in the conversation we were having.\n\nAt that moment, I thought it was working for the person. I was concerned with confidence. I didn't want to turn something they were using to speak into one more reason to feel bad about themselves.\n\nThat was my response to that person in those few minutes. [Hearing what someone means by their question](/how-to-listen-to-someone-who-stutters) matters to me. Here, the question led to how they felt about their speech as well as the word they kept using.\n\n## Related answers\n\n- [Should I record myself when I practice speaking?](/recording-yourself-when-you-stutter)\n- [What does fluency mean to me?](/what-fluency-means)\n- [Do I have to talk quickly and be funny to be good at conversation?](/pressure-to-speak-quickly-when-you-stutter)\n\n[Find your question](/questions)\n",
  "relative_link_base": "https://usedtostutter.com/filler-words-and-stuttering",
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "reading-content",
      "heading": null,
      "heading_level": null,
      "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/filler-words-and-stuttering#reading-content",
      "role": "source_context",
      "source_markdown": "In one conversation, someone was worried about using “like” too much and sounding unprofessional. We had only been discussing it for a few minutes. My response was that, right then, I wouldn't change it.\n\nI wanted to reframe how the person was thinking about it. I said there were a lot of directions we could take, but this was how I would think about it for myself. They could decide whether it felt appropriate to them too.\n\n",
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    },
    {
      "id": "the-thought-i-suggested",
      "heading": "The thought I suggested",
      "heading_level": 2,
      "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/filler-words-and-stuttering#the-thought-i-suggested",
      "role": "source_context",
      "source_markdown": "## The thought I suggested\n\n“Who cares that I say this word a lot,” was the way I began it. Then: “It helps my speech.” I was offering a different way to think about the word in the conversation we were having.\n\nAt that moment, I thought it was working for the person. I was concerned with confidence. I didn't want to turn something they were using to speak into one more reason to feel bad about themselves.\n\nThat was my response to that person in those few minutes. [Hearing what someone means by their question](/how-to-listen-to-someone-who-stutters) matters to me. Here, the question led to how they felt about their speech as well as the word they kept using.\n\n",
      "source_span_sha256": "960f4a93900695d4d7a6297e57be0e7b44a2934961e5f31338b0a91ccd34dd9b"
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    {
      "id": "related-answers",
      "heading": "Related answers",
      "heading_level": 2,
      "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/filler-words-and-stuttering#related-answers",
      "role": "navigation",
      "source_markdown": "## Related answers\n\n- [Should I record myself when I practice speaking?](/recording-yourself-when-you-stutter)\n- [What does fluency mean to me?](/what-fluency-means)\n- [Do I have to talk quickly and be funny to be good at conversation?](/pressure-to-speak-quickly-when-you-stutter)\n",
      "source_span_sha256": "aeecd412c38a8f1ec4aa1162ce23ac9ede353e2cd21501bd19f0ef9a2ded1e7c"
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}