Words are like keys that can make or break a conversation. Some words look absolutely okay to us, but can kill a conversation if they sound mechanical or are overused.

Words like Awesome, Right On, Fantastic, Fabulous, if overused, sound fluffy and mechanical, with no warmth or feeling behind them.

• You can be conscious of what you type in your emails and phone messages, it pays well to have a large vocabulary at your disposal.
• If you overuse a word, or say a ‘pet’ word without even realizing it, you may have to break the habit by taking help from a colleague, friend or family member.
• The person who gets your message, who may be a new friend or an acquaintance, can feel as if you are being sarcastic, or may have misused a word, which they may or may not correct you. They may even think they have missed part of the conversation.
• Too many fluffy words also drown out the actual conversation. If you go on and on, the message you are trying to convey gets diluted.