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Share your quitting journey

Day ??? – The glorious feeling of freedom

Chuck-2-20-2011
0 8 6

Hello Exer’s! Been a while since I blogged here but thought I’d drop a line. Since we’re a kind of ever changing group here, I’ll tell you a little about my journey. It started on February 20 of last year and like all of us, I was indeed a little scared at the idea of quitting. Actually, scared is an understatement. I was terrified. Why? For the same reason that some of you might be. Because we’re addicts. Plain and simple. And we’re addicted by one of the most powerful chemicals there is. Nicotine.

But we’re also addicted in our own minds. Until we can break away from that "losing an old friend" attitude, we’re still in danger of losing our quits. Until we can remember those days of smoking without that memory filling us with the desire to smoke, we’re still in danger. Until we can realize that our lives are much more precious to us then a few cigarettes, we’re still in danger.

We must always be aware of the pitfalls that come with losing our addictions so that we can navigate around them. We must stick to our plan even as our resolve fades in the constant struggle with ourselves. Thing is, it’s all quite doable so long as our mind set is in the correct frame to win.

For me, one of the most important lessons that I learned was and the mantra that I used in those first hard days was that it is in the present that we create our future. It is what we do right now, at this moment and in every moment that we live in the present that determines our future. So I always made it a point to look ahead. To look to the summit of Mt. Freedom that I saw every day in my minds eye. I longed to feel that freedom that I knew was waiting for me in my future because of the resolve I had right now, on the current day of my quit.

And now a year and some number of days later, I can say that I am free. I still have the memories of smoking, but they have lost their luster. Those dreams of smoking are like a picture that has hung on the wall in the sun for far to long and has faded and lost it’s color for you see, I don’t want to smoke and the addict within has lost all of his power to try to attack me and derail my quit. He’s still there and always will be, but he no longer holds any power over me. He can no longer sway me. Only I can do that.

So no matter where you are in your quit right now, always remember to look ahead to those days of freedom. Always look to the reasons you wanted to quit in the first place for after all, this is a journey that no one can take for you. This is a journey that must be traveled alone and yet right here in this place there are so many there to help you when your weak. So many who know it can be done because they themselves have done it. So many who now feel that freedom and so badly want to share that with others. So others can know how wonderful it is!

Hang in there my friends. Your on a journey that is so very worth it in the end. Just think of the pride you’ll have within you when you complete this task. When you know in your heart that your free so long as you want to be.

Me, I’ve stepped into that future that I started creating last year. I’m living the glorious freedom that I dreamed of in the beginning. I’m standing on the summit of Mt. Freedom and waving that banner of freedom high for all to see! Why? Because I want other to follow. I want others to feel what I’m feeling now. I want others to understand that because of this little bump in the road right now that we will be free! We will win and we will find the happiness that can only be truly felt after a bit of time.

And one day, it will be you writing a blog just like this. It will be you shouting about how wonderful it is to be free. It will be you who just like me will be looking back and saying, "I love this freedom, and I’m never, ever going to do anything to give that up!"

Onward to freedom!!

Chuck

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