When we first quit, we find ourselves in an agony of memories of the past and what we allowed ourselves to do. And as we leave the road of addiction to follow a new path of freedom, those memories become our worst possible enemy at first.
We constantly think back to those days before, and we compare it to the moment that we’re living in the present and realize that there was no discomfort in those memories. That the past was way easier to live than the one we’ve chosen to follow now. This sets up the internal argument that we all must face when we quit. Our minds constantly comparing our past to our new and hard present.
On the first days when the lack of nicotine begins its attack, it’s really hard to stay free. And most of us felt horrible on those first days. What makes it even harder is that we have nothing new to compare our past to. The future hasn’t happened yet so we can’t see the amazing feelings that come from losing our addictions.
We can’t see the health benefits. All we can see is the discomfort and even though we knew we’d have to face it, it still attacks our minds with the fury of a tornado, spinning our thoughts into a whirlwind of emotions.
This is when it’s most important to reach out. To ask questions. To busy ourselves with anything besides listening to the thoughts of our smoking past that will occupy our minds. And I think there’s a big change once we have a few days under our belts for you see, we begin to believe that we actually can win this hard war. And with belief comes confidence that we really can achieve our goals.
With belief comes some calm because we lose one more stressor at a time where every little stress can seem monumental. And as we continue to move forward on the path to freedom, slowly building a resolve that cannot be shaken, we begin to find new things to compare our past to. Memories that aren’t filled with a cloud of smoke. Thoughts of a new future free of addiction begins to permeate our minds and before long instead of looking at past discomforts, we begin to see the possibilities that await us in the future.
Our minds begin to focus on thoughts of health and freedom and every day we reinforce our desire to be free for once we see the possibilities that freedom can bring and keep a constant desire to live those possibilities, there’s just no stopping us for you see, we no longer live in the past.
ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!
Chuck
