~~You are blessed when you are content with just who you are, no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourself the proud owner of everything that cannot be bought.~~ Unknown
I used to think that I smoked to mask my emotions. Yikes, hide the anger!! Sweep past the heartbreak. Hide the pesky little annoyances.
Not quite true, I now think. I smoked because I was addicted to the nicotine. It was that addiction that dulled my emotions. It dulled my life as well. What a vicious cycle of smoking, thinking of smoking, needing to smoke, buying cigarettes, smoking....
I embraced the changes in my life when I quit. Actually, I delighted in them. If I was angry, I examined my anger closely and liked the fact that I had a right to it. Everyone gets angry sometimes and that's ok.
I also allowed myself to get annoyed. Feel it, allow it, deal with it, poof!! It's over with.
So I am not always positve. Life would be less if I were.
But I don't always share those emotions. When my soul is crying, I keep it very close to me. Not because I am ashamed, but because it is how I take care of myself. I have a place in my heart where those tender, take- my- breath- away hurtful emotions are tucked away. Not to be forgotten but to be gently cared for by the only person who can help them heal....me. And I honor myself by taking good care of me during those pain-filled moments.
Emotions aren't right or wrong. They are the deepest part of what makes you human. How precious they are! I hope you examine them, nurture them, and honor them. They are who you are. It is ok to feel them and it is ok to express them and it is ok to share them or keep them in your heart.
When you walk away from your addiction, your soul is rooting for you and your emotions are waiting for the opportunity to shine for you. Make friends with who you truly are because there is no one in the world who sees things exactly as you do. You are needed, you are wanted, you are loved. And when you give up smoking, you are gaining the world. Be prepared to be delighted by it!!
Enjoy your quit, my friends! And be the proud owner of everything that cannot be bought.
Sheri
