~~Give yourself time to be sad, frustrated, angry. Give yourself time to heal, accept, and to grow. Time doesn't erase anything, but it can provide you with enough space to be able to breathe again. And then one day you wake up and your heart has a little sunshine in it. And then day by day, people offer you pieces of their hearts to help remake your own. Allow yourself to be where you are at, to feel what you are feeling, and to experience everything that means. And during this process, look and listen for that glimmer of hope. It is there, I promise. And it is waiting for you to see it. Because one of the most beautiful things about humans is their capacity to heal, grow, and survive. Face it. That is how you get through it.~~ Jessica Jensen
You really do have the capacity to heal. Your spirit is stronger than you think. Give yourself the time you need to repair not only the physical damage smoking has caused you, but also the psychological damage. Because, my friend, its there. Your spirit is damaged. In ways you may not even consciously think about. Hiding behind that chemical ridden cloud of smoke has isolated you, has embarrassed or shamed you, or has entrapped you in a web of addictive thinking that will take time to heal from.
It's ok to be sad or frustrated or angry. Its ok to feel impatient or stressed or trapped. But underneath all that, realize that time is your friend. Time will allow you to heal. Time will allow you to grow. Time will allow you to survive those first few months....those first strong craves...those first uncertain steps towards freedom.
The most beautiful thing about you, you see, is your capacity to love yourself. To realize your worth. To expand your horizens. To truly live. And you can never truly live being tied to an addiction that can kill you. You can never truly live needing that next hit of nicotine to getyou through until you need that next hit of nicotine.
So give yourself time. And each person here will give you a piece of themselves to strengthen you, to support you, to heal you until you are able to soar on your own. Maybe just a word of comfort....maybe just a bit of wisdom....maybe just a little kindness. But it will help you feel less alone. And it will help you feel that glimmer of hope.
Time is your friend. Embrace it. Get comfortable with it. And know that when the time comes, you will soar.
Sheri
