~~Her realization that there was no right way or wrong way to live life set her free. She tossed out her outdated rule book and finally began to live.~~ Queenism
So, when I was a smoker, everything I did revolved around it. Sneaking out after a meeting, leaving the family dinner table, waking up in the morning and stumbling out to the back porch for my first. It was a never-ending cycle of times to smoke, times to wait to smoke, times to buy cigarettes, etc.....
In my unsuccessful attempts to quit smoking, my addiction was still actively involved in my life. "You can't quit, Never have before" went through my mind, along with "I'm so afraid!" and "Why is this so hard????!!" I spent more time worrying about my quit, thinking about my quit, and trying to adjust my quit until smoking again was upmost in my mind.
Addiction is a horrible way to live. So this time when I quit, I through out the rule book. I decided it was only going to be as hard as I chose to make it. I decided that I would be in charge rather than my addiction. I decided that I didn't have to fail if I didn't want to....and I didn't want to.
You will be getting a bunch of advice here, new quitters. Those in NML will also be getting tips and suggestions. Because quitters know how to quit. You, however, are the only one who knows what will work for you. You get to chose how to quit. You get to chose what you use instead. You get to chose how you feel.
But the one thing you need to keep in my is that even though you quit smoking, the addictive thinking doesn't magically disappear. The addictive behaviors don't just leave, either. Pay attention!! If you are getting not one ounce of pleasure from you quit, pay attention!! If you are not secretly thrilled that you haven't smoked in 2 weeks, pay attention!!
Throw out the rule book you have in your head about quitting. You may feel better in 3 days instead of 3 months. You may need an NRT rather than do it cold turkey. You may need to adjust your other medication. You may need support from a cessation coach. You need to know what will work best for you.
I read a quote that I am trying to paint "Freedom is about being so truly, madly, & deeply attached to your own soul that you can't bear-if only for a moment-a life that doesn't honor it." Andrea Balt
Honor your soul by creating a quit that will work for you.....forever. Honor your soul by cherishing your body as well as your soul through quitting an addiction that is killing it. Honor your soul through finding peace with your quit instead of the chaos caused by addiction. Mostly, honor your soul through truly living.
Sheri
