~~Next time you're stressed, take a step back, inhale, and laugh. Remember who you are and why you're here. You're never given anything in this world that you can't handle. Be strong, be flexible, love yourself, and love others. Always remember, just keep moving forward.~~ Unknown
Stress is no reason to smoke, we all know that. But sometimes when you get caught up in feeling stress, it's difficult to find your way out. Take a step back. Slow down. Breathe. And most importantly, do not do anything in a moment of stress!! Just stop. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. And do nothing.
Then blow it all out with a laugh. Or a sigh. Or a scream. Whatever you think will work for you. But do nothing.
Now the excuses may come. "But I'm at work and I can't stop", "But I need to make a decision", "But he's waiting for an answer".
I say that taking three or four minutes to step back, breathe, and regroup is not going to annoy anyone. Most people won't even notice! You deserve a few moments to gather your thoughts. You deserve a few minutes to breathe. You deserve a little time to remember that you can handle anything.
It's only when we react to stress that relapse can happen. Smoking is an action. Thinking about smoking won't hurt you and can just be a fleeting thought dismissed by "I don't do that anymore". But once you smoke, it's back to day 1. Please don't risk relapse. When stressed, step back and don't act.
Sheri
