~~The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it.~~ Unknown
Not trying to be hard on anyone here. Most of us have thought we couldn't. Many of us have had to start from scratch on more than one occasion. A few of us.....myself included....have even felt like we were the only ones in the world who COULDN'T quit. It was beyond our capabilities.
But the reality is that of course you can quit smoking! It takes no special skill set. No unique talents. Not even much physical effort.
It just takes a willingness to not smoke no matter what. Smoking is off the table regardless of what your life looks like or what you are going through. Just a willingness. How simple is that?
Now simple doesn't mean easy. Getting out of our comfort zone is uncomfortable. Dealing with stress without a crutch is uncomfortable. Going through our day without that habit we have nurtured for so long is uncomfortable. And not many of us like to be that uncomfortable. But please remember feeling uncomfortable is not the same thing as being in physical pain....or being unable to function. Do not build in your mind the thoughts that being without cigarettes will kill you. Because that is addiction talking as the truth is that smoking is what will kill you.
I read about a woman who had lost 90 pounds and was extremely proud of her achievement. One man commented, "You are doing good things for you, but let's face it...losing weight isn't difficult. Eat healthy, cut out the junk, and become physically active will get you there. It's not rocket science." Well, I thought that was a bit harsh but as I thought about (while smoking on my back porch) it dawned on me that he has a point. It isn't hard in that only certain people can achieve it. The hard part comes in changing our habits, not falling back into old patterns of behavior, and overcoming the blocks in our minds of why we can't have what we want.
I wanted to quit. It wasn't rocket science. To reach my goal, I just couldn't smoke anymore. And so I didn't. It's been over five years now and not one regret in quitting!
Again, I am not dismissing the fact that you may find quitting a struggle. Difficult. Stressful. But can you do it? Of course you can!! Let go of those thoughts that you can't. Let go of those ideas that it's too hard. Feel the fear and do it anyway because when you do, the fear has no place to go and it dies.
Reach that goal of being an ex! It just takes a willingness to do it and an open mind to keep it. The utter freedom you find is worth it, I promise.
