All of my physical cravebusters are in place. (Lozenges, healthy snacks, water, distractions, etc.)
Today is all about my mental and logical cravebusters.
Here are the 3 that have seemingly tapped into the very soul of who I am:
1. JUNKIE THINKING: By far, the most powerful self-talk tool I have encountered thus far. I have printed out copies for my home and office, and have digital versions on my devices. (My heartfelt thanks to Cheryl, who passed this golden gift along to me, as it was passed to her and many others. She was sweet enough to post a link to this in the first comment. Check it out for yourself...)
2. H.A.L.T. (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired): When a crave hits, I'll pause to reflect on these most common emotional causes of a smoking urge. I'll HALT in my tracks and think...it...through.
* And I hungry? (If so, eat a healthy snack and drink some cold water.)
* Am I angry? (Then take a deep breath, drink some cold water, cool it down, address the problem, work through it, resolve it, and walk away...without smoking.)
* Am I lonely or bored? (Then walk away from the activity that is obviously not engaging or interesting and switch gears to a different activity.)
* Am I tired? (If so, acknowledge it, see through it, and either accept it for what it is or stop to rest or nap or go on to bed, if possible.)
3. THREE MINUTES: The crave for nicotine only lasts 3 minutes. It will go away, whether I smoke or not. So, I will pull out one of the many tools in my quitting toolbox (it's ready to go!) and distract myself for 3 minutes. The crave will pass, I will have switched mental gears, my quit will have been saved, and I'll be left with my pride and a victorious smile!
These are the 3 cravebusters that I have chosen as the cornerstones of the first several days of my quit.
Trust me, I am smart enough to know that there are many other effective cravebusters out there, and I am very open to embracing any new ones that speak to me along my journey. I'll gladly layer them into my toolbox in the coming days and weeks (and months and years!).
