For those of you who are among the new Members of our Community or renewing your efforts to make 2018 your Year of FREEDOM here's another way of looking at your Quit!
Even the word speaks of what not to do! When we begin our Quit Journey we don't want craves. We don't want Addictive Thoughts. We don't want temptation. We don't want withdrawal symptoms. the list goes on and on...
But humans deal quite poorly with this frame of mind.
What do you want? Make a list of what you want and expect from your Quit Journey. That is an action.
I wanted first and foremost better health, improved breathing, I also wanted more money, addiction freedom, making my own decisions, living my values, honoring my family, my God. We all have our own list - just get started - the list will come and in a short while quite easily!
Make a plan of how you will handle the triggers you are aware of.
I changed the people, places and things I associated with my Addiction. I practiced saying, "I need to leave" for times I would be confronted with triggers. I sought out and opened up to people who supported me in my Quit Journey. I made a list of things to do that would keep me distracted during the 3-5 minutes that a craving lasts. I had 2 strategies: don't look for trouble and when it comes to find me have a way out.
Fill your mind with Quititude.
Yes, you will have all kinds of smoky thoughts. so there are two things I did. I purposely filled my mind with Quititude and I practiced letting the Addictive Thoughts pass in through and out of my Brain without attention. My attention was on Quititude instead.Meditation helped me here.
Create Ceremony. and Ritual.
I had an ending addiction/beginning abundance ceremony that fit my belief system. There is a lot to be said for ceremony - it's awfully hard to crumble when your promises are sealed with ceremony! Riding the Freedom Train and making your Daily Pledge are ceremony. Posting every single day is ceremony. It has meaning that will lead you to your goal.
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/community/celebrations-events?sr=search&searchId=220d33d5-22b0-4d...
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/daily-pledge?sr=search&searchId=b034a786-aa7d-4798-8380-18...
Change your Lifestyle.
Contrary to common opinion, changing lifestyle across the board is more doable than just one thing. From exercise to nutrition, from time spent with Family to how we spend our work breaks - I let it all contribute to my Quit Plan so that it wasn't +++ into an unachievable perfection but an enhancement of my #1 Goal: Abundant Smoke Free Living!
Take Action - not avoid the action of smoking - that's a white knuckle Quit and unsustainable!
Take Action - not reaction to an overwhelming compulsion to smoke but a proactive approach to LIFE!
Let 2018 be your YEAR of FREEDOM!
