Good morning, fellow Ex'ers. Just my Saturday blog to check out a few sites on here for you newbies and for us oldies but goodies on here. Sometimes a little reminder doesn't hurt. I think of the journey of quitting as going through the five stages of grief. It's the process one goes through when they go through a divorce, lose a loved one, throw out the last pack of cigarettes. The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. These are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one or thing we lost. They are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling.
Now, let's take this apart and look at it with quitting. Denial, I don't have a problem. Oh, I can quit any time I want to. It's just a habit. I'm not addicted. Anger, why is this so hard? Why is everyone upsetting me? Why is this taking so long? When is this ever going to stop? Bargaining, oh, just one is not going to hurt. I have this test this week, I can't quit right now. I'm under too much stress right at this moment to quit. Depression, no one understands what I'm going through. Why can't everyone just leave me alone. No one loves me anymore otherwise they wouldn't be treating me like this. Acceptance, this will be with me for the rest of my life. I know I can overcome this. I know what to do when it rears its ugly head. I am addicted to nicotine.
This has been posted on here multiple times. Use the search bar and just put in grief and results will pop up with various articles all with the same thought in mind. Here are just a few: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Storm_3.1.14-blog/2015/04/14/the-grief-cycle-youre-not-goin..., https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/SarahP-blog/2016/06/08/no-mans-land-weekly-blog-good-grief. Use that search bar for things that you have questions about or things you are feeling. There's a pretty good chance, I'd say 99.99 percent, that someone at some time had the exact same feelings as you. May not be at the exact time in their quit as yours, but we all go through it at one time or another. It's just simply part of the process.
Give yourself a break once in a while. Be gentle with yourself. We all know life is full of stress, frustration, but you know what, that's just the way it is. It's important to learn how to react differently to the actions that we did for so many years, light up and puff our problems away. It's also important to look on the positive side instead of the negative. Check out Positive Affirmations for Success: You can take what you want and leave the rest. And you can always find and contribute your own. When you click the Group Button just to the right of the Blog button and when that window comes up look for the featured group button we are the first group listed Also we are on the Home Page under Featured Groups or just click this link https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/positive-affirmations-and-support
But don't miss the daily interactive discussion called Love Yourself. Whether you're dropping in to say hello, offer love and support to your friends or need a place where you will truly feel listened to, we are there - every single day! Take a look and feel free to join us! ALL are welcome!
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/thread/3533-love-yourself
Sometimes we just need a laugh to get our minds back on track. Be sure to visit https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/laughter-is-the-best-medicine to bring a smile to your face daily or just a pleasant distraction. Sometimes that little hit of dopamine from laughter is the trick.
At times it helps to reaffirm our quit by pledging with others to not smoke for that day. Be sure to join others by going to: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/daily-pledge/ to virtually hold hands with other members and pledge not to smoke for that day. That day adds up to 30 days, 60 days, for the rest of your life.
We'd love to have you join us!
