Some of you have expressed concern (along with always welcome support) after my last blog, so I thought I would do a follow up.
In business, there is a common management philosophy: “If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” I apply this philosophy to my Quit. What triggers me? What tempts me? What controls the temptation? How do I react in slippery situations?
I have to measure my boundaries and triggers in order to manage my reaction to them. I cannot live in the “unknown”…. it is critical to my Quit to redefine my danger zones as safe. The faster I confront and control these areas, the faster I will heal.
I did that with what I thought would be the hardest test of all – and it was the big three: socializing, alcohol, and friends who were smoking. I was armed with coping techniques, and I was fully prepared to bolt from the building and not look back. I took baby steps, assessed my reaction, and pushed on. I was never tempted to smoke. I won that battle, and it takes me a step closer to winning the war and fully identifying as a non-smoker.
It worked for me, but it may not work for others. It increased my confidence, but it does not mean that I have on blinders. The number of cold turkey quitters who don’t make it past day 5 is staggering, and I have no plans of joining them. I intend to Quit one time, and to do that, I must control my Quit.
Quitting is hard. So far, it sucks. I am no expert at quitting, but I am an expert at ME. There is no one-size-fits-all way to Quit. The end result is what is important, not the path to the result. There are proven methods that work for some, but not for others (NRT, Cold Turkey, E-Cigarettes, Pharma, Acupuncture – should I go on?), and the same applies to coping strategies. I don’t know what will work for any of you more than you know what will work for me.
However, I do know that in order to have a successful Quit, you must be honest with yourself. Truly, truly honest. In doing so, you will know if you can push boundaries, or if you should hold off. You will know if you need to insulate yourself or if you are ready to branch out. Those on this site who have been successful understand that very well.
Today, I still control my Quit. I pray that continues and that I am one of the lucky ones that puts the cigarettes down one time and never looks back. I also pray that someone out there reads my blogs and experiences quitting like I have and appreciates my own struggles and strategies.
As long as I control my Quit, no situation will tempt me to the point that I slip.
That’s my advice, as a newbie who’s kicking smoking’s ass every day: Control your Quit.
xx
Susan
