It takes:
- Strength: to make a hard decision, even though supported by the experience, studies, common sense, you go against a strong, iron strong enemy: NICOTINE
- Commitment: you stay quit amongst family, friends, acquaintances who are still smoking, and it is not easy to stay tall against all temptations
- Sacrifice: at the beginning you are staying home on weekends, staying away from triggers, even if they represent fun; you are not taking long trips for a while, in order to make sure you can use some of your tools you have at home to protect your quit (walking crazy form a room to another, doing deep breathing exercises, doing activities to keep your hands occupied, meditating)
- Flexibility: learn life without cigarettes, how to respond to the same situations without involving the old crutch
- Adaptability: re-think friends, activities, family gatherings, in order to minimize exposure to re-lapse risks, while enjoying new interactions
- Humility: keep our own unhappiness under control when facing family, health, life’s challenges when we know what our friends’ challenges are, bow our heads filled with negative thoughts, and extend our most positive support to those in bigger needs than ours
- Self-control: not only teach ourselves to not react to temptations around us, but also to limit our negative ranting in time of constant fight with craves
- Constant positive attitude: talk ourselves into being happy against the feeling of loss, seeing the bright side of getting healthy, and being free, despite being borderline depressed
- Learn to love ourselves, while still hating us for waiting so long to do what is right for our health
And we all have it what it takes, we all made it here, somehow what we might miss naturally, we learn it from each other. The support system this group represents has given us everything we need to become this strong person against the adversity of Nicotine.
And for that I am profoundly thankful for all my EX friends!
