There was a time when I thought that I could quit smoking. But that went away very quickly. And then there was the other time and the other time. I always thought of quitting for many years, usually as I was lighting up another cigarette.
And then one day as I was coughing my lungs out for a few hours in the morning, (something that by this time was happening every morning) I thought of quitting. But I let that thought go and lit up another smoke. And then the next day, I thought about quitting. Of course I didn’t but I started to wonder why I didn’t take the thought seriously.
I went through this cycle for weeks and weeks once the coughing started. I knew the cough was a sign of some kind of impending doom, and yet I just couldn’t take the thought of quitting seriously until one morning for some reason, I had a eureka moment!
I realized that these endless meaningless thoughts could be a reality if I let it be. But I also knew that this would be really hard. I knew that change was never easy. During my preparation, I discovered just how entwined my life was with smoking. My addiction was involved with everything!
I saw this as the tentacles of addiction and realized that these would have to be removed from every part of my brain before I could be free. I knew I was in for a fight before I ever put out that last cigarette. But by the end of my preparation, I knew that this fight was one I intended to win!
And I must say that now, a little over six years later, I’m really glad I made that choice so long ago. Before I quit, it seemed like an impossible task to complete. But once we learn to carefully place one foot in front of the other and never think of anything but moving forward, we begin to slowly become free.
The sticking point for most I think, is that it doesn’t feel like freedom at first, simply because freedom never comes easy and as such, it’s something not realized for a while after the quit. All of the benefits are realized down the road and most of us always seek instant gratification.
For me, the key is always looking ahead to that wonderful day of freedom. To always believe that it’s there, beckoning to us even though we can’t see it at first.
So when you choose to quit, never believe that it’ll be easy. But also always remember that it’s not impossible to win. For me, the example of this lives in my past. I wouldn’t be living this wonderful future that I’m in right now were it not for the decision I made long ago.
Never believe that the journey isn’t worth it. Never think that the freedom we speak of constantly isn’t real because it is! There’s nothing but sunshine ahead if you can just make it past the hard part to find it.
I hope to hear of your success on the path to freedom. And I can’t wait for you to get started, because the sooner you do, the sooner you’ll be where I and so many others are right now. You’ll be on your way to a wonderful future! It has to start somewhere. Perhaps now is the time for a new beginning . . .
ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!
Chuck
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