So, having our grandson for the night staved off cravings until just about now (3:49 pm Sunday afternoon). Now am craving sugar which I'm still allowing myself to do but that has to end. Little sour gummies are helping get through this crave. It's funny - I don't actually WANT to smoke. The craving feels akin to a small "cramp" in my brain telling me nicotine will make the uncomfortable feeling abate. But I know my brain is lying to me.
Meditated, fixed cable tv errors, maybe will paint, read, walked the dog in the freezing cold; thinking about what else I could do instead of smoke...turns out most anything is better than the whole routine of hiding/smoking/washing/hiding the evidence etc., etc. You know what I'm talking about.
Slow, deep breathing, going slower and deeper with each breath ALWAYS is available and works. Or - how about using some of your savings to buy a crossword book, jigsaw puzzle, or adult coloring book and markers? Or maybe do a set of stairs, or a few minutes of marching in place, or finding a funny YouTube video (Bob Newhart and Harvey Korman are two of my favorites!) or a computer game. ALL of the activities don't have to be active - although burning calories in the early days is never a bad idea. Have you tried frozen grapes? They re yummy!
This staying busy gets easier to do as your quit grows - and you will have to spend less effort on it as the days go by.
For now, though, busy is required!
8 days is HUGE!