Quitting smoking is a lifestyle change, and whenever a lifestyle change happens, the Introvert (Urban Dictionary: Introvert) must take time to process and adjust to it. The bigger the change, or the greater the number of changes, the more time it's going to take. That's just a fact of life we have to accept.
But patience is hard.
Sometimes I think I "should" be more active, or more social, or more...something.
I feel like I'm slacking at life if I hibernate for awhile, doing my daily chores and going out for walks, but little else. I look back at when my husband passed away (four years ago!) and I remember I had to work very hard to be easy on myself. I had to give myself permission to stay home, to take care of myself, to eat well, to watch movies, to reject invitations, to turn off the phone.
I had to do the exact same thing when I quit smoking last Christmas.
I just happened to be in Boston at the time, visiting the kids, when I stopped all nicotine intake. I was very low-key, very quiet, just observing without much participation. I kept that attitude when I went home. Since it was winter, I spent every day crocheting blankets and watching movies.
It was glorious. I reveled in the quiet healing. I learned more about myself than ever before. And now I'm doing it again.
It's the Introvert's way to turn inward for energy and healing, and I'm doing that now in my lovely little apartment. I still haven't sold my house, and that will be another big change to deal with, but I have learned that it is absolutely okay to be a hermit for awhile when necessary. I've been asked a few times if I've gone out or taken advantage of my new social environment in any way.
No. Not yet. But I will when I'm ready, and then it will be a little at a time. Long story short - moral of the story - point of all this?
It is okay that things take TIME.
Be patient with yourself.
And BREATHE.
