Being Afraid

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I’ve heard this excuse a lot for smoking again. Being afraid of feeling your emotions to get through something & choosing to smoke to stop them from “bleeding” you. Who of us hasn’t felt fear or anxiety or fill in the blank? Yet we long termers chose NOT to smoke again.

What is going to happen to you if you feel those emotions that you’ve hid behind your smoking screen for many many years in most cases? You’d finally have the opportunity to process them and let them go or put them in their proper places which is a good thing. An absolutely positive benefit of not smoking.

If you smoke again you may ward them off once again but if you really want to Be Quit you will have to deal with them eventually. Personal growth is a required prelude to the Freedom you will eventually feel. It’s worth every bit of the struggle or overdue processing of your emotions that you need to do to get to the point of gratefulness & peace in your smobriety and, more importantly, in your LIFE.

If you are sick and tired of the same ‘ole same ‘ole smoking life only you can do something about it. Nobody else can do it for you. Other people (& NRT’s, etc.) can help but in the end its totally up to you to get & keep your quit. The good news is it’s one of those things you have total control over.

You are not unique in this process. You are not the only one that has had to go through it to come out the other side. We not only survived it but gained so much of ourselves in the very doing of it. The process itself is empowering. Don’t be afraid of it. Relish it.

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About the Author

My quit is over for me. I no longer have to decide to stay smoke free, or reconsider it each & every day (or month or year). The choice to not smoke was made by me a long time ago, it’s been kept by me for a while, and being smoke free is now my normal way of living. Yes, I took smoking again off the table for me as an option from Day One/Won. Yes, I acknowledge that I will always be physically addicted to nicotine. Yes, I know I can’t have “even” just one or I will put myself at risk of a return to full-fledged smoking again. So what?! I chose to quit smoking. So I did it. I’m quit. The only requirement in order to Stay Quit is that I don’t smoke. As long as I don’t smoke my addiction to nicotine lies dormant. I don’t crave one and if I get a smoking “memory” it passes easily enough for me now (time & patience!) and life goes on smoke free. Smoking is never a solution to anything. It never has been & never will be for anyone. Smoking just adds a new problem to everything else. There will come a time in your smoke free life when you’ll need to just stop quitting & let everything having to do with the old smoking you go. I’ve arrived. I am at peace and so very grateful for my smoke free life. When you get there yourself you will be able to take the training wheels off & just get on with the living of the rest of your life. This is when your “End Journey” becomes the "New Journey" you get to actually design & live out smoke free for yourself. It's doable for everyone regardless of their circumstances or obstacles. It truly is and it's worth every bit of angst it takes to "arrive". Believe in yourself so you can achieve it too. Change what smoking means to you (educate yourself about nicotine addiction!) and then just begin. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Just Begin … "Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative or creation there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would otherwise never have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of incidents and meetings and material assistance which no one would have believed would have come one's way. Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it." W.H. Murray The Scottish Himalaya Expedition * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Helpful Resources: http://www.whyquit.com (Educate yourself on your nicotine addiction!) http://www.quitsmokingonline.com/course (Helpful for mindset. Free!) https://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/post-acute-withdrawal.htm (It IS an addiction not just a bad habit.) "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" -- Allen Carr (Works for some; find & do whatever it takes for YOU!) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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