Hello, my fellow EXmates! Here's one last repost of a blog from my personal library. This concept was revolutionary for me, and it's one of the cornerstones that got me through No Man's Land. Before I ease on back into my cozy semi-retirement, I wanted to share this with anyone out there who is struggling with any thoughts of "just one cigarette"...
Dear Newcomer -
Maybe that nagging voice in your head is trying to sweet-talk you into having “just one” cigarette. And, in moments of hungry boredom or tired grumpiness, maybe you think that “just a few puffs” will be okay. To get you "over the hump". It’s ”just one“, after all. Just one little cigarette.
But, it’s not just one. And, it never was "only one", was it?
No, cigarettes travel in packs. There are 20 of them at a time. Yes, you might “only want one“, but you have to buy 20 to get that single smoke. That’s 19 more cigarettes in your hand. 19 other temptations on your mind. 19 extra mistakes that you are going to wonder if you’re willing to regret.
Many mantras guided me during my early quit, and one of the most truthful was this: “I do not want the other 19.”
One cigarette was never enough for me; it was always 20. Always. Every day. I had to stop tricking myself into thinking I could “beat the system". Stop believing I was exceptional enough to customize my addiction. Stop fantasizing I could “go social” and be perfectly fine with “just one” now and then.
Delusion!
One, then the other 19. Then 20 more, then 40, 60, 80, 800, 8000...then more! For me, there’s no limit to what "just one" could lead to. This is my truth, and I own it.
So, I choose ZERO. Because one would be too many, and one million wouldn’t be enough.
Zero today, zero tomorrow, zero for the rest of my life.
Zero is liberating! Zero means never having to deal with that 1 again. Or the other 19.
You can choose it, too! Every day, one day at a time.
Storm
1,500 Days of Freedom
Stacking up one zero after another!
