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(Note: this piece was first published in a blog by @aztec back in 2012 called Craving - EX Community The original author april_ac was from another site. Thank you Aztec for bringing it here!)
We interupt todays broadcast..for a test! (TRY THIS!)
Ok...especially you newbies...I want you to REALLY try this.
Don't give me that "AWWW Man!!" It's not a hard test!! More of an "exercise"!
I want you to stop what you are doing right now....and look around the room. Look at everything. Take your time. (Don't read any further until you do that.)
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Now...I want you to look around the room AGAIN...and this time find all of the things that are RED. FOCUS on the things that are RED. REALLY look at them! (Don't read any further until you do that.)
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This time....look around and find all of the things that are BLUE. Again...FOCUS on only the stuff that is Blue. REALLY look at them! (Don't read any further until you do that.)
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Now....look around the room ONE more time. (Don't read any further until you do that.)
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Did the things that were Red and BLUE stand out to you the most?? Probably! Know why? Because THAT is what you were FOCUSING on!
Do ya see where I'm going with this??
WHATEVER you focus on the MOST....is what will be stronger...stand out more....become MORE dominate. JUST LIKE CRAVINGS!! If you FOCUS for too long on the craving...it GETS STRONGER.
So...SHIFT your focus AWAY from the craving!
What do you mean you can't do that....that it's too hard??? You just DID IT in that little mental exercise a minute ago!!! How much were you focusing on smoking while you were looking around the room...focusing on the Red and Blue stuff?? Probably not much...if at ALL!
It DOES work.
While I don't crave cigarettes anymore...I do have other areas of my life where I use that exercise. Sometimes it's needed to RE-focus on the GOOD things I have...when I'm feeling down. It gets my mind AWAY from the "pity party" state.
Make this work for you. It's your quit....It's your life.
And it's worth fighting for!
Thanks for playing along!! You may now go back to your regularly scheduled programs!
Nice to see you Turbo. Kudos on the 2!!!! You give all hope here.
It's nice to reconnect with this community. I didn't realize how much I missed it and the support given here. Peace and love to all!
Michele
Stick around. It's uplifting here! Love back.
Thank you
Thank you for this! I love it!. .
All of this is very helpful. Thank you for sharing it.
So gad it speaks to you! Whatever works cling to!
Great exercise
I love that suggestion. I'm going to incorporate it in my quit plan.
If it works, use it. When it stops working, find something else that does!