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Tomorrow I will have been quit 3 months, and to celebrate I thought I would write down the three things that helped me the most in my quit. Turns out there are way more than three, I can’t rank them, and I would need to write a book to list them all. So for now, I’ve listed some things that worked for me. I have a couple disclaimers before I start:
1. Acknowledge a craving as soon as you notice it. The longer I let one mess around inside my head without giving it a nod, the more powerful it was when I did.
2. Distraction was my best friend.
I frequently re-read the “list of things to do instead of smoking,” and other suggestions from people with solid quits.
Sometimes a physical activity was my best distraction, sometimes something more meditative. Have a “menu.”
The act of inventing a distraction can be the distraction. “Triple_a” (Acknowledge it, animate it, annihilate it) was a distraction I made up when this big hairy gorilla of an urge wouldn’t go away. I felt like I had invented the cure for cancer . . . wait, I did!
3. Give thanks to those who give you support. Chances are you’re a really unpleasant, insecure, prickly person right now. Even if you’re not, thank them anyway. They are helping you save your life.
4. Don't wait to seek support until you are about to give in to an urge. Develop rituals that give you frequent doses of support.
One that saved me was so stupid, I snickered when I first read it. And then I was caught off guard by a group of people smoking, and the aroma of burning cancer-sticks was like a siren calling. I couldn’t think of a way to save myself, but that stupid idea stepped right up and walked my butt down the sidewalk. Never can tell.
5. This is about you quitting smoking. it’s not a competition.
6. Quit smoking supports are not your lovers. They are not jealous of each other. Use as many as you need. If you need more, ask.
7. You are not the first person to feel like you this. Quitting is very hard and very personal. Much like a baby taking its first breath -- it's scary as hell, but lots of people have done it before.
8. “Wanting the cravings to go away is not the same thing as wanting a cigarette.” This from ckoalaco, on this site. Biggie for me.
9. No matter how old you were when you had your first cigarette, you were a non-smoker until that moment. Don’t think about becoming a non-smoker, reclaim the freedom you once had.
10. The one foolproof way to stay quit is to not smoke.
11. Gimmicks are “ingenious gadgets that work in a concealed way. “ Learn to love ‘em. Think up as many new ones as you can. Like:
My friend Susan B used to keep her cigarettes wrapped in newspaper, secured with rubber bands and sealed in a sandwich bag. It took her 3 minutes to get one out. When I laughed, she said that her gimmick made her think about whether she really wanted a cigarette or not. She said, “Quit as often as you can, for as long as you can.” I thought, “when I quit I’m just going to do it, no gimmicks.” Susan quit smoking decades ahead of me.
12. Pledge your resolve. In this case, saying it does make it so. A pledge is a serious commitment. If you don’t mean it, don’t say it.
13. Concentrate on the bit of time you have committed to. No thinking about a failed quit 15 years ago, or what you will be able to pledge tomorrow. See number 10.
14. Review your list of reasons for quitting every day. Know your milestones and count them down. Don’t have a list? The wall is to your left . . .
15. Talk about your quit to someone who supports you. It helped me to talk to someone who had quit themselves.
16. Read or listen to all the information and advise you can find about quitting.
17. Animate a craving -- visualize it as something else. Any image will do – you steal it’s power by calling it a different name. Nicotine addiction is big and scary. But a one-eyed purple chicken? Maybe not so much.
A bit of humor has been the best tool of all. Happy quit!
Hey DLHaffner, love your humor. Looking forward to your 3-month blog.
Hi Lenora strokeinthefam! Yeah for smoke freedom! Thanks for being an EX!
Look at you go! Rounding the corner on Triple Digits! That's something to sing about!
I just came across this blog today. This is great. It's amazing the things you find just randomly scanning this site. I always get lots of insight and motivation on my journey to be free from smoking.
Thanks
47 DOF
This is amazing!! I needed this today. Thanks