After reading a few blogs today I thought I would offer some advice based on my experience and by no means is this the only way to go, one must do what is best for them.....my take.
~ First accept that there are myths out there about quitting smoking. These myths range from it's the hardest thing you'll ever do, You won't be able to have fun anymore, you won't be able to handle stress anymore, What will I do on break, I need help what is the easy button stuff (NRT's).
~ Why are these myths? Although scary in picking your quit date that truly is the only hard thing to do with quitting. If I believe the theory that one can't have fun anymore then how come people who have never smoked have fun? How come people who have never smoked before can work through stress, take a break from work? Surely if I believed I could only do these things by smoking,,,then these other non smoker folks can't do any of that. ....
....this is the addict talking inside of you. The addict needs to feed, he needs that nicotine hit,,,he will tell you anything to believe any number of myths. Why....so you don't abandom him and quit smoking....that's the truth, and he knows it..... he confuses you with "smokey thoughts'
~ How do you combat the myths? Educate yourself, learn about nicotine addiction (here, why quit dot com, james book Allen Car), with this education you realize ...GET THIS.....you realize that you are an addict! This is powerfu stuff that realization. When you realize this you then understand why you spent money on this, why you stood outside in the cold for a hit, why you would get the shakes without a fix. Now that you know you're an addict...simply accept it.. Accept that you're an addict and no you're not alone...we all are....
~ Once you know you're an addict you can combat the "smokey thoughts" with "clear thoughts" ...this is your non addict thoughts...so if that addict says..."hey I can't have fun without a butt" say to yourself "well this person can and they don't smoke, therefore I'm entitled to fun as a non smoker" ~~~ Remember when an addict take a hit and smokes..all they are doing is feeding their addiction which gets them to a state of mind and well being that a Non smoker is already at... Again POWERFUL..... as and addict we think we put ourselves in better postions by smoking...when in reality we are only getting to the same spot a person who doesn't smoke is at.
....why do we think that? Well because before you light up you're going through withdrawals...you're bodies screaming for that nasty thing! You think..the addict...when I get that hit I'm at a better place, you're not , you're only where you should be. SSooooo
~ How do you get that screaming out of your body...in it's simplest form...quit cold turkey. Scary I know,,but I challenge you with this.... after 3 to 4 days that nicotine is out of your system. At least with nicotine its one of the easiest drugs to physically withdraw from....just imagine...quit cold, phsyical crap is out of your system in 3 days...HOW COOL is that!! Gone! caput!! Now.....
~ Now all you have to do is just retrain your brain that you dont' smoke anymore. Early on your fight that addict..remember "smokey" vs "clear" thinking....with each passing day though you're stronger,,the addict is dying and eventually you're just cruising along. AND
~ Embrace your smoke free life! Celebrate your successes! It really is just that.
It gets easier with each passing day (Promise) and you will feel so good about yourself (Promise) and some day you'll think back and go ...what I used to smoke? And when I quit what was I so worried about..and why didn't I do this sooner.......
NOPE & NEF at 213 days smoke free.....after a pack a day for 30 years....if I can do this..you can too!
