Another reading from Karen Casey's book, "If Only I Could Quit: Recovering From Nicotine Addiction"
DAY 72
"My process for stopping began with a decision to stop."
"Building a house, writing a book, or taking a course in taxation can be overwhelming if we limit our focus to the end result rather than doing what we need to do one day at a time to get it done. It's the same thing with becoming a comfortable nonsmoker.
"We had to first make the decision to stop smoking. How we will feel on a certain day may not be how we felt the day we quit; even now, in our third month, we still struggle. In time, the urges to smoke will leave altogether, and the memories associated with smoking will no longer be fond recollections.
"The early process is tedious, sometimes stirring both anger and depression because we don't want to be obsessed with cigarettes anymore, but we too often are. Being patient with ourselves and others when we're thinking about cigarettes rather than work or play takes extraordinary effort. It's well to remember that no thought forms in our minds without our willing participation. We're in charge. Just by deciding to do so, we can replace any thought with another thought far more to our benefit."
"My process is slow; just these 24 hours should concern me, and I can do anything for one day."
