Hard hard hard!!! Help!!

[brittneyd.rice]

Yesterday my husband and I discovered that we have a severe leak under our house and it has completely flooded our crawl space. We dont do well completing projects together anyway, add on top we both quit smoking 2 weeks ago and the last 24 hours have been hard!!!! We had to contact our insurance company because it looks like the damage is pretty severe and so we were put in a hotel last night. My 2 teenage girls are in the middle of finals week at school, my kindergartener is sick, we have 3 dogs and a cat, My husband is out of town at the doctors today so I am dealing with contractors by myself (which I dont handle well) I am super stressed!!  It took everything I had to not smoke yesterday. Today I keep rationalizing with myself that I can go ahead and smoke and quit next week once things calm down again.  The ONLY thing stopping me is I don't want to be bitched at by my family. I cant tell you how bad I want to go to the store and buy some!! I am delaying it by minutes at a time so I can just keep going.  Why cant I feel better about my quit and be proud I can make it through stuff like this?? Why can't I NOT want to smoke! I know it wont 'help' me through this i really just dont want to feel so stressed about quitting AND stressed about all this other stuff. I need advice!

[sweetplt]

Stop, Slow down and breath brittneyd.rice ... we all smoked through everything...and now we have to learn to deal Life on her terms.  Truthfully, smoking will make you feel worse...and add to the list of things that are stressing you...get mad and tell Nico you don’t need him to get through any of these things.  Believe in YOU....the water is there, the contractors will do their job and it will be a momentary burp in life...if you smoke now, you will have another burp ... somewhere you have to learn to deal.  After 2 weeks quit, you now see this journey is so much more than quitting smoking....You Got This...You want this or you wouldn’t have come here for help...I am so proud that you came for help....sending out a prayer right now to you ... ~ Colleen 416 DOF 

[YoungAtHeart]

First of all - STOP having this argument with yourself.  You KNOW "just one" is never that - so it's no longer in the equation!  You have quit smoking and made the decision not to smoke another one NO MATTER WHAT.  This sure sounds like

WHAT!

Now - get get your mind out of THAT gutter.  Repeat after me, "I DON'T do that anymore!" 

Everything you have listed is an EXCUSE to smoke - not a reason!

NOW - find something to calm down and get your mind occupied.  You blogged!  Good for you - that tells me you don't REALLY want to smoke.  March in place, call a friend, count the number of muddy foot prints in your driveway, or the number of shovels being used or..............just don't argue with yourself about smoking (and it won't taste as good or calm you down like it used to...it would taste like burnt butts and cause you to almost hork up a lung!)

Stay committed.  You will be so glad you did.

Blog again if you need to....somebody will be here!

[Christine13]

You can make it through this.  You have 2 precious weeks quit.  Please don't smoke.  Look for a distraction such as a computer game.  I'm sorry you are so stressed, but it will make you feel worse than better.  I pray you stay quit.

Think of your sick child, you really don't want to drag them out so you can get smokes.  Hang on........please!!

[sweetplt]

Laugh even at dumb jokes bahahahahah that helps 

[brittneyd.rice]

Thank you everyone. I'm staying on this site for a while and reading previous blogs. I am trying to remember ALL of my reasons for being quit and remembering how failure feels. Taking it minute by minute. I just want to turn off my thoughts about smoking because I dont want to smoke, my brain just wants to argue about it! Weird... I know! 

[YoungAtHeart]

Change your mind's direction!  Go on-lne and play a game, or do a yoga practice, or watch YouTube comical videos - I like Carol Burnett show/TimConway ones, or Bob Newhart or Robin Williams.  This is gonna' take EFFORT on your part while you are super stressed, but you will be SO happy you persevered.  AND - the next stressful time(s) will be so much easier with which to deal.

Hang in there!  This WILL pass.  Smoking is not required!

[MarilynH]

You are doing this quit and you're doing it one precious Smokefree Day at a time or hour minute or even a second at a time deep breaths and know that we're all here to help you in any way we can, you can and will get through these horrid rough patches and come out the other side living a life of Freedom it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination BUT boy oh boy it's so worth it, I'm sending positive vibes your way sweetie.....

[Barbscloud]

You're doing great with such a challenge.  You did the right thing by coming here.  I know it's helped me many times early in my quit.  You'll look back at this and know you have the confidence not to smoke when you face life's challenges in  in the future..  Each time we succeed we've learned a new behavior without smoking.  Stay close.   

Barb

[indingrl]

YOU will be ok - YOUR doing FANTASTIC and please give YOUSELF -  some ENCOURAGEMENT AT YOUR - VICTORY at being an overcomer and a doer at handling all of YOUR day with solutions to each area YOU have stayed a NON SMOKER and BELIEVE ME the kids are watching and very PROUD of YOU SETTING the good  example of dealing with one issue at a time and dealing with ALL YOUR EMOTIONS by handling one thing at a time in VICTORY  - CONGRATS on UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING YOU and standing in N.O.PE. - NOT ONE PUFF EVER and  - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF EVER and Smokin is not an option - SINAO  - GOOD JOB - WAY TO GO

[sweetplt]

I came to check on you hon...I thought of something else...when I would have those awful craves and days...usually the next day was so much better...hopefully, tonight you can relax some and get a good night’s sleep...You are doing super....~ Colleen 

[maryfreecig]

You got a few curve balls, you're handling them without smoking. You win. This is what smobriety is all about--taking it one day at a time--learning how to solve problems, not just live in them. Keep the smober days adding up and thanks for sharing your experience. 

[brittneyd.rice]

Im still smoke free.... Still clenching my jaw but not smoking!! 

[brittneyd.rice]

By the way, thanks to everyone who has commented and checked in!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Barbara145]

It takes some time to learn how to cope with life without cigarettes. You are doing it.  Hang in there.  It will get way, way better each obstacle you overcome.  One day in the future when a problem arises, it will be the last thing on your mind.  Take good care of yourself.  Congratulations to you and your husband for quitting smoking.  

[shashort]

Hello!  Glad to here you are still hanging in there and still smoke free.  Sorry your still clenching your jaws.  Have you tried relaxing exercises to help take down the tension.  Slow deep breaths through your nose and slowly out of your mouth.  Close your eyes and just focus on your breathing.   I know for me my go to was take a hot relaxing bath, I used candles for lighting and put on some soothing music and the breathing exercises to let go of everything.  In the beginning, it takes a lot of strong will and determination to say NOPE! (not one puff ever) NO Matter What is going on.  When your brain starts telling you need to smoke tell it NOPE you don't do that anymore.  The more you tell yourself that the more your brain will start believing it. Also when that thought approaches you need to find something to do to help get your focus off smoking.  We k now it's not easy but it is doable. You can do this! In fat, your are as you have 2 weeks smoke free under your belt.  Pat yourself on the back and say see I can do this.  Each day smoke free you get closer and closer to that freedom you are seeking.  The key is don't dwell on the smoking thought, jump up and down, run around the house, clean out a drawer, what ever it takes not to smoke.  Truly, smoking is not required and will not do anything to help out your situation. I know it is hard to see that at the moment but you will. You got this!! Don't give up.  Keep reading and blogging, you did good.

[YoungAtHeart]

It's good that you made it through yesterday.  It's not so good that you were clenching your jaw to do so, though.  You will wear yourself out before too long if you try to use willpower to quit.  Get your mind on something else!  March in place, take slow/deep breaths, count the red/green/blue things in the room, get busy!

Hope today is better!

Nancy

[Barbscloud]

Happy to hear you have another day smoke free.  How is everything going?  Sounds pretty chaotic!

Barb

[DonnaMarie]

The only advice I have to offer is to remind you that smoking won't fix what's going on   That thought got me through a lot of tough times, still does. 

Donna

Day 403

[sweetplt]

How is today going for you brittneyd.rice ? Happy Friday and hoping it is better and a little less stressful then yesterday...Colleen 417 DOF