Hey there and welcome to November. The season is almost upon us! It's time now to get ready for the holidays! I'm not talking about turkeys and gifts – I'm talking about getting ready to protect your quits during the urges you may experience – those triggered by memories of previous holidays and your behavior being around extended family and such.
For some of you it may mean traveling up the road or out of town. Either way you can expect to be caught off guard by an out of the blue urge or two! If this is your first holiday season without smoking make a plan now. Let's say you and one of your relatives don't agree about something and things escalate a bit. Last year your probably went outside to smoke. Not this year! You don't do that anymore!
Make a plan! What if you're going over the river through the woods to grandmother's house...? Someone suddenly cuts in front of you almost causing a horrible accident. Due to your amazing skills you avoid the accident and no one is hurt. Last year, what did you do? Roll down the window so you could light up – even tho others are in the car with you. Not this year! You should always remember the mantra N.O.P.E. (NOT ONE PUFF EVER!) and don't even have any cigarettes anywhere around you!
Make a plan – how will you handle those urges? If need be make a holiday quit kit for yourself. Eating too much of the holiday food will only make you feel worse later. Try some ice cold water, or do stretching exercises (if need be do them in the bathroom), take a walk alone or with some other people.
If you are in the car, again with the ice cold water! Have some treats handy and chant NOPE! Ask for God's help, start singing and other ideas you come up with. You can do this. Do not give up on yourself. Impress yourself with your accomplishment and stick with it! Then you can come to blog here because surely you will have earned bragging rights!
Wishing you all the best this holiday season! 
My name is Maggie and I have been quit for 823 days today! I've also saved over $4,000 by not smoking, not to mention the improvements to my health.
