I was very Excited when I started visiting the EX site. I was having success in my quest to stop smoking. The Elders would be encouraging but they would always add "guard your quit, protect your quit, don’t be too confident". I just didn’t quite get it. There was a period early on that quite a few EXer’s were “relapsing”. It was very frightening and I didn’t quite “get it”. Now, I am here 454 days smoke-free and I get it! Being and staying smoke-free is an ongoing process. It's okay to be confident in your quit BUT there are times you have to rely on your skills and work your quit so that you don’t smoke. You have to remember that it is a choice. Today I choose not to smoke. NOPE
I know there are demons in this world and that the nicotine demon once had a grip on me. Lately, that little demon has poked his head out to remind me what I use to do. I once believed that nicotine could solve my problems. It was automatic, I smoked a cigarette whenever I got upset. I had to relearn that thinking and not smoke. I am still learning. I am at a point that the demon can put his head back down in the dirt because I am stronger than any desire to put a cigarette to my lips. I will never surrender my quit I have educated myself and have a support team. I will never allow the addict in me to ever be in control again. Today I bind it up, cast it out, and keep it moving because I am a nonsmoker.
I am blogging to acknowledge you can be 1 yr. or even 6 yrs. and that demon may still try to poke his head out at any given opportunity. So as the Elders would always tell me…. guard your quit, protect it, have a plan and work it!
Thank you Elders.
