I wrote this blog back on June 25, 2016, I'm tired and it still resonates today. I am so overwhelmed with all the work I have to get out. The dogs are not cooperating. My brother-in-law suddenly died of a heart attack last week. I'm not sleeping well. Everything and anything is getting on my nerves. This is another month of birthdays of passed loved ones, business slow-down, cold, less light.
This is when my stinkin' thinkin' comes a knockin'. This is when the psychological urges hit. I'm not calling it a craving or a physical urge to smoke. All the physical symptoms have long passed. This is my example to all of you newly quit that memories play a very important part of our quits and having a lasting quit. How important it is for you to realize and acknowledge your own times of weakness or periods in your life that you are more apt to smoke. These are the major events in my life when I know I have to be more astute, more aware.
This is another reason why I harp and harp on switching things up. Creating new routines, new ways of doing things. Sometimes if we do things over and over the same way we've always done and we've always smoked while doing it, doesn't it seem reasonable that when you are going through the motions of life the exact same way you're not going to think about smoking? Well, of course you are. It's an association you've made with the task you are performing. Yes, there are things in your life that you reasonably can't change, your job, tax time, things that I call adulting. But we didn't smoke 24/7. We can switch up the times associated only with smoking.
For instance, if you smoked the most during your breaks, go for a walk instead, read a chapter in a book, play a game, do a crossword, just simply do something else but do the same thing over and over for each task that you're replacing smoking for. In a few weeks' time, you'll find that you'll be automatically doing it and not even thinking about smoking. It's all about changing up routines. You don't have to be tired of it all as I once was back in July of 2016. Visit https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/community/celebrations-events?sr=search&searchId=9e4de773-30a9-4b... and post on the Daily Pledge page every morning and visit the Freedom Train every evening. Make that part of your routine every day. Make yourself accountable for your own quit. Travel the road of newly found freedom. Believe me, you won't be sorry you did.
Yes. I'm getting
