FEAR----We have nothing to fear, except fear itself.--How true that old saying is.

[klaire-aka-mystic-silks]

Thought I'd pick up on Edith's fear topic because I have a story to share about go ole FEAR.

Many years ago, when I was in my late 20's, I thought I had the desire to quit. But back in the 60's and 70's it wasn't popular to quit. Heck, the Marborel (sp?) cowboy was still sitting high on billboards, : His handsome face smoking a cigarette. There were no quit smoking groups, or many medications out there to help you quit. In fact I recall a cardio MD, smoking a big black cigar while giving me a stress test. After the test, he told me to quit smoking; it wasn't good for my health.I turned around in shock, " Why you smoke!" I replied. He said, " Do as I say, not as I do."

So, I did try to quit on my own. At the time I had 4 kids all teenagers!!
I was under a great deal of stress. I had been off the cigs maybe 2 weeks, and while driving to work one day, I got a slamming pain in the chest: It felt like a mule kicked me. In pure panic,
I turned the car around , drove as fast as I could to the ER at my local hospital.They admitted me into ICU, hooked me up to all the machines.

I was in for a week before they decided it was not a heart related incident. But more like a panic attack from all the stress I'd been under. One of the doctors told me to go back to smoking till all the kids were grown and gone--:)
Well, I never tried to quit again since that painful, panic, fear filled day--not until this last Aug.
Yes, fear of this and fear of that, can prevent us from taking life saving steps in our lives. But, today there are so many programs, so many support groups, and medications that can help to make quitting a success.
WE need to stop using the fear factor in our lives. Don't quit because of what you fear, quit because of all that you love: And that includes --YOU!

[susie7]

I am afraid I won't succeed at stopping smoking, as I have let myself down in many other endeavors I had set forth before me in life.

[edith2]

I remember the 60's and 70's. I remember when people smoked on TV. There were no "no smoking" areas to speak of. I could pretty much smoke wherever I wanted to. Thank goodness things have changed! Cigarettes are not .35 a pack like they were when I started. There is hardly any place left you can smoke. Nobody on TV smokes and alot of people that are on TV don't smoke, period. If people smoke in a movie, that movie gets an "R" rating. There is nothing cool, sexy, or appealing about smoking. Now it's that way if you're a non-smoker. It is now cool to be a non-smoker.

[kat2]

Klaire, well said,
the fear factor is what keeps us from our own greatness. being afraid holds you back. when we face the fear, and say
yes ok I'm afraid of this, then grab on to it (like a hug) and do it anyway, taking the fear with you. pushing through anyway
strengthens the spirit, and weakens the fear. every time you break through is a celabration, a growth period, a Yes I Can
feeling!! MY biggest fear about quitting smoking, was that "I couldn't do it". that kind of thinking kept me from even
trying, since I didn't think that I could, I was setting myself up to fail. AND, I was wrong! Yes I Can and I did !!
It's day 8 for me today, (second time around) and I know from experience that it does get easier, and I am not afraid...
Hang in there everyone, YOU are worth it !! laugh alot and drink lots of water, Kat

[klaire-aka-mystic-silks]

Susie, make this an area where you won't let yourself down--you can do this. And when you do, you'll see how powerful you'll begin to feel.

[kat2]

Thanks Susan,
I love knowing that when you think and write out a feeling here, that it's heard
and can make a difference to someone. that's cool.
blessings for our highest good,
Kat

[edith2]

I have had situations in my life where I've used fear as an asset to motivate me to accomplish my goals. Fear has hurt me in alot of ways, but other ways it has helped me. It feels great to conquer fear like when I quit smoking. That was a biggie for me.