It's All In The PREP.....Who'd a Thunk??

[lindalivesfree]

HELLO EVERYONE, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Just have a minute. Just wanted to share I'm back at my quit strategy today. In fact, I have prepared a sticky note for myself and continue to add to it as I find things I know will help ME. Another's strategy may be different! I've copied/pasted it below just as a sharing thing. TO MY FELLOW NEW YEAR QUITTERS......it has become totally understandable WHY all the prep is necessary! Hope you have had some time to DISCOVER your path as well. I am lucky due to a reprieve from a busy work schedule to take this on. If you aren't lucky in that way, maybe give up seeing the friend for dinner or running around with holiday returns when they can be done later. Stay HOME, stay quiet, stay calm, Stay reflective...with a cup of a warm beverage in hand.  DO this important leg work.....as much as you can! (I read it has been PROVEN that a hot mug of "something" cupped in your hands lowers cortisole , therefore lowers stress!  Today I read crazymama_ Lori's "Here's The Skinny"....I believe it is in the Quit Kit. IT'S A MUST! Also watched the 13 minute Mike Evans video Lori suggests.  ALSO A MUST! Thank you, crazymama_Lori

So here it is so far

My Quit Plan     (pleae help me fill in if something helped you to succeed that you don't see here...it's T-6 for me now   !!!!)

Avoidance- (Places and other habit triggers that weaken resolve and bring stress on)

Acceptance- Accept that I can't control all situations, focus on what positive alternative choices I can make..... back away...retreat if need be)

Alter expectations...manage lists, to dos, stressful relationships

Stay close to my resources-BecomeAnEx.Org friends and resources

Have "trigger replacements" ready and on hand
Have good healthy food on hand

Make ME a priority, it's ok! Nurture, reduce stress, treat myself well while adapting

MOVE....get out and do something!

LindaLivesFree

[crazymama_Lori]

Well, thank you for the mention.  that video I was so impressed with.  When I first quit almost 2 years ago, I was on the search for everything and anything that would explain why.  I knew I wasn't going to get the "when", the precise "when" because we all used smoking for different things.  We all started smoking at different times and different reasons.  I'll share with you one thing that made all the difference to me after I was quit for around 190 or so days.  The realization that this will never end.  It will always be there, because I used smoking as an emotion crutch for a lot of years.  It was my go-to solution for anything and everything that was wrong in my life.  Once I realized that, I took the proactive steps to teach myself news ways to cope with the stressors of everyday life.  Life goes on around us whether we smoke or not.  It's how we react to it makes all the difference !!!

you've got a might fine plan outlined for yourself and you've got quite the head start.  stay close to us here.  Reach out when you need to.  Blog your progress so that you can learn from them and also help others along the way.  As you get further along, check out Relapse Prevention‌ and Best of EX‌.  Many words of wisdom are spoken there.  I also went back in other member's profiles, the elders they call them here (those with one year or more quit), and read on their profiles by searching by oldest first.  There I saw that I was not alone, we all go through the same things, the doubt, the fear, the panic but have risen above it.

[lindalivesfree]

Thank you, Lori! Thank you for being with me in this. Where do I Blog my progress and was this the right place to start a discussion? Still feeling my way around the site!

[crazymama_Lori]

there's two ways to post, you can choose blog at the upper right at the pencil and have it post as your own personal blog or post it maybe in one of the groups.  It's still visible to the home page for everyone to see.  OR you could choose to write a discussion on a topic that you want collaboration on or it's on a specific subject you want to share, an article you read or video you watched.  A great place to go to is https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/community/community-help?sr=search&searchId=15768697-fc4c-4fa9-8f...‌ and under the content tab are a to-do section

[crazymama_Lori]

found what I was looking for https://app-excommunity.becomeanex.org/community/community-help/content?filterID=contentstatus%5Bpub... 

[YoungAtHeart]

Add slow/deep breaths as a crave buster to your list.  Practice filling your lungs to the brim, feeling the back area expand, and your "tummy."  Then - slowly release, starting at the top and finally releasing and pulling in your tummy as you exhale fully. They work anytime, anywhere - and are the best stress reducers there are.  I learned this in yoga, and employed them often during my quit   They work well in doctor's/dentist's offices, before you go into a stressful meeting, while waiting for surgery......

They are just a good general tool to use!

So glad you are here - keep reading and learning!

Nancy

[lindalivesfree]

Thank you, Nancy! I believe I would have been in store for another failed quit had I not found you all and this amazing resource. So funny you should mention the breathing. While driving I said to myself "don't forget to add the BREATHING!! (I'm a yoga gal too!) You are absolutely right on that one.I have literally been practicing the breath for my quit!! I actually have not smoked today. Not unusual for me to skip a day here and then but I'm a TERRIBLE smoker under stress. Thank you for being with me here "Elder Nancy" ☺

[elvan]

Sounds like you really have a handle on this...the breathing and staying close to the site were big ones for me.  It was also really important for me to accept the fact that smoking never did anything FOR me...it was doing lots of things TO me but not FOR me.  Remember that no crave ever killed anyone...no one can say that about smoking, this is a one day at a time journey and sometimes a whole day is too long, make it an hour, a minute, a second.  You CAN do this, we have all been where you are.  I chose NOPE as my mantra and when I read it here, its simplicity absolutely reached out and grabbed me.  Not One Puff Ever...I said NOPE over and over and over again and while it was quietly most of the time...there were times when I said it out loud...it ALWAYS worked.

You are doing a great job.  If you CAN, I would add some form of exercise to this plan...the release of dopamine the first time I was able to use a stationary bike after I quit, really stunned me.  It was very helpful.

Best to you and Happy Quitting!

Ellen

[lindalivesfree]

Thank you, Ellen! It's like you whispered in my ear while at dinner with my husband. I was yakking about NOPE and talking about wanting to nail down an exercise plan for. my dopamine re placement. So very strange that yiu, Nancy and Lori were kind of in synch with my thoughts all day today! My husband is very supportive and he's impressed with this outlet!

[elvan]

We have all been where you are...this group is like a neverending circle.  I am so happy that your husband is supportive, that really makes a big difference.

Ellen