I like to be prepared and even though I feel a little bit like the guy in the picture, it didn’t discourage me very much. It started to sink in a little bit, I didn’t just give up smoking…I try to overcome an addiction. A friend sent this to me in my early stage of my quit and it became my daily guide!
Avoid…Alter…Accept…Believe…Behave…Cope…Calm…Delay…Distract
Quitting smoking is like riding a roller coaster, but blindfolded and without a seat belt. You never know whats going to happen next. It throws you from left to right and all you can do is trying to hang on and you try not to lose the grip! Let’s face it….quitting smoking is harder than I thought it would be!
“Every day might not be good – but there is something good in every day” that’s pretty much how I look at life in general, but not lately!
One week…OH my Gosh, I haven’t smoked for 7 days…a whole week without cigarettes! Me..the long time smoker hasn’t touched a cigarette for one whole week. Believe it or not, my last pack is still in the freezer…..unopened and untouched!
I looked at my chalkboard and it made me smile; it showed a big 5! Wow almost a whole week smoke-free! Most of the time I am fine, but yesterday I had a craving and it was different. It hit me like a freight train and came from out of nowhere. It lasted a little bit longer as well -maybe 20 minutes, but still…..it didn’t kill me. I had more and more questions on my mind. I wanted to talk to other people like me; I wanted to find smokers like me who just quit …but where?
I have this kitchen decoration on top of our fridge, it’s an Italian chef holding a small chalkboard. It’s too small and I can’t really use it for anything. I wrote a big 3 on it! I haven’t smoked in 3 days…and I can honestly say I felt confused! What was happening?
90 Days smoke free…wow! I have saved $399,38 and left 1,788 cigarettes untouched. It sounds good doesn’t it! I feel proud and bought me something special, like a celebration gift! So much has changed in the last 3 months…….let’s go back and see how it started!
I smoked for so long it seemed to be just a part of me. I was one of those happy smokers! I knew it was a bad habit, but didn’t beat myself up over it. Life was different 30 years ago, smokers were happy in commercials, famous people recommended cigarettes. We didn’t question it that much; smoking was just a part of our daily life. Of course that changed and more and more smokers started to feel really guilty about it. I never understood that part. If you don’t like something, why would you continue to do it? Addiction…you have to be kidding me, I am not addicted to smoking.” I can stop anytime I want to”! Boing..there you have it, that’ was my statement then! I didn’t know any better.
Unbelievable…………………I am an ex-smoker! It’s going to be 3 months tomorrow. I didn’t plan it and I wasn’t prepared at all…..it just happened; out of the blue I decided to quit smoking -after 35 years and I had no idea what I got myself into! I am 50 years young and I am a non-smoker for the first time in my adult life! So, tomorrow I will celebrate a little bit, maybe with a cake or a glass of wine, maybe I buy myself some flowers.