Post by slim on Apr 11, 2008 10:43:57 GMT -5
My meter indicates I’ve declined to smoke for 1727 days. That sounds like quite an accomplishment. Actually, it pales in comparison to the 13,870 days I did choose to smoke. But hey, you have to start somewhere.
I loved to smoke….. just like I love candy-bars, pizza, ice-cream, cookies, and most other treats. Unfortunately, many of the things that seemingly make life worth living are the same things that are going to kill you (given the proper dosage). Like shunning cigarettes, keeping the number of calories one consumes to a reasonable total requires discipline.
In the beginning days and weeks of a quit, I’m not sure success requires as much discipline as it does determination. It seems to me that discipline has more to do with making rational decisions. We all know that people in the first few days of a quit probably shouldn’t be referred to as ‘rational’. During the first few days of my quit, I sure as hell wasn’t voted Mr. Congeniality. At the onset, it may be argued that a ‘put your head down and charge’ type of mentality is helpful.
When I was a youngster, I loved to swim and ski. I can remember when I first started bobbing around in the lake. Before really being able to swim, I’m sure I was a bit anxious about being in water over my head. Being able to touch bottom was pretty important. With time and a little practice, learning to swim made the ability to touch bottom less and less critical. After a while, being able to touch bottom really didn’t matter. Smokers who contemplate quitting are anxious about not being able to touch bottom. Smokers are wary of not being able to light up at the first glimpse of stress or anxiety. Smokers are reluctant to get in too deep as they fear they won’t be able to relax or feel comfortable without a pocketful of cigarettes. Smokers are reluctant to quit because they feel they’ll never be able to laugh or enjoy themselves. It’s as though cigarettes are some form of life preserver. While being able to swim removes the fear of no bottom, being able to function without cigarettes takes the fear out of quitting. I was the type of smoker who felt afraid without the smokes. Facing life without being able to light-up was a rather intimidating prospect.
But how do you acquire an ability to function without cigarettes? In the beginning, it’s determination. With time and a little practice and as you move further away from shore, it becomes discipline. There is no substitute for determination and discipline. Getting a grasp, taking a stand, taking control of oneself is key. Like anything, it takes a little practice. Quitting doesn’t ‘just happen’. You have to work at it, nurture it. Musicians practice, gardeners tend to their plants and flowers, athletes work out, ex-smokers develop the skills required to live without tobacco. Really goods things rarely come easy.
As ex-smokers know, a sustained effort is required to get over the hump. Learning to live without cigarettes requires a day-to-day endeavor. As hard as it may seem to understand, a smokeless life will inevitably evolve into a better life, a healthier existence. A smokeless life opens doors, it doesn’t close them. As the days and weeks go by, a new sense of pride and exhilaration emerges. Shaking away the shackles of addiction sets the soul free. Taking control our lives sets us apart from the broken.
Bubb
6/17/04
I loved to smoke….. just like I love candy-bars, pizza, ice-cream, cookies, and most other treats. Unfortunately, many of the things that seemingly make life worth living are the same things that are going to kill you (given the proper dosage). Like shunning cigarettes, keeping the number of calories one consumes to a reasonable total requires discipline.
In the beginning days and weeks of a quit, I’m not sure success requires as much discipline as it does determination. It seems to me that discipline has more to do with making rational decisions. We all know that people in the first few days of a quit probably shouldn’t be referred to as ‘rational’. During the first few days of my quit, I sure as hell wasn’t voted Mr. Congeniality. At the onset, it may be argued that a ‘put your head down and charge’ type of mentality is helpful.
When I was a youngster, I loved to swim and ski. I can remember when I first started bobbing around in the lake. Before really being able to swim, I’m sure I was a bit anxious about being in water over my head. Being able to touch bottom was pretty important. With time and a little practice, learning to swim made the ability to touch bottom less and less critical. After a while, being able to touch bottom really didn’t matter. Smokers who contemplate quitting are anxious about not being able to touch bottom. Smokers are wary of not being able to light up at the first glimpse of stress or anxiety. Smokers are reluctant to get in too deep as they fear they won’t be able to relax or feel comfortable without a pocketful of cigarettes. Smokers are reluctant to quit because they feel they’ll never be able to laugh or enjoy themselves. It’s as though cigarettes are some form of life preserver. While being able to swim removes the fear of no bottom, being able to function without cigarettes takes the fear out of quitting. I was the type of smoker who felt afraid without the smokes. Facing life without being able to light-up was a rather intimidating prospect.
But how do you acquire an ability to function without cigarettes? In the beginning, it’s determination. With time and a little practice and as you move further away from shore, it becomes discipline. There is no substitute for determination and discipline. Getting a grasp, taking a stand, taking control of oneself is key. Like anything, it takes a little practice. Quitting doesn’t ‘just happen’. You have to work at it, nurture it. Musicians practice, gardeners tend to their plants and flowers, athletes work out, ex-smokers develop the skills required to live without tobacco. Really goods things rarely come easy.
As ex-smokers know, a sustained effort is required to get over the hump. Learning to live without cigarettes requires a day-to-day endeavor. As hard as it may seem to understand, a smokeless life will inevitably evolve into a better life, a healthier existence. A smokeless life opens doors, it doesn’t close them. As the days and weeks go by, a new sense of pride and exhilaration emerges. Shaking away the shackles of addiction sets the soul free. Taking control our lives sets us apart from the broken.
Bubb
6/17/04
