Choices
Today"s my second day for not smoking. There are so many risks that we choose to subject ourselves to and think it'll be fine. I'd convince myself that I can take advantage of the gift of life and abuse its privledges, assuming life is a right, but if it were, there would be no consequences. When that realization came to me my first reactive instinct was to be ignorant and reject it. What nonsense I could continue to tell myself. Instead I began to question it. Am I responsible for this? What happens is an internal battle between old destructive habbits to introducing new constructive patterns. It's a war that begins. One side of you plays the victim and blames. You blame everything from family and friends to society and the government. You convince yourself that they allow addictive drugs such as cigarettes on the market,and to an extent thats true you know, the (its every body elses falut) side and the other side of you explains the reality of your situation that rationalizes the facts, noone forces you to smoke, its your choice your responsibility. Trying to weigh up the severity of smoking verses the not so serious issues related to smoking can be boarder line insanity for example ; Iv smoked for 25 years it hasn't killed me yet even though statistically speaking it can and I've even witnessed family members suffer from cancer. I can still convince myself it'll be right (insanity). The more you feed the ignorance, the bigger it grows. That really doesn't sit too well with me so when I accepted and surrendered to the truth I quit. Its like knowing the sky is blue but you pretend its not. I just stopped lying to myself. I don't know if its going to be hard so far I get an urge to have a smoke and I'm aware its a mixture of nicotine/habit that I'm rearranging. Its not as hard as I've heard people say but it's only been 2 days.
So true and Welcome Angek. Our minds play an important role in our habitual reasoning with the bias on the self as being innocent, but we must look after the innocent part of ourselves too. Once we take the perspective that we are part of the solution then things begin to change for the better.
Really we are all here for the same reason on this forum, to stop this despicable habit, one way or another. In doing so it does present problems that needs a solution in many aspects of our lives.
You are on the right path, to changing your habit and finding solutions, some of it is instinctual and some of it may need more consideration.
The main thing I have learned is we need help in maintaining our goals, and not be deluded into thinking "one cigarette will not hurt because I can take it or leave it" attitude. This could work short term, but its the longer term that I needed to invest in.
You are aware that you are at the beginning of the journey so to speak, and the more knowledge you gain about yourself and the Nicotine habit the better.
Congratulations on your decision to quit the habit, Day 2 tomorrow. Keep it going
I am so glad yet another has seen the light and joined into our forum in the belief that you can quit smoking. Nicotine had the power to make us make excuses, but once seeing it for what it is, we can fight back. We can change our minds, and once accepting that it makes the journey so much easier. In fact I had no cravings after the first 3 days (cold turkey) and found it much easier to quit than I had anticipated. I am not surprised that you are also finding it easier than you have been led to believe . Keep up the right way of thinking, and you can feel like a non-smoker before you know it.
Thankyou softly40 I appreciate your encouragement and I completely agree with acknowledging the importance of taking this seriously.
I'm sure the temptation will try to convince me to just have one and the dopamine sensations that accompany but I'm done with them. The 3rd and 4th day Iv read is supposed to be the worst of it. I'm prepared for that.
Im so proud of myself and of everyone else who challenged themself too.
It's a really different way of life that Im experiencing right now but the excitement outweighs the feelings of anxiety cravings and all the rest that comes.
The thing is 14 days thats 2 weeks before all traces of nicotine is out of your system. 2 weeks compared to 25 years is pretty good. Then it's just habit which only takes 7 days to introduce a new habit.
Im excited for the future.
You write so well. It is not always difficult to quit. Enjoy this change.