Executing my plan
So, i took the advice given and set my quit date for the 5/1. But whats a good plan. I feel like the choice to smoke was one of rebellion as none of my family smoke. I recently hit the 1 year mark of a marriage breakdown which halted my efforts majorly. I guess you could say that it felt like an escape from the stress but also a cure to everything as smoking was my excuse for a break from all the BS in life that has been thrown my way.
I can honestly see myself standing at the fence with greener pastures in sight. But its the first step is like a boss level of a video game. I just cant beat that level haha.
But i have been able to forecast what i can do with extra money, time and not to mention health. I felt super guilty and ashamed about buying the dreaded pack this morning to start my quit plan. To be honest, i felt nothing for the smoke when i had it. Does this mean its working? I did not feel relief, happiness ot joy having a smoke. I honestly feel sick doing it, really i do.
I must just take the step, i must climb over the fence and feel the lush green grass on the other side. The rewards are much better than the dreaded cigarette.
Thank you all that have taken the time to comment
You just need to take that first step into that green paddock. Ask yourself what is the worst that can happen, You may fall, so you pick yourself up, or you will find it is not as hard as you thought and it did not kill you to try. you will find bumps along the way. you will over come them. don't over think things just take each step at a time THAT PADDOCK IS THERE AND IT REALLY IS SO GREEN cheers to you you can do this
Welcome PeteF you can do this you just have to want to quit more than you want to smoke. Some people quit easy, I struggled a bit but I'm thrilled that I've quit 6 and a half months ago and I will never smoke again. The rewards are unbelievable, no more wasting money, time or damaging your health. Not to mention the freedom of the shame. So you have your plan in place, so that is good. You can do this trust us as heaps of us on here have beat it and we are nothing special, just like yourself got fed up with the putrid addiction.
Community Guru
Preparation is key Pete. If your car hadn't started today, would you have known how to fix it? Even if you did, do you have the tools?
We have to learn to walk before we run. As anxious as you are to start, we don't want to put the cart before the horse. You are already making strides. You felt no joy in buying or smoking those cigarettes. Hurray. A major step. Some feel regret for the necessary parting of something so ingrained in their way of life, and that causes yet more grief than it has already caused.
Think of ways to disassociate the cigarette with things you do by standing smoking, uncomfortably, and resenting the time it is taking from other things.
Read and learn and put your plan together ready to go on day 5. Keep the spirit and determination up and you will be just fine.
Community Guru
Hello again Pete. You know you better than anyone else, you know what buttons someone else had to push to put you into action, denial, defence, whatever.l .....what experiences have you read that push your buttons. What ideas resonate with yours? You are learning about yourself. That is another advantage. Believe you will be fine.
Community Guru
Hello again Pete. You know you better than anyone else, you know what buttons someone else had to push to put you into action, denial, defence, whatever.l .....what experiences have you read that push your buttons. What ideas resonate with yours? You are learning about yourself. That is another advantage. Believe you will be fine.
Hi PeteF. So the 5th is the BIG day. You could always be really sneaky and start a day or 2 or 3 earlier. Just for practice, of course. This way there will be no pressure preceding this move. If you err, then you still have time up your sleeve. I must say, I tried setting quit dates but it was not till 1313 days ago with no plan that I simply stopped. Did I say it was simple? No way! I was pig headed and my craving, named Margaret Thatcher, who became my sparring partner whenever the urge to light up, threatened my plan. Margaret Thatcher still comes to suggest I reward myself but as I know it is she, not me urging me to smoke, saying NO is easy. After 1313 days I rarely think about it but as time passes I worry that I may forget what Day 1 looked like. I still welcome wisdom from those at any stage of the process and long term quitters still give me added hope and reassurance. The hardest thing about quitting is Day 1. The sooner you test it out, the better...Let us know how you go. We will applaud your bravado whenever you decide to the scariest thing ever... Besides, if you are not scared, you are not having fun...
Community Guru
How is the routine change going Pete? Lia's idea of calling it a name rather than craving just may work! Think of it as an annoyance rather than a craving. With a capital A of course! Smile and remember that you have a plan to execute and banish the annoyance from your life.
If you should jump the gun, don't forget to be armed with all you can be.
Don't forget to eat breakfast, drink water and cut your usual caffeine by half on that day and forward. You can do this.