treepeo
832 posts
Registered:
29 Nov 2017
01 Dec 2017
Link to this post
Hi franny,
I feel your pain, having been there myself many a time. Cravings can be so intense that it's really hard not to give in.
Here's what I did. I told myself that this time I was getting serious. No more mucking about. I told myself that I was stronger than my addiction. I told myself that if other people could quit, I could too. I faced the fact that there is no magic involved, just hard work, determination and guts. I am competitive my nature and don't like to lose, so that was helpful in my battle against the weed. Once I made the decision to quit, (and I mean a serious decision, not a half-hearted one as I had in the past), I refused to give in, no matter what. And I'll be honest, it got bad, really bad. But I figured, it's worth a month of pain for a lifetime of gain.
Look at it another way. Why not quit voluntarily while you still have the chance? Better that than to be forced to quit because you end up with cancer of some kind. That is another thing I kept telling myself. And it's so true.
Franny, there are so many benefits of quitting. Your breath will be better. You won't stink of smoke, and your clothes will smell fresh. You won't get yellow stains on your fingers and your teeth. You will be able to have a meal out with your friends at a restaurant and linger afterwards without that pressing need to get outside to smoke. You won't have to stand around when it gets cold out while other people walk by and stare at you like you're crazy. You will be able to climb a flight of stairs without getting totally breathless. And the list goes on and on.
These are some of the things you can think about to keep you motivated as you go through this journey. I know it's a hard road, but the results are so worth it.
I hope you continue to fight to stay smoke free, Franny. You will be amazed at how much better your life will be.