CHANGE

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CHANGE

John S2 Discussion started by John S2 5 years ago

Repost By Houston Day 3134 Date: Unknown

Quitting smoking is easy: You just have to change everything - at least there's no issue about figuring out what to change or how much...you have to change your mind.

If you're new, staying smoke free has to come first.

I don't buy this notion that relapse is part of a program. I never relapsed (slipped, tripped or puffed, whatever), and I know many people who didn’t. If you already start off with the notion in your head that relapse could be a part of your program, you're already setting yourself up for failure. If you do relapse, it's not a moral deficiency: you just get right back to not smoking, even 10 minutes at a time, but don't go into it with the though that relapse is part of quitting.

Quitting is quitting. Smoking (or relapsing) is not quitting, and never the twain shall meet.

Likewise, not smoking is not smoking - smoking at any point isn't not smoking, period, end of story. So, don't pick up and light up, even if your azz falls off, and you won't smoke.

Now what does it mean that you have to change your mind? You have to change your mind to that of a non-smoker. For a non-smoker, smoking is never the answer to any issue, problem, celebration, task, etc. A non-smoker never has an excuse to smoke, because they just don't smoke. A non-smoker isn't "quitting,”

As an addict, you didn't need any reason to smoke - you just mindlessly puffed away every day. You tell yourself stories about "enjoying" smoking and how it was your "reward" or how it "helped you." That's just addict talk.

When you are quitting, and trying to change your mind, your addict (who is a liar and wants to kill you) will produce all kinds of excuses (in the form of "reasons") why you should smoke - if you are thinking like a non-smoker, these things never come up. This will be your first indication WHY you have to change your mind.

Who wants to keep thinking about smoking? There's no way to "control" smoking - this isn't an issue of "control.”

Addicts by definition are out of control - you couldn't decide to smoke 1/4 of a cigarette every time, or only 2/day or only a pack every two weeks - you tried many times, but you couldn’t. Even when you were deathly ill you had to smoke - so why tell yourself stories now about "controlling your addiction" or "controlling smoking?”

Non-smokers don't have to control smoking - they don't smoke.

So how do we change our minds to that of a non-smoker? It takes time. Time and work and effort - it just doesn't happen overnight. However, what it starts with is a complete abstinence from smoking. As time goes by, you will think about smoking less and less, until you're not thinking about it at all - your mind is changing into that of a non-smoker.

Other things, methods, and strategies will appear to you from people with long-time quits, or you will come upon one of your own through working a daily program of complete abstinence and treating your addiction with love and care. You will get the idea - there's no declaring you are there, or rushing it - it's a daily path that you learn to follow, not a destination.

Take care of yourself today. Resolve not to smoke today, and each day, one day at a time. Over time, things will become more clear to you.

Houston Day 3134