~~If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.~~ Banksy
Sometimes early into your quit, you grow weary of fighting the cravings. You get tired of trying to ignore your stress, maintain your peace, and reminding yourself that everything is ok. You want to give up.....and so you do. You quit on your quit. You quit on yourself. You decide that you can't.
What would have happened if instead of quitting, you simply rested? Sometimes that means sleeping and how wonderful that is....sleep is the best time for your body to heal, you know. Sometimes, though, it means letting go of the fight and simply walking away from the thoughts of smoking and stressing and battling.
Walking in nature. Feel the cool air on your cheeks and hear the sounds of nature....happy birds chirping their songs, chattering squirrels arguing over nuts, and the rustle of leaves. Enjoy it. Quiet your mind and allow nature to soothe you, to calm you, to relax you.
Or have coffee with a friend. Listen to her laugh. Enjoy her stories. Allow your time with her to be about friendship, closeness, making memories. Quiet your mind and allow friendship to warm you, to calm you, to relax you.
Learn to rest. Paint and allow your whole body and mind to focus on your painting. Turn on your favorite tunes and listen to the music. Create beauty. Volunteer your time. Share. Dance.
Rest is not just closing your eyes. It can be shutting off your stressful thoughts. It can be learning how to tune out negativity. All those things that "make you" want to smoke. Resting means....letting them go.
Of course, those pesky thoughts will return now and then. Sometimes a passing thought...other times strongly slamming into your day with the power of a hurricane. Knowing this....really knowing it....means you can be prepared to rest when you have to. Turn off those thoughts with something that calms you.
Because you have the power to do that. To turn those thoughts off for a while. To soothe yourself. To relax. To breath. To let the world in. To shut your mind off.
Don't quit. Learn to rest. You deserve it 🙂
