Good day Exer's!
I remember those first hard weeks of my quit. At first it didn't seem nearly as bad as I thought it would and I think this is the case for a lot of us. We dread that day when we put out that last cigarette because we're not sure what's actually going to happen. It's the fear of the unknown that gets us at first I think.
But regardless of our fears we still choose to take that first step on the path of freedom and yes, those first days seem hard but just not as bad as we'd imagined. By the end of our first week we start to feel a little more confident and some even look forward to week two.
And then we move on and things seem to calm a little until one day we wake up and seemingly out of know where the addict within awakens once again and starts sending those signals to smoke and we're like, “What the heck is this???!!! I've already done all of this!!!”
And yet the day wears on with what seems like one long endless crave. The reality is that the crave lasts only minutes and yet that seems to be enough to renew our thinking about smoking. And because of this it seems like the crave lasts forever, like we're suddenly on a roller coaster ride that seems to be spinning out of control while we hold on as tight as we can and try to get a grip.
Even though we've heard of these “phantom craves” as I like to call them, until it happens we just don't expect it. But this too is a natural part of quitting. It took us many years to create our addiction so of course it takes a bit of time to completely rid ourselves of it.
Me, I saw this endless internal conflict and I knew that this didn't make any sense. How could I be arguing with myself when I know that I'm doing all of the right things for my future. How could I even think of going back to that horrid life I'd lived before.
And so I named this childish part of my brain the “addict within” just so I could tell that part of my brain to shut up! I saw the addict within as a child that just couldn't grasp right from wrong. It was a part of my brain that still had to be convinced that what I was doing was right.
And you know what? Once I assigned a name to this internal torment it actually helped me to get a handle on the rest of my quit for you see, I knew that this little screaming child only thought it had control over me. I knew that I had the upper hand but I also learned to keep the addict close so that he couldn't sneak up on me again.
These were indeed strange times and ones that we all go through. But the bottom line is I never gave the addict within a good foothold to try to make me miserable. I simply told the beast to shut up and went on to something else. Now, don't think that was the only day like that for me. Oh no. There were others but I started to notice something. Each time I had a phantom crave, it held less power over me.
Soon I could laugh at these strange little stimulation's that my mind sent to me and now? After 878 days I have found a peace like I never thought I'd know again. And the feeling of freedom is so wonderful! There's nothing like ripping those shackles of addiction out of ourselves and one thing is certain. Even though it takes time. Even though it might suck at first. Even though we have to change our lives in so many wonderful ways I still never had a single doubt about my journey.
I am free!! So very free and I can't wait to see all of you on the other side of that addiction because when it comes to the beauty of freedom. When it comes to the moment where we can smile and yes, laugh at our past transgressions. Then this is something that we want to share. This is something that we want everyone who has the courage to walk that path to freedom to experience!
Go for it! Never look back and never ever give in!!!
ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!
