Quick check in to let you all know that I am still alive, still going strong, and still committed to my quit!
This has to be brief, however, because I am rushing to meet a deadline - translations won't do themselves 🙂
I felt it important to write a post to say that the most important part of quitting is the life change that is involved. True, the physical signs and symptoms are what will give you the biggest headache in the beginning, but after day 30, most people have either coping stragies or have started to feel considerably better than when they were still smoking.
But once you get into the so-called No Man's Land, you really need more than just "feeling better" to keep you motivated - you need new things to do, new ways to keep your mind occupied, and preferably a new environment and new friends... new goals to pursue, new activities to stimulate you...
I think the temptation to think "I've got this!" is strongest during this time and yet unlessyou have taken time to really rework your life and work on the things that made you start smoking in the first place, you've only done half the work. I actually believe that seeing a therapist for a couple of sessions would be an ideal thing to do, particularly for those who smoked long-term, because behind each of those smokes (be it cigarettes or joints) was an issue of some kind - it could be an inability to deal with stress, or a stressful life situation... or it could simply be boredom and dissatisfaction with your life... we are all different, and the reasons may differ, but the behaviour was the same - choose the easy way out.
Well now it's time to choose the cheaper way out. Find things in life that make you happy - and you know what, you might be like me and think "But... I have no idea what those things are!!!" and be resistant to change in the beginning, but you don't have to do it all at once. But you DO need to do it. So don't stop just at getting rid of the smokes - find new ways to cope with life and stress and find people who will support you in your journey. Learn to be open to new things instead of clinging to the past. Find new goals to keep you moving in the right direction.
Above all, have fun and always remember: NOT ONE PUFF EVER!
