Today marks 6 full weeks of not smoking! In some regards, it feels like an eternity. On the other hand, it really has flown by! Regardless, each day into this quit has been filled with exciting, new discoveries: improved health, improved skin tone/coloring, increased energy and time—the list is endless!
This week was filled with challenges, the likes I have never experienced in such a short amount of time. All in all, we had 3 wakes and funerals to attend for friends and family members, and also had to spend a scary day in the hospital ER with my mom who experienced a new onset of atrial fib! Each event in and of itself used to be (for me anyway) excuses to retreat away from life in order to smoke-incessantly. This week, however, it was quite the opposite. I have been forewarned of triggers, NML, and relapse, so each morning with smoking not an option, I promised myself I would remain smoke free for the day. I took it one day at a time and before I knew it, Friday was here!
Throughout this week, I discovered an inner strength, calm, and courage I really didn’t know I possessed without the aid of a smoke in hand. That was truly the best lesson I have learned about myself! It is one thing to read or hear that you do not need cigarettes to de-stress and cigarettes do not really calm you --it is quite another thing to experience it, and see it first hand! Amazing!
In spite of the crazy week, I managed to finish up the Christmas shopping I started in July. With 6 children (4 with spouses) and 10 grands, the work it seems is never quite finished. Four of the grandchildren only had a ½ day of school today, so I had plenty of helping hands with the wrapping. With that now under control, I plan to rest this weekend and catch up on the sleep that eluded me this past week.
Hope everyone has a great (smoke free) weekend!
