To celebrate the new year, I thought I'd re-post an old blog and welcome all of our New Year quitters. Stick close to this site and read read read. We're here for you!
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It is very common to think of quitting smoking as a “fight.” As a major confrontation, a battle, something you need to be strong as an oak to win. Something for which you need massive doses of willpower. And if you “lose” it must mean you weren’t “strong” enough. Let the battle begin!
But what if quitting smoking isn’t about fighting at all?
What if it’s about giving in?
If you look up “willpower” in a thesaurus, this is some of what you’ll see:
firmness, grit, control, discipline, drive, fixity, force, resolution, restraint, single-mindedness, strength, will
If you look up “acceptance” in a thesaurus, this is some of what you’ll see:
acknowledgment, admission, approval, assent, consent, cooperation, gaining, receiving, reception, yes
Which list sounds better to you? Which sounds less stressful?
Instead of viewing quitting as a battle to be won or lost, try viewing it as something to simply accept.
Accept that you have to quit, that the consequences of smoking will catch up with you (or already have) and it's time to make a change. Continuing to smoke is not an option. Instead of agonizing over that, accept it. No argument, no excuses, no searching for logic in the illogical world of addiction. Just acceptance of one simple thought – it’s time to quit smoking.
Accept that overcoming this addiction means going through nicotine withdrawal. Don’t let fear of withdrawal send you searching for quick fixes or magic bullets or delaying tactics. You can’t avoid withdrawal. Instead of dwelling on it and fearing it, accept it. Learn what the symptoms are and how to manage them. Fear is usually based on the unknown; if you KNOW what to expect, most of your fear will dissolve.
Accept the occasional thought you will have about smoking. The occasional “want” that will happen. Don’t fight it. Let the smoking thoughts drift in and drift right back out, like clouds floating by overhead. Fighting such thoughts only makes them linger. Simply accept the thought, and let it drift away, just like the thousand other random thoughts you have in a day.
Accept some changes in your life. You may choose to give up alcohol for a while. You may choose not to be around certain people (smokers) for awhile. You may choose to drink a different beverage in the morning, or drive a different route to work. This is nothing to be upset about. These are just the simple (and often temporary) changes that help you stay focused on what’s important in the early days of your quit.
Accept that cigarettes are no longer part of your life. There's nothing to argue with yourself about, nothing to "fight" against. Smoking is no longer part of your life, so when you're stressed or bored you will find something else to do. Smoking is no longer on your list of choices, but hundreds of other things are!
Accept that this is a journey, and all journeys begin with a single step. Some days will be good, some will be bad, but the only way to reach your goal is to keep moving toward it. Take the first step, and then keep going. No matter what. Pretty simple, right?
Allow yourself to find this calmness, this serenity, this acceptance, and you will find that quitting is much simpler and less stressful than you first thought.
Give yourself a chance! You will be so glad you did!
