cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Share your quitting journey

Putting a Stop to Smoky Thinking

ShawnP
Member
1 12 147

Saw this on a website and reposting...


 

Fight your smoky thinking with a clear thinking response using this list.

                                            
Smoky Thinking I just need one cigarette to take the edge off these cravings.
Clear Thinking Cravings become weaker and less frequent with every day that I don’t smoke. Even just one puff will feed the cravings and make them stronger.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking It’s been a long day. I deserve a cigarette.
Clear Thinking I deserve a reward after a long day, but there are better rewards than a cigarette. A favorite meal, a funny movie, or a hot shower will help me relax without ruining my quit attempt.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking The urge to smoke is just too strong. I can’t stand it.
Clear Thinking Even the strongest cravings last less than 3 minutes. The urge will go away whether I smoke or not, and smoking now will just make it even harder for me to quit later. I can find something else to do—anything—until the craving goes away.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking I blew it. I smoked a cigarette. I might as well go ahead and finish the pack.
Clear Thinking I am still learning how to be a non-smoker. It’s normal to make some mistakes. But I don’t have to smoke that next cigarette. I can learn from this mistake and keep going.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking I can’t deal with never being able to have another cigarette for the rest of my life.
Clear Thinking I only have to deal with today. Quitting happens one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time! The future will take care of itself.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking I am too cranky without my cigarettes. I am doing my friends and family a favor by smoking.
Clear Thinking My friends and family love me and understand that quitting smoking now is the best gift I can give them. Cranky or not, I am not doing them any favors by continuing to smoke.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking I am doing really well. Just one cigarette won’t hurt.
Clear Thinking I have never smoked just one before. One cigarette always leads to another. I don’t want to undo all my progress by smoking a cigarette now.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking It’s too hard to quit smoking. I can’t do this.
Clear Thinking Quitting and staying away from cigarettes is hard, but it’s not impossible. About 40,000,000 Americans have quit smoking. If other people can do it, so
can I
. It is too important to give up on.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking I’ve been smoking for so long; quitting won’t make a difference now.
Clear Thinking No matter how long I’ve been smoking, my body will benefit from quitting. The healing process starts right away, and before long I will start to feel healthier and look better.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking I know people who smoked their whole lives and never got sick.
Clear Thinking It’s true that some people get lucky. But there is no way of knowing whether I will be one of the lucky ones, and I am not willing to risk my life. The only safe choice is to quit smoking now.

 

                                            
Smoky Thinking I have already cut down to a safe level.
Clear Thinking There is no safe level of smoking. Smoking less is a good first step, but there are many more benefits when I don’t smoke at all. Plus, every cigarette that I smoke feeds the habit and makes it that much harder to quit.
12 Comments
Ex_Nancy
Member

I LOVE these Shawn...do you remember the site that they came from?  Thank you!!! ♥

SkyGirl
Member
This is great, Shawn. Thanks for posting it!
ShawnP
Member

you're welcome!

froguelady
Member

Thank you for sharing this, it is great.  I lived through most of the Smokey Thinking/Clear Thoughts situations that is listed.  CLEAR THINKING is the way to win FREEDOM from nicotine addiction.

Shawn, I hope you have a great smoke free weekend.

JonesCarpeDiem

good morning.

not smoking

carole19
Member

TY for sharing....I'm clear thinking today...

sandy130
Member

Thanks Shawn. I think I've used most of these at least once! Have a great N.O.P.E. day!

mikecity
Member

Thanks, very helpful.

jojo_2-24-11
Member

Thank you Shawn!

Brenda_M
Member

I Googled it and found it here:

 

http://women.smokefree.gov/topic-benefits-smoky.aspx

tardifgirl3
Member

Thank you Shawn!

Peace

hippie_yul
Member

That's great stuff, so real! I'm glad I found this post

About the Author
I am 51 yrs old and live in the Greater Cleveland area. I started smoking at a young age. I think it was more peer pressure at that time and just a few cigarettes a day until i became "LEGAL" to smoke. I then started smoking a pack or more a day, using stress as my excuse to smoke more. In reality, I realized after i quit smoking that there is no excuses for smoking. I am approaching 4 yrs next month, but I still have to work to protect my quit. I am here on Ex faithfully helping others and in return helps me. We call it here on Ex "Collateral Kindness" here is a link to my blog, 1 yr later that explained my trials in the the beginning of my quit. https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/ShawnP-blog/2013/03/14/one-year-later