The Best Part Of Quitting Is Realizing That You Have The Power To Change

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Many smokers are in such a rut and they gloss it over by smoking.

When you see what you can do by quitting you can tackle those things smoking has hidden.

Whether is be a bad relationship, or your own self image.

Quitting smoking is a win win situation if you focus on the power you have given yourself and use it

in all areas of your life.

Take away the smokscreen and gain your lives.

[kerry21]

Well said! I feel that I used cigarettes as a crutch to help me through some tough times. But in reality, the cigarettes made me feel worse during those times.

[kate8]

I love it! If I can be strong in all other areas of my life, then why not quitting smoking? And smoking was zapping all my energy and confidence.

[Yaya2.6.10]

Right on!  I was forced to put myself first and deal with the addiction.  The Quit has allowed me to increase my self image and put myself first.  It is also humbling to learn that many of the things I did to "help" people were not asked for or wanted or found somewhere else.  Hmmmm, guess I wasn't as important to others as I thought.  That's okay cuz I'm realizing that I don't have to fix the world - just myself.

[tdonnelly]

Let me first say that I really liked YaYa's last 9 words. That is so true. You have to fix yourself, not everything else around you.

Quitting has given me back that pure and natural sef confidence that I had lost along the way all those years of smoking. I wanted "ME" back so desperately. Dale is right that we have to tear down the smoke screen and gain ourselves back. It is a journey I would recommend to any smoker who is considering quitting. As the days go by during the journey you start gaining bits and pieces of yourself back. You start fighting for your inner self to come out! Such a good feeling of empowerment!

Thanks for the words of wisdom Dale!

[Debi12]

So true!!  I am just now beginning to realize that smoking was a front that I would use.  In every day life smoking became so automatic (sad = cigarette, depressed = cigarette, angry = cigarette, bored = cigarette, wake up in the morning = cigarette)

Now, I am beginning to work on what needs work for me and my life.  Smoking is a part of life that I plan to leave in the past.  I'm feeling pretty proud of myself because for some reason I use to think quitting was impossible - now I know it was impossible ,,,,, as long as that is what I thought!    Nothing compares to the power of the mind!!

[here4help]

smoking = smokescreen, INDEED!!  Perfectly typed!!  A smoker will never realize it until they realize the control nicotine has on everyday life!!  Congratulations to all US quitters!!  It's a new world for me as a non-smoker, definitely, and I love it.

[james41]

Thanks! it's not just me!HA!

[eddieg121]

The art of QUITTING is a beautiful thing.

[awwc]

What Eddie said.

[nikki42]

I've never really done anything for me. I've always done everything for everyone else. In a warped way, smoking was the only thing I did for me or did because I wanted to (or convinced myself I wanted to) and I didn't care enough about myself to stop. I knew it was killing me, but I didn't care. It has been a part of my entire adulthood so I always assumed it was who I was and it's what I did. People say to think back to what you were like before you started smoking. I was a kid...I have no idea. So I'm not sure what changed in me, but I have changed my point of view and I'm doing this for me and I can't tell you how much reading all of your blogs and comments and insights help.

[bjmarks]

I can't control a lot of things......but I can control how I react to those things, it's really the only THING I can control.

[choptrice]

yeah  what he said !!! its a choice everday its a choice