Are you having a challenging time getting started with quitting? What if you find your inspiration from the ways of children?
I love watching children…c’mon, their energy is infectious and their delight in the little things is not only adorable but also a refreshing reminder to enjoy what life has to offer. Studying the nuances of their ways of seeing and engaging with the world around them is entertaining and truly exhilarating!
If they are fascinated by something, even if it is out of their reach, they will go after it intently - even if it means losing something they like. Picture this, as much as a child may beg and plead for a “yummy” lollipop, they will quickly drop it to have their hands free to delightfully run after a garden toad, a puppy, a balloon, bubbles, fireflies, a kite, the tide… you name it!
Their excitement is in the chase, and the joy is in catching something they consider greater than what they chose to give up. A child’s ability to tenaciously go after something they want is an awe-inspiring wonder that can give adults the zeal to consider how to doggedly go after quitting smoking, chewing, or vaping.
When you are considering quitting, the catch of something greater is health, wellness, pride, more money…again, you name it! As adults, we know that quitting tobacco is a much weightier task than the child’s play of dropping a lollipop for a ballon. We also can agree that the reward of health and wellness is exponentially greater and farther reaching in our lives than a moment of glee and excitement.
That is why it is important to develop a cessation plan with evidence-based cessation medications, and support from a tobacco treatment specialist or your primary provider. The takeaway nugget of this blog is, if you are reluctant to try quitting due to discomfort with change, how about if you start by activating your “inner child” and identifying your “greater catch.”
What could be the many benefits of quitting smoking, chewing, or vaping, by employing a cessation plan to go after a tobacco-free lifestyle with that child-like excitement?
Consider these ways of a child to kick off and invigorate your cessation effort:
- Find your inspiration and follow it, like a kite.
- Keep your eyes on the “greater catch,” – better health and wellness.
- Keep focused on phrases such as “I can…, I have…, and I will…”
- Ask your trusted sources of support for help.
- Engage with the Become An Ex Community.
- Celebrate and relish your accomplishments.
How might you “channel your inner child” as you embark on your journey toward quitting tobacco?
