Maureen E , melder, What Can I Say? ( To help you Quit) 2018
Maureen E "What Can I Say" ( To help you Quit) 2018
What Can I say……………..
That you probably haven’t already heard. (over and over again)
What do I have to share? How was THIS quit the one that “stuck”, when other attempts just failed miserably, leaving me to believe myself incapable of beating this addiction?
In a couple of days I will be hitting my 16 YEAR anniversary of being smoke free. As impressive as that might sound to some of you just starting out, I really had to stop and think about what anniversary this was. How many years!? Doesn’t seem like that long. I’ve come a long way from those early days of counting every day….every hour.
Smoking isn’t something I think about at all any more, at least not in the way that I used to. Nowadays it crosses my mind every so often more in terms like “boy am I ever glad I stopped doing that, am I ever glad it doesn’t own me now.” And it doesn’t. I have lost all desire to light up, no matter the situation, the matter if people happen to be smoking around me…..no matter anything. I think that’s what happens (to me anyways), by taking on this addiction and NOT giving in along the way….no matter what. Eventually, it stops owing you. And I happen to like being free of it. And I really like that the reason I’m free of it, is because I stood up to it, in no uncertain terms.
But because I don’t think about it, I wasn’t too sure what to say about how I got to this point, so I read through some of your posts yesterday, looking for a little inspiration.
And there it was, in black and white. The writings of those that were echo’s of my early days.
Those of you that are celebrating every successful struggle with this addiction and standing your ground no matter the challenges going on in your life? That was me.
And that was also me, that didn’t go into this with blinders on, I KNEW it was probably going to be difficult but I was going to hang on….no matter what. Because I knew what was at stake.
And that was also me in those early days….facing those cravings head on and not letting them dictate what my next move would be. Facing them and analyzing them for what they REALLY were, not for what the addiction would like me to believe. Not allowing the addiction to make me believe that I was incapable of getting through to the next moment.
AND that was also me, not going through this alone, realizing the power that comes from our numbers, and taking advantage of that power. Reaching out to others when it felt like I was coming unravelled. Leaning on others for strength.
I shared a million thoughts in those early days, months, years and when I look back now I’ve come to realize that this is something I needed to do not only to cement my own quit, but because it was important to me that others cemented theirs. Too many people that I cared about in my life have fallen prey to smoking, and its never easy knowing that it was preventable. I always hoped that in sharing my journey, someone else’s journey might also be motivated.
Anyways, on August 12, 2002 I officially had my last cigarette.
And I thought I would share that in here today. Smoking CAN be beaten.
Stay strong……the best IS yet to come.
maureen ( melder)