In getting to the advanced age that I am (smile), I have experienced many
obstacles in my life's path. I know it is up to us as human beings to get
past those challenges and on with the next challenge but some times it's
not
so easy as all that. I know you know what I mean. My quitting smoking
was
probably the biggest challenge I will ever meet. It affected me in ways I
never knew when I was smoking. You know.. I just lit up every time my
body
signaled me. Without thought and with seemingly no consequence. Boy..
if
I only knew then what I know now about lighting up and puffing away. If
only..
I wrote often in the past about quit depression and about what it takes to
quit smoking for good. I wrote about all of the challenges that one faces
when one decides they've had enough. I wrote about the number of times it
took for me to find the right key to quitting for good (Cognitive
Quitting.com) and the shame that went with that number. All of these
things
that I have written about are the negatives of quitting smoking. There is
nothing pretty about it. It changes your life forever and you must be
willing to take on that challenge of change. But..
Let me tell you of the positives. These are the things that came about
because I took on the challenge of quitting smoking.
I have a co-worker who is a smoker. Has been her whole life. I love her
to
pieces. But I know when she needs a break because her mind shuts down
because all she can think about is needing a smoke. Since I have no room
to
judge another when it comes to smoking, I relieve her and have her go take
a
break. Isn't it ironic that it is me breaking her instead of someone
having
to break me because I can't go another step until I can get nicotine in
me?
Oh yeah..
I went out to dinner with some friends the other night. Great crew and
we've been buddies for a long time. However, one of my girlfriends still
smokes. After dinner, we were all sitting around the table laughing and
spilling our guts about our lives and she excuses herself. I actually
went
outside with her because I didn't want her to feel isolated. But yet she
is
isolated because of her nicotine habit. I know her excuses for not
quitting. I've said them all myself.. many times. But that doesn't take
away from the fact that she's still outside - BECAUSE SHE HAS NO CHOICE -
puffing away while everyone else is inside giggling and talking and
sharing.
I get to giggle and talk and share now too! No excusing myself from the
group unless I choose to. Now that's sweet.
I have a sister who is a smoker in the early stages of COPD. I have read
there are those like her in this newsgroup. My heart goes to all of you
as
the struggle must be an exceptional one. But when I was talking to her
the
other day, she started coughing and we had to stop the conversation until
she could regain her breath. Now.. health reasons alone were never
enough
to keep me quit. That was always one reason that was easy for me to get
past. But nowadays when I wake up in the morning, I no longer spend the
first minutes clearing my lungs of gunk just to get started in the
morning.
I do a lot of walking, whether at work or at play, and I don't have to
stop
to catch my breath. In watching my grandsons wrestle, I climb a lot of
bleachers and find I can do that easily. My thinking seems clearer. My
body seems lighter. In other words, there are positive and valid health
reasons for quitting smoking and I seem to be enjoying all of them. Can
you feel my HUGE smile?
The list is much longer but I need to scoot to work now. I know each of
you
can find your own positive that came out of your courage to quit smoking.
I
encourage you to find what works for you and make it happen because in the
long run, these positives really do outweigh the negatives. And once you
find your key to quitting this habit and regaining your life, you will
finally get to walk away from the 'if only's'.. If only I knew then.. with
a
new and all of the positive reasons 'now'. Life is truly exceptional for
me
now.
Good morning to all of you. It remains worth it all.
PatB/Yukpa ha****
|
