Calm B4 The Storm...

I am venting, so this will be all over the place - forgive me for poor sentence structure and the tone.

I am pissed off. I do not like when folks don't plan well, and then expect other folks to pick up the pieces when they &#%* up.

This is why I don't initiate or volunteer for anything unless I know that I can complete the project from start to finish. I really do not like being put into this predicament because I am a fixer. My natural inclination is to fix things that appear to be broken or on their way to being destroyed. I think folks know this, and they try to take advantage of it. They know that I don't want to see the folks I care about, fail or their events fall apart.

I am upset. I am really upset. I also do not like people who want to get the glory for work that they don't do. As a person in a leadership position, I have never felt that I am so high and mighty, that I can not get my hands dirty when my help is needed or when something just needs to be done. I don't operate that way.

People don't get it. Leadership has Every-Damned-Thing to do with being of SERVICE to the folks who are on your team! Not dictating to them about what they should be doing! I am typing because I f*#^&ing refuse to smoke a cig to deal with how I feel right now. Smoking isn't the answer and it damn sure doesn't solve the problem.

Smoking just delays the inevitable and clouds my judgement in a way that will make me appear to be calmer. I want this energy. I will use it to do what I need to do, to work this out.

The answer is dealing squarely with how I am feeling and not squashing my voice, which I feel could be a reason that I smoked.  It kept me quiet and with the appearance that I could keep calm in the face of chaos.

Hell, I'm calm right now. I am calm and still. Like the wind before a tsunami.

I actually feel better now, and I didn't need to smoke to get here. Just needed another way to blow off some steam.

Somebody is gonna catch the &^%$#@^ wrath.

Peace, Love, and NicoFREEDOM, dammit!!

I'm out.

Thankful for Family, The Gift of Friends, Grandma's Candied Yams & Being Smoke Free.. :o)

So, I am now a month out. I got through Thanksgiving. It wasn't that bad.
I just paced myself to keep from hitting that full feeling that triggered the desire
to smoke. I just ate smaller portions. The food was great as usual this year.
Everyone brought a dish. Mommie really put on a great spread. Grandma made
the candy yams, and I made the cabbage. Yumm-meee!

Family is a blessing, regardless of what "family" looks like to the outside world.

While I was clearing the table, last Thursday, I had what some might call a
"personal revelation" of sorts about the choices we make in life.
After thinking it through, I was able to apply it to My Quit as a learning tool.

Whether a person Quits or not, is really about a choice. It starts out in the mind
and eventually manifests itself in our actions, meaning, how we approach and work
on our Quit. In what I have observed about myself is, the passion to STAY QUIT,
even in a stressful situation, is actually more intense than the desire to smoke.

Let's say, a person decides not to quit. That's okay. No, really, it is.
It's his/her choice. Some folks are resolute in their decision that they won't quit.
My thought is, they shouldn't if they really do not want to. 

But here is where it gets interesting though. Folks don't like the consequences of their choices, when the choice manifests into something that brings them pain, or something that they can''t control. See, folks aren't as resolute when their choices become burdens.

Now let's say, a person decides to quit. This too, is okay. It is his/her choice. Even though quitting, is the better choice for some, let us not be fooled, because here too lies a certain level of discomfort (the withdrawal), in the beginning, which sometimes leads to fear, for some reluctant to Quit.

See, both choices are going to bring a certain level of pain/discomfort.
It's all about when you're ready to deal with it, OR when you've abandoned all control and IT'S ready to deal with you. I also think it's about choosing to have control over your life, or to permit the addiction to keep controlling you.

Ultimately, we all have a choice to make; the question is, can you handle it?

Me? My choice is to not to have the addiction to nicotine, control my movement, my ability to cope, my ability to relate, or my spending. Seriously, I'm not too keen on people, whom I CAN see, trying to control me, so therefore having an addiction, that I CAN'T see, controlling me, is totally out of the damned question.  (I apologize for the emphasis. I just get a little ticked off at the thought of the addiction.)

I don't mean to come off as, over-zealous about My Quit. I won't lie. I do have my challenging moments. It's just that when I think of the planning/strategy/marketing that goes into keeping us addicted, it boggles my mind. How could people be so greedy, that they are willing to kill folks slowly for a buck? Never mind. Not gonna get on my soapbox.

Shifting gears, I learned something about My Quit today. Something very precious. In an earlier post, I shared that I wasn't going to tell anyone about My Quit. I was prepared to go it alone.

I joined an online support group today.

That is the last thing I thought I would do, as I am very protective and insistent on being accountable for, and controlling the progress of, My Quit. Well, what I learned was, that  I was holding My Quit so tight to my chest, that when two gentlemen from the Support Group gave me encouragement, it made me cry. My reaction was so unexpected. It was like a ton of bricks fell away from me. I didn't realize, that I was holding onto My Quit like a life preserver - afraid to share it - for fear I would lose it - and fail.

After I wiped my eyes, I unlocked the grip I had on My Quit - stood back - gave it some breathing room to look around - to get to know me better. I learned that My Quit needs space to grow with information, and support, and it needs space to breathe the breath of life. The life that others bring, by way of sharing.

My Quit is a part of me. It is a living, breathing part of me.

"Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom."
"Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
Lao Tzu ~ The Tao Te Ching

Big Shout Out to BuddyClyde for the inspiration!! :o)

Love, Peace, Balance & Nicofreedom to each and every one.
Waughndaye

The Taste of Change...

Okay, so I had a great weekend. Hung out with some friends. Had the craving to smoke but, I DID NOT DO IT! WHY YOU ASK? Well, the reason why I did not do it is because I knew, if I had smoked, I would immediately throw up.  For some reason, when I stop smoking, and then smoke while drinking, it turns into a complete disaster. It's like the nicotine/smoke hits my tummy and turns it inside out. It literally makes me ill. I mean, sick to the point of being in bed for several days. Not sure what that's about, and right now, I don't even care.

Anyhoo, I am having the strangest cravings. I want kosher dill pickles, hot sauce on everything and chocolate. Gotta do some research to find out why other than everything is starting to taste marvelous.  I even did a hot sauce comparison to identify the undertones in three different brands. I loved it. lol. I am going to be as candid as I possibly can in my journal without making myself appear to be insane..lol. Am I eating more? YES! There, I said it. Am I trying to stop it? Only with certain foods. I don't do massive portions of stuff like rice. I don't get stupid with the chocolate, but I will pinch a piece. I do get happy with veggies like cabbage. (Don't stand down wind from me after an hour, because you will get hurt.)

I veg out on Wasabi peas. I love trail mix. I love pickles. I find I crave vinegary hot stuff. Hmm..what's that about? 

Guess what? I told one person about My Quit. She was so proud of me. While it felt good to share it, I was still somewhat reserved about it. See, I know the professionals say that folks should tell family and friends, however, this is MY QUIT. It's mine! I own it! I am accountable to ME for my progress - not anyone else. The way I see it, the only person who can keep me Quit is ME. My logic is, they couldn't make me stop. I was the one, who made ME stop - so, I am the only one who gets to complain, dictate, direct, berate, keep me in check, yell at me, and watch my progress. To me, telling them about My Quit, is like giving them a say over something they really never controlled to begin with.

Speaking of control, something came to me the other day, when I felt stress and wanted to smoke.
Before My Quit, I remember saying things like, "That is getting on my nerves, I need to smoke." or "This person is pissing me off, let me go smoke."  Here's my question; Why in the hell do we give people more power over our actions than they deserve?

In essence, what we're doing is, giving a person or situation, control and power to "force" us to behave/respond a certain way, in order to cope with an experience. Are we that weak? Are we that unconscious? Are we that easily led? I was, when it came to smoking - just being honest.

How we behave to people, places, and things, boils down to a choice - even when we feel we haven't made one.

I'm gonna go lay down. It's been a long day.

Happy Holidays to everyone. Thanksgiving is Thursday. YUM!!

Peace, Courage & Freedom to each and every one of you,
Waughndaye

Three Weeks....Nicotine Free...Imagine That. :o)

In an effort to be as forthright as I can, about quitting, I'm going to share one of the first things I did while preparing for MY QUIT.  See, part of my goal with MY QUIT, is to de-mystify the process, so that folks won't think it's easier or harder than it truly is. 

When it comes to Quitting, one of the things I strongly believe is, as Yoda said, "Do, or do not, there is no try." That may sound harsh, but there is a reason for it. There is value in the struggle to improve ourselves.

I decided that I needed to perform a Mental Detoxification for myself. What that means is, I had to clean my mind of the junky thoughts I had, concerning smoking. I had to get real with myself, and make the hard self statements.

The following are some of the statements that I came up with for My Mental Detox.  You can come up with your own. Yes, I still go back and read them from time to time.

 Mental Detoxification
1. The woman you are becoming, does not smoke.

2. You are trying to reclaim that woman who quit before and who was a vegetarian, remember her?  
    The one who you consistently ask about her whereabouts?

3. Your chest hurts. Your back hurts. Your heart is feeling funny when you smoke.

4. Your throat hurts when you speak for long periods of time.

5. The inner part of your nostrils smell horrible.

6. You did not come into the world smoking, so you can stop.

7. Take very small steps once you stop. It all starts with one step. Seconds lead to minutes, Minutes lead to Hours, Hours lead to Days, Days lead to Weeks, Weeks lead to Months, and Months lead to Years.

8. Don’t be a slave to the corporations who are relying on your unconsciousness. Common sense tells you not to eat or drink poison. Think deeply about what you are doing and the mind f*ck that’s being played on you, for you to keep doing it.

9. You are a strong woman. Your mind is strong. Once Waughndaye makes up her mind, she sticks with it. You are not weak. Your Mind controls your Body. Your mind is in control, not the cravings.

10. It’s going to hurt. Don’t fear the hurt, it’s a part of the healing. Embrace the pain, take it like a Trooper, and know that it will not last. Every time you feel the withdrawal, know that it is the nicotine and chemicals screaming because they are dying - SO LET THEM DIE!

11. You’ve done this before. Remember the anguish you went through before? The mind f*ck that you went through? The subliminal bullsh*t?

12. Don’t look back, with regret or doubt that you're doing the right thing.


It may sound corny, but what Yoda is teaching Luke Skywalker, is critical to what we must learn, as individuals who are kicking nicotine.

Take a moment to really listen to what Yoda is saying, and contemplate what it really means.

I'm sleepy now. I am going to lay down.

Peace, Love, & Freedom
Waughndaye

UPDATE: The Sacred, 21st Day.....

Today marks my 21st day of being nicotine free. Why is today, or this number so sacred? Well, let's examine. Seven (7) is said to be a sacred number because it is the number of completion. Multiply 7 by three (3) which is also said to also represent completion, and contain past, present and future, and we have twenty-one (21). It is said that it takes 21 days to break a habit. Twenty one days to complete leaving the past to change the present and improve the future, in ones life.

Here is the irony. Today, I really craved a cigarette, more than I have since I quit, for some strange reason. Mind you, I made absolutely no effort to get one, but the craving was ultra-strong. I thought to myself, "The failing feeling of breaking My Quit, will last longer than the rush of the dopamine from the nicotine," and I was just fine. I was fine because it was true.

For those who may not know, I quit CT (Cold Turkey). This was the best option for me, because it made logical sense, for ME. I stress that because CT may not be cool for someone else making the effort to Quit or to Stay Quit.

Like I have stated in my other posts, I don't judge folks for the methods they choose to quit. Who I do judge are the misfits who simply want to make a buck off of keeping folks addicted to nicotine by other means, by making them believe that they are choosing a less harmful means of getting nicotine.

Think about something for a minute. If you were addicted to cocaine, why would you use a product with measured doses of cocaine, in order to quit cocaine? Do you ever really quit, or is this just another perspective of the addiction.

Just a re-cap if you're reading this for the first time; I quit because I wanted to. This is not my first quit. I stayed quit for five years, before a tragedy occurred in my life, to several loved ones.  I didn't just wake up one day and do it. I planned a month ahead and smoked every day up until the minute for me to quit. I did a lot of visualization, meditation, and preparation. No, it wasn't easy. What made it more tolerable, those first days of withdrawal, was I refused to fail. This is not to say that folks who relapse are failures. No. Not at all. Everyone is different. It just wasn't an option for me. I am stubborn like that. If I don't want to do something, 9 times out of 10, I won't do it, no matter what it is.

Do I still get cravings? Yes. Have I been around smokers since I quit? Yes. Have I had a drink since I quit? Yes. I've even had the Smoking Dream that jacked me up..lol.

I have given up the lies I tell myself, to justify smoking. I know what they are, and while they made me feel good, they didn't make sense. I just got tired of lying to someone I loved; ME.

There is something that I want to share with folks who are still smoking. If you do not want to quit, then don't. It will only make you miserable, if you quit and really don't want to. However, if you want to quit, do it because YOU want to. The want or desire has to come from within you, to the point, that you will not sacrifice your Quit for anything or anyone.

It may sound like bullsh*t, but it is okay to take YOUR QUIT, one second, one minute, one hour, at a time. I did. The interesting thing about time is that, it keeps moving, even if we don't want to, or are finding it hard to make it through. Time is gonna keep moving, whether we like it or not. Why not take advantage of that fact, and roll with it.

I'm not gonna bore anybody with horror stories about smoking. I didn't want to hear them when I smoked, so I'm not gonna do it to anyone else.

For you guys who are newly Quit, hit me up in an email or leave a comment. Let me know how you're doing. I'd love to hear from you.

And here's something funny, I don't know if it's my imagination or what, but I'd swear that I am walking faster these days.

Okay, I'm sleepy now. I'm gonna lay my body down.

Peace, Love, & Freedom,
Waughndaye.

UPDATE: Dream a Smoky Dream??

So, I'm into my 20th day of being Smoke/Nicotine free. Last night, was like most other nights. I listened to some Dharma talks, showered, put my pajamas on and went to sleep.

(Deliberate pause)

SO, WHY DID I DREAM I WAS SMOKING????????   HELLO!?!!??

When I woke up this morning, I was so hurt and upset. I believed that I really smoked. In the dream, I could feel it. The sting of the nicotine coursing through my veins, on my skin. I could smell the burning tobacco.

I did my research and  I found Thank God, I found that this was quite common amongst ex-smokers. Actually, it's healthy to have this dream, especially when the person comes to the realization that he or she is an ex-smoker - which I did.

It was just so real. I was so pissed with myself. I really believed that I broke My Quit.

I'm so happy that it was only a dream.

I am still smoke/nicotine free. YAAAAAY!!!

11/11/11 @ 11:11:11

What does it mean to you?

Did you do anything special?

Did you feel any different?

I'm still smoke free

 so, that means a lot to me! :o)

Update: Two Weeks Quit.....

Wow!!! In a few hours, 

I will be two weeks QUIT!

How do I feel? Honestly, at times, I have moments where I feel lost. Especially after I finish doing something or when I get in my car. The feeling is like there is something that I am forgetting to do.
Then, all of a sudden I will say to myself, "You don't smoke anymore, and this is where you would usually smoke a cigg." Then I go, "Oh, that's right." lol.

One of the things that I have definitely noticed is that my smoking is definitely tied to my emotions. I've noticed that when something big happens, and I get excited, or upset, I want to smoke.

I think I've been dealing quite well with my quit. I think it's because I'm not feeling the physical withdrawal, at this point, it's totally mental. The fact that I am aware of what is going on with me at this point, helps me to reject smoking.

What I mean is, I know that I really don't want to smoke, and that it's just the people, places, and situations that are acting as triggers.

I'm not going to sugar coat this. Yes. I still have hard moments, but check this out, I wouldn't even call them moments. The are more like sparks, that come and go really quickly.

I'm still excited about being SmokeFree. I do know that I feel different about myself and about my life in general.  After I get a month or two under my belt, I want to try to slowly incorporate some new things into my life, and remove other things.

I don't know if this makes sense, but I feel spiritually grounded. Yes, I am still doing my odaimoku (NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO). I do believe that this has played a major part in my recovery  from nicotine. I also pray the Lords Prayer and I sit and pray for people in general, especially folks I've seen during the day. I pray for all children and all elderly people. The rest of you all can fend for yourselves--just kidding. lol. I just love children and the elders and I believe they should have respected places in the life cycle.

My prayer for everyone reading My Quit Journal, is that if there is something in your life that you want to change, that each of you have the courage, the will, the peace, the grounding, the patience, the support, or whatever it may be that you need, to make it happen.

Thank you, Lord.  For the last two weeks, and on this day, I have not smoked. I have not given into weakness or given into temptation.

I would really like to hear from folks who have quit. Let me know how you're doing.

Till next time.

Peace, Love, & SmokeFreedom,
Waughndaye

Sometimes, you have to laugh through the pain :o)

Okay, I found another picture that just had me in tears, 

and also spoke to My Quit, in a very humorous way.





I saw this online, and I could not resist sharing it.

It just reinforces My Quit in a most humorous way!!!

I LOVE IT!!

UPDATE: "Seven Whole Days...And Not a Puff from You...."

"Seven whole nights, (aaaahh) I'm just about through...can't take it, won't take it, can't take it, no...I've had about enough from you, I don't wanna smoke no more, yes...smoke no more..."

Anybody familiar with the Toni Braxton hit, "Seven Whole Days," knows the tune I'm singing.

YAAAAY ME!! One week!! Whoop Whoop!! (circa 1991 Arsenio Hall)
"Uhm, I'd like to thank the Academy!!"  I'm just kidding (lol). 
I am truly grateful to the God of my understanding that I am still Quit. This isn't easy, but then anything worth doing, never is. *wink*.

Well, last night was the test. I was out with smokers. I did not smoke. Was it hard?
Are bullfrogs wet? The urge came and kinda camped out right in front of me. I just simply refused to give in to the temptation. I was like a virgin holding on to her chastity belt for dear life.

I didn't look at them while they were smoking. I concentrated on everything else around me. I broke out my Tick Tacks, then my Soft Peppermints and lastly a Red Hot (Cinnamon candy) or two. I did okay.

No one asked why I wasn't smoking. I guess everyone was preoccupied with the movie we were watching.

I noticed today that my chest hurts. Not really bad, I just notice a twinge now and then.

I also noticed that my taste buds are back. I still can't stand the taste of food on my tongue after I eat. Blegh!!  I have to clean my palete after I eat. My buds are like, overwhelmed.

I wonder if there are any Sommeliers who smoke. Hmm. If so, how can they accurately taste fine wine or fine liquor?

What in the hell made me think of Sommeliers?

Anyhooo, I am so loving the fact that I am not smoking. Earlier today, I was sitting in the car, wondering if I needed to run to the store, before I cut off the ignition. I thought about it said to myself, "I have juice, I have peppermints, I have water...." and my thought trailed off, but I laughed to myself when I said, out loud, "Well, I damn sure don't have to buy any ciggs." And I cut off the ignition and went into the house, smiling.

Somebody reading this may think to themselves, "Why is she making such a big deal about this?" I make a big deal about this because the more I examine/analyze my own addiction, the more I see that this is about more than quitting smoking. This is just a small piece of the addictive society that we have become. What makes this entire smoking thing so demoralizing, is that there are folks making money off of the fact that they have control over a lot of people through the use of an addicting substance like nicotine. Here's the punch in the gut; marijuana is illegal (in some states), which can help with a slew of medical conditions, but nicotine? You can purchase ciggs over the counter. Think about it. You can purchase this sh&* over the counter.  (I AM NOT SUPPORTING THE USE OR SALE OF MARIJUANA so don't email me any cute little leaves talkin' about Right on, Sis. - Get outta here with that..lololol)

Now, these companies are banking on a few things. They are banking on us staying addicted. They are banking on us trying to quit, enter stage left, the patches, the gums, and the e-ciggs. You can best believe they have their hands in that too. What kind of world do we live in, where people actually profit off of getting folks addicted, keeping them addicted, and then killing them slowly? Wait, we're not talking about the KNOWN drug dealers, yanno, the ones that stand on the corners and stuff. I'm talking about the ones who sit behind a desk and project profits based upon getting/keeping folks addicted?!?!

Somebody might also be saying, "Oh it was easy for you to quit."  Nope. It wasn't and even as I type this, still isn't. It's not easy for anyone. Which leads me to make this comment based upon my observation. A lot of people seem to want to avoid the pain of quitting Cold Turkey. Some folks don't want to be honest and deal with the pain of withdrawal.

Look, there are payoffs and consequences in life with everything that we do. I don't mean to come off harsh, but let's not sugar coat this. THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO QUIT. YOU WILL FEEL SOME DISCOMFORT. It comes with the territory. It's like if you gain weight, and you want to lose it, you will have to exercise. THERE WILL BE SOME DISCOMFORT. So, just prepare yourself for it.

If I had my way, we'd all be able to quit effortlessly, but that isn't the reality. I value my quit process more, because I can tap into the pain. Not wanting to go through feeling the pain has kept me Quit, so far.

If you are smoking, while you are reading this. It's cool. Quit when YOU are ready. That is the only way it will work. If anyone has quit recently, leave a comment - tell me how you're holdin' up.

I was ready to quit. So, I did. Every day that I stay Quit, is a day that I am one day farther from this addiction, and it makes me feel better about my ability to release myself from this ball and chain.

Peace & SmokeFreedom

Waughndaye

1 Week Smoke Free and I AM GRATEFUL.....

Shout Out to Photos-Public-Domain.com for such beautiful pictures.

I Am Grateful

I am grateful for the opportunity to Quit.

Lord, please help me to

make the most of this opportunity to

Stay Quit.

Thanks

Waughndaye Wonstep Attatyme

Six Days....

Six days. Imagine that. Am I in disbelief? No. Just grateful. I think with this post, I will try to be more specific about my Smoke Hx, what I do in crisis mode, and what I have been doing overall to stay quit.

Okay, I have been smoking off and on since I was about hmm..nineteen? It started when I was in college. I stopped for about 3 years, and started up again. If I remember strait, mostly all of the men I dated smoked. Yeah. They did. When I dated men who didn't smoke, I didn't smoke around them, even if it meant I didn't smoke for days.

I averaged about eight cigs a day. I rarely smoked a whole cig in a sitting. It was too much for me. I would put it out and light it again, maybe three times. I just wanted a hit to knock off the pang, until the next pang came.

Some folks might say, I wasn't a real smoker because I didn't smoke a pack a day. That's cool. To each, his/her own. All I know is, I had to stop because it was getting on my nerves.

Here is something interesting. I can't stand the smell of other folks cigs. I don't like full, messy ashtrays.

Last night I had a close call, but I reacted quickly to the stressful moment. Like I shared, nobody in my family knows I am Quit. I don't want them to modify their behavior, to accommodate me. That to me, wouldn't be living My Quit, in a true environment.

There was a slight fall out/argument within the family last night. My roles in the family, are "interpreter", "mediator", and "peacemaker".  At the height of the disagreement, voices escalated. I slowly reared back in my chair, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath from my tummy and took about 5 fire breaths through my nostrils, and then one deep breath again. I was fine. I sipped on some apple juice, and ignored the rest of the fall out, which didn't last long. When it was time to leave, I gave out hugs and I departed.

I've increased my vitamin C. Rite Aid sells this cool Fast Dissolving Vitamin C. [pregnant pause]
Okay, okay, okay!! The real reason I am liking the vitamin C is that it tastes like orange flavored candy. SHEESH! (LMAO!!).

I'm also meditating and praying to keep myself centered in the evening. In the morning, I'm actually pausing and thinking about what I want for myself for the day.

Am I still getting urges? Yes. The ones on auto-pilot. They mainly come when I am in the middle of doing something or in response to me finishing something. Are they lasting as long as they did six days ago? Nope, which is cool. I've had two since typing this. I would usually smoke while doing paperwork/typing.

I'm still a wee bit itchy. It's my arms. Not much though. I'm starting to wonder now if it's my eczema. I'm just being honest, it has crossed my mind to smoke again. What's stopped me? Knowing what it will feel like, to start all over again, from day one. That burning-sinking feeling of nicotine surging through my body again. I don't want to fail and I want to be a non-smoker.

I noticed yesterday that after I came up the steps, my recovery time for heavy breathing, dropped dramatically. There was no perspiration involved. I just took two deep breaths and then my normal breathing pattern returned.

Here's another reason why I haven't told anyone in family or my friends that I am Quit. I feel, that if I tell somebody, actually put the words into the air, that I will jinx myself and all my hard work, discipline, prayer, etc., will just fall down around my knees. I realize that sounds illogical, unreasonable, and just plain stupid, but hey-that's how I feel.

I'm gonna go check out some news. I'm thinkin' about moving this to Facebook. Not sure if anyone is even reading these posts.

Peace and SmokeFreedom
Won

Strange Territory - Actual Application of Quit Plan Strategies

11:53 PM: I am approaching the end of my fourth day Quit.

My challenge today was wanting to smoke while I was driving and after I had accomplished some tasks during the day. How I dealt with the driving urge was, I smiled to myself, realized what it was, began my deep breathing from my tummy and started chanting the Odiamoku (Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) and I felt much better. In fact, the urge just vanished in less time than it has been.

The other chant that I do is, Om Mani Pedme Hum. This really, really brings me to center. One of the most beautiful versions of this chant is done by Ani Choying Dolma. Check her out on YouTube, if you like. Ani Choying teaching the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra

One of the things I also practiced early on, when I thought about quitting, was EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Initially, I didn't use it with the intent to quit smoking. I just enjoyed the tapping. I tried this out for myself, during a very shaky moment. It worked for me. Maybe it will work for you too.  Quit Smoking with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

Remember, one of my goals here in addition to blogging about My Quit, is to share information; FREE INFORMATION without pressure. For those of you wondering, I am not a Buddhist. I am finding however that practicing meditation, chanting, centering and prayer is going  a long way. Your way may be different, and that's cool. It just has to be something that YOU can use that gives you strength and balance from within.

I said before that I don't judge folks who use medications and what not, because quitting is hard. What I do judge is the industry that wants to keep folks addicted by one way or another.

Yes, My Quit is Cold Turkey. The operative phrase here is, "MY QUIT".  I am taking myself out of the game - one second, one minute, one hour, one day, one week, one month at a time.

Something funny I noticed today too. My sense of smell has heightened. I thought I was going to hurl at the smell of someone eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Imagine that?!? And I loved those things as a kid.

Ah Well, The Journey Continues.....
Peace and Smokefreedom :o)
Won