THREE MONTHS QUIT???...AWWEE, SHH&%$ !!!!

Guess what? January 27th, 2012, marked my third month, Quit.

(Deliberate pause)

 Yaaaayyy! Whoop Whoop Whoop!! Whose ya' Momma!?!?!? Yeahh, Baby!!! (Rollin' arm like Arsenio Hall..Runnin' around slappin' high fives in tha air...lol.)

Okay. I had to let that out. I've been holding it pretty much all day. I shared that this is my third month Quit with folks. Some just don't seem to get it. It's okay. I'm a party all by myself. I am proud of myself for getting this far, but that does not overshadow the humility I feel for the entire process. It's a struggle on some days. I still get the automatic urge, when I'm not on my game. I acknowledge what the urge is, why I am having it, and I move the hell on. I don't have time to entertain urges anymore. The urges get NO LOVE from me.

Anyhoo. I'm still walking. Walked 1.2 miles one way. This is what happens when you're walking with someone you admire and having really good conversation. You actually walk further, faster. lol. I need to do a better job with stretching and hydrating because I got leg cramps in the middle of the night. Can we say, "OUCH!!!??".  I also need to wear better leg gear. My thighs were a bit frosty on the walk back. 

I am so thankful to the God of my understanding, for this opportunity to QUIT, and the desire to STAY QUIT. If anyone is reading this blog for the first time, and wants to quit, or is thinking about quitting, check it out. You may not have to do all of this stuff. I'm just sharing how I did it, so IF you want to, make your own plan, and work it out.

This is what I did;

I planned a month in advance, when I was going to quit. But prior to that month, I thought about Quitting, All The Time!

I smoked every day, until my Quit Time & Date. (October 27th, 2011 @ 12:01 AM.)

I made a list of reasons why I wanted to Quit.

I prepared self talk. Real conversations that only I, could have with myself about doing the right thing
and the wrong thing, and the many justifications that I came up with for my Stinkin' Thinkin'.

I believed that I could Quit. I got it in my head, that I could do this and that nothing and no one, was going to stop me. Not even ME. I did not see it as, I was losing something. I saw it as re-gaining my independence from a controlling force, that I could not see.

I gave myself options. For example, instead of smoking I could cut my hair, buy stuff (within reason), try new cocktails (within reason), anything but smoke. As far as the urges go, I could roll around on the floor, scream, kick, stretch, sing, hum, do kegals (see an earlier post about the kegals) go, WAM-TIT-BIO-LIP. Anything but take a puff, to deal with the craving. I embraced the pain of the cravings, as markers for growth and to remind myself of what its going to feel like, if I mess up on this quit.

I prepared spiritually, by chanting the Daimoku, which is "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo". (Not saying you have to do this, but some sort of meditation is helpful.) Whatever spiritual/meditative piece you use, make sure you use it in a way that permits you to get inside and deal with YOU. Shut everyone else out for this, your special time and work on repairing, loving, and forgiving YOU.

I prepared by using visualization. I imagined my Quit Self and what she looked like, how she behaved as a Non-Smoker. **She looked cute as a non-smoker...fresh, flirty, positive, bright, self-confident, ready to help others, full of energy**

I began to examine, my behavior in terms of what I believed, smoking was doing for me.  I did a lot of reflection and retraced my steps, examining how I failed my first quit that lasted five years.

I resolved to take this quit slowly...even if it meant taking it one minute at a time.

I refuse to let My Quit, get dull. I am going to have fun with this. Don't believe me? Check out some of my past posts. lol.

I prepared by buying a case of water, providing cinnamon candy and gum sexy pops (lollipops) started playing video games, increased my crochet time. I decided to take accountability for my Quit and OWN IT. It's mine. Not anyone else's.

I thought about the mind f&^% that the tobacco industry, has been playing on me and folks like me, who are nicotine addicts, all over the world.

This was NOT a part of the plan. I joined a Smoking Cessation Group, online. I L.O.V.E. IT
Believe it or not, I look forward to checking in with my Quit Buddies from time to time. I enjoy reading various posts. Let's me know that I am not alone in this quest to STAY QUIT.

The folks in the Smoking Cessation forum are so, so, so, kind. From observation, a lot of folks on/in this forum, "Pay It Forward".  It's so amazing to see. Sometimes, I get a little emotional reading how folks who will probably never meet each other, reach out and support each other through a very challenging time. It's simply amazing to observe, the level of human loving kindness in the forum.

Every day I get stronger. Every day I am more thankful. Every day I become more humble as I walk this journey to Stay Quit. I'm dedicating this blog entry to my Rocktober Family, BuddyClyde, Frank, Jim, Lori, and David in Canada, BCBabbler, Honefone, Shakti, Deez, Mistydog, LadyCity, the Moderators, and a host of other folks whom I admire for their inner strength and resolve, to simply say, "Hey, no matter what, I am NOT giving up."

This is such a wonderful journey of self discovery, self exploration, and self recovery. Every day, by the Grace of the God of my understanding, I get to find out, just how tough I think I am, in terms of being able to stay on course and to stay on my game with my Quit. So far, so good.

(((((Scrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeccchhh))))

Enough of the serious stuff!!!!!

I'm ready to dance and celebrate being Nicotine Free!!! Come on!! Everybody who has Quit and is Staying Quit, party with me!!  Shucks, even if you haven't stopped smoking yet and are just thinkin' about it, let's go!! Click the video and where Justin says, "I'm bringin' sexy back," say, "I'm bringin' Smokeless back.."  We'll figure what to do with the rest of the lyrics later....for right now, "Raise your hands in the air...and wave em'  like you just don't care...if you've drowned the sticks, and you're ready to Quit, somebody say, "OH YEAH!!!!"

One Human Love,
Obi.

"We're Bringin' Smokeless Back!!!"

Those folks still smokin' don't know how to act..lolololol.