Welcome to the first day of your smoke free life!! How has your day been?
For each successful attempt of more then 12 months, that I have had at becoming a non smoker there is one thing that has always remained the same when I have decided to quit:
I always quit just before bedtime
I believe the reason for quitting just before I sleep boils down to a couple of things:
- I want my last thoughts before I go to sleep to be a reminder that I have made a great decision to be a non smoker
- The need to deal with the nagging feeling to smoke doesn’t occur because I go to sleep within an hour of my last cigarette
- Its like a switch that tells me, yesterday is gone, when you open your eyes you truly will be … A NON SMOKER
- The adrenalin from doing something completely out of my normal routine is a wonderful natural high and I will fall asleep with these warm, fuzzy feelings
As soon as the next morning arrives and I feel myself rousing from sleep, I immediately focus on the fact that I am a non smoker.
I reflect on the warm, fuzzy feelings concerning my decision to have a smoke free life and I awake refreshed and ready for my day.
If you are like me and your first cigarette used to be immediately after waking up, instead of walking towards your favourite place where you would smoke, walk straight into the bathroom, look into the mirror, and say loudly and proudly I AM A NON SMOKER.
Turn on that shower, shake your tail feather and get on with your wonderful smoke free day!
I used to make up my own little tune to … wooohoo, I am a smoke free woman, I love my smoke free life … la dee da dee da … and that would sometimes get me through any little temptation. In fact I would hum this tune to myself even when I wasn’t tempted to smoke. It was part and parcel of reinforcing the fact that I made a great decision to be smoke free.
Make plans with your smoke free life. Celebrate each hour, each day, each week, each month, each year, that you are smoke free. Keep celebrating until it is part of your normal life and the fact that you are smoke free isn’t even an issue.
Ingrain being smoke free into your everyday smoke free life.
When I first became smoke free, I didn’t avoid smokers. During my breaks I would continue to go outside with all the smokers and I would quietly pity each and every one of them.
I know it may be difficult for you to be around the cigarette smokers, and if it is, then please, don’t feel like you have to take my path and put yourself amongst all the temptation.
For me I still liked the social chit chat of being around my peers and didn’t have an issue with them smoking. I concentrated more on the conversation that was at hand then the fact that they were smoking. If at any time I started to feel tempted I would hum my little tune and if this didn’t work id just quietly walk off.
Each of us has our own strengths and now is the time to find your individual strength when it comes to accepting your smoke free life.
Please take note:
The only change to your life will be that you no longer smoke
Beyond that fact there is not going to be any fanfare or ticker tape. There will be no magical or mystical revelation. Life will be normal. You will remain the same.
Keep these facts in mind and they will become precious tips on your journey.
You’ve come this far. Stay focused. Be true to yourself and your commitment.
Welcome to the beginning of your smoke free life!
