"I Don't Want To Die" - The Bottom Line?
by Joanne (Gold)
Joel wrote a superb response to a thread with his usual flair to get our addicted minds to do a bit more "realizing" than we do.
In a recent post, a member stated his "bottom line" for quitting ... I don't want to die" Anyway, I thought Joel's insight here warranted its own thread. The third sentence is great ...
It may help if you work a little on your bottom line. Quitting smoking should be done for more reasons than just because you don't want to die. You should be quitting because you want to live. Not only do you want to live, but you want to be healthy so that you can really live, not just exist as the world really lives around you but you are too weak or impaired to participate in it.
You should realize that you want to live free, not under the control of a product that is hurting you. You should realize that you don't want to smell like an ashtray anymore. You should realize that you don't want to waste your hard earned money any more on sustaining an active drug addiction. You should realize that you don't want to be viewed as a weak individual or have people in general questioning your overall intelligence or your good judgment because you smoke.
You should also realize you don't want to be viewing yourself the same way, wondering what is wrong with you since you still smoke. The more you realize and see smoking for what it is the happier you will be with your decision to quit and stay quit and the easier it will be to stay committed to never take another puff!
Joel
With that I'd like to share my "bottom line" or my main reason for quitting, if you will. : )
I quit smoking over three years ago, and for quite a while, my "bottom line" was...
"smoking is too scary"
Yep, smoking is still scary but my bottom line has changed. If it was said that starting tomorrow smoking no longer posed health threats, (a conjectural analogy, I know) I'd still never go back.
Why? I simply enjoy not being controlled by a drug. Especially one that was killing me. I am madly in love with the fact that my life does not orbit around a dirty, stinky, and disgusting burning piece of weed.
Being duped by my own illogical mindset - induced from a powerful addiction - was very degrading. Relating to what Marty mentioned in a thread earlier this week, each night I'd get into bed and feel bad about having gone another day imposing a deadly assault to my body.
Ohhhh that "icy" feeling in my lungs as my breathing pattern naturally slowed down for another night's rest. I yearned to quit and swore the next day would be different. I kept waiting for the right time or enough stamina to fight. The trap before me created a mirage leading me to think quitting was too difficult. It just wasn't true!
I am grateful for the understanding, and happy to testify, quitting truly is not difficult ... our addiction is difficult.
We don't have to wait for the right moment, or for great strength. We just have to take baby steps and begin the journey. The power of knowledge builds on our logical mindset which enables us to outsmart our addiction! The "one day at a time" concept, the understanding of my addiction, along with support, were my keys to breaking free.
We lose thousands upon thousands of people a year from smoking related diseases, they had to quit the "difficult" way! (WhyQuit's Smoker's Memorial)
Quitting is doable, don't let that mirage fool you ... seek logic ... life is worth it. NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!
Thanks, Joel!
Joanne
Gold Club - Because I want to "really" live
Editor's Note: Joanne Diehl was a September 1999 co-founder of Freedom, WhyQuit's original support group.
Knowledge is a Quitting Method
