Strategies

These are some practical strategies for your toolbox along your journey of change and recovery! Learning new coping skills is essential as you move forward from your unhealthy relationship with tobacco or other substances.

 

Thousands of brave folks trying to quit tobacco have certainly convinced me that there are many ways to succeed at quitting. What works for one person doesn’t always work for the next person.

 

That said, I would like to keep folks from facing avoidable frustrations. There are some basic truths which I think apply to every quitter’s journey, even while we are in some ways different. Over time, brave folks have cleared a few trails up the “mountain” we call quitting. Some of those paths are well-worn, tried, and true. So why not learn from the experience of those who have gone before us?

 

 

Just Breathe

Slow, intentional, deep breathing is #GoodMedicine! Here are an assortment of GIFs that you may want to download and save on your phone. Try deep breathing with each of them and find the one that feels good to you. The ones above allow equal time for the in-breath and the out-breath. The one below adds

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Reframing Failure

Let’s face it – ‘FAIL’ is a four letter word. It’s rarely a helpful word. It’s a word with very negative connotations. It is often misused, especially when we are talking to ourselves. In my opinion (humble or otherwise) we’d be better off without the word. When we think that we have failed, we are

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besochemps

BESOCHEMPS

BESOCHEMPS If you haven’t yet heard of the 5-Headed Dragon, BESOCHEMPS, you’re either new here, or I haven’t been doing my job. (Please don’t scroll away yet – we aren’t a cult and this discussion about a 5-Headed Dragon is neither frivolous nor foolish.) Over twenty years ago I began serving brave folks intent upon

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StateWithoutStigMA

Yes or No?

Yes or no? Oh, if only it was that simple! A few months ago I noticed a billboard on my drive to one of my consulting gigs. It was sponsored by an organization that serves addicted individuals. The sign said, “Addiction is not a choice. It’s a disease.” Upon reading it my first response was

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Massachusetts Temporarily Bans All Vaping Products

Yesterday afternoon the Governor of Massachusetts, Charles D. Baker, declared a state of emergency and announced at a press conference that the state will ban the sale of all vaping products. While precise details are not available at this time (exact starting date of the ban, duration, etc.,) comments made during the presser make it

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Listen Up!

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m suggesting AGAIN that you invest a little bit of time into building a couple playlists to influence your mood. Besides helping folks adjust their moods, reduce stress, and lower anxiety, some people are even using music to manage their physical pain! Check out this legit

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Rewards

Deserve?

Any of us who are trying to build a healthy relationship with food may want to give this a careful read. Similarly, those of us trying to stop smoking or other substances, can probably remember convincing ourselves that “I deserve this reward.” I understand that seeing a slice of chocolate cheesecake as a “reward” might

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Make a moment into a memory that moves you.

This Moment

Can you take a moment with you? We’ve all experienced a moment that was deeply pleasing, deeply calming – a moment when we felt as though “all is well in the world.” Feelings like that may only last a moment before the busyness of a day intrudes and pulls us out of that beautiful moment.

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Creed

QuittersWin Core Beliefs and Group Guidelines Everyone in the community has something to learn from everyone on the community and everyone in the community has something to teach to everyone in the community. No one in the community is as strong, wise, brave, or capable as everyone in the community. Out of respect for all

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