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?
The quote below is attributed to Mother Theresa. While I’m quite certain others have seen and spoken this truth before and since Mother Theresa’s days on earth, I’m content to give her credit. “If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.” I’d like to take a little poetic liberty with her […]
To Love is to Forgive Read More »
Our past has the power – for better or for worse – to influence our future. When it comes to moving forward, it can be hard to know for sure what we should hold on to and what we should let go. It’s worth some time, contemplating, meditating, praying, or thinking about getting some trusted
Having the right tools for a job changes everything. When you think about positive changes you’ve made in your life, what was helpful? Consider sharing some of those “tools” with others. Your tip or support could change someone’s journey from “impossible” to “possible.” Sharing your experience can empower and inspire others! And maybe sharing with
The Right Tools Make a Big Difference Read More »
I’ve said it before and I’ll keep on saying it and trying to demonstrate it as I interact with people each day; “You don’t need to be perfect to be amazing!” Daring to make changes in our lives requires some critical thinking. We need to be honest as we look for the behaviors and characteristics
When trying to avoid relapse, remembering these tools will come in handy for sure! Please commit to memorizing them (because tools are no good if you can find them, right?) DRINK water and your body’s systems will work better, assisting in the detoxification process. The repetitive hand-to-mouth sipping may be a good replacement for hand-to-mouth
Changing our behavior can be a challenge, especially if there’s an addiction involved. At Quitters Win, we have learned that a Change Plan or Quit Plan needs to be comprehensive and cover five specific aspects. Be sure to read about BESOCHEMPS, the 5-Headed Dragon. It’s a unique and highly effective way to see and then
Today is your day! If you’re already sober, smober, or “clean” (I’m not really a fan of that word because it implies that some people are “dirty”) then today is the day that you push forward into a new or deeper daily discipline. Time to stretch your limits and walk/jog/run a little farther, meditate or
“We Double Dog Dare You!” Read More »
When we listen to music, with or without words, we are changed in measurable ways. Our hormone levels, heart rate, blood pressure and other medically measurable metrics can be influenced by what we’re listening to. I know that there are some songs that make it easier for me to drive too fast. I know we’ve
Your Ear is a Key to Your Heart Read More »
Did you mess up? Just ‘fess up So you can get up and get back on track! A slip-up isn’t the end of the world – UNLESS YOU DECIDE IT IS! So don’t! Don’t let a slip-up keep you off of your path. If it happens, it happens. There’s a bumper sticker that says “Slip
Just because something is familiar, doesn’t mean it’s right, right?! In fact if you look at the last half of the word famiLIAR, it might remind you that familiar doesn’t mean true. So sure, when you’re stressed out, reaching for a drug may be familiar, but it’s not the best answer and you deserve better.
Beware of the Familiar! Read More »
Sometimes it’s easier to stop a behavior (let’s use smoking for an example) when we first look at the other behaviors that are connected to it (behavioral triggers.) If the coffee at the kitchen table is behavioral trigger to light a cigarette, consider taking your coffee out onto the deck or the porch (WITHOUT AN
“Divide First, THEN Conquer!” Read More »
“BESOCHEMPS” PS-ychological Compulsion The PS in besochemPS is surely the slipperiest aspect of the beast – psychological compulsions. It’s quite evident that under different circumstances and to varying extents, we are all willing to participate in a behavior that we know is causing us certain harm. We’ll all quickly agree that it is not OK
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“BESOCHEMPS” EM-otional Urges EMotional urges can lead us to want to smoke (or use other substances/behaviors) as a means of avoiding unpleasant feelings. If we are feeling, for example, anxious, we’ve learned to reach for the “relief” of a cigarette. The nicotine in our brain results in the release of endorphins, which make us feel
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“BESOCHEMPS” CH-emical Cravings The CH in besoCHemps reminds us to be aware of how our body/brain have learned to depend upon a regular daily dose of a chemical. When we don’t get the drug, we can become physically uncomfortable. It’s very important that you learn to tell the difference between wanting to smoke because you’re
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BESOCHEMPS” SO-cial Triggers The SO in beSOchemps makes us aware that there are familiar SO-cial situations that can make us think about using. Notice that again, the face and the place only have the power to make us THINK about using. They can’t “make” us do it. In classes and phone coaching with smokers, I
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