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John S. So, just what was it about smoking that was so...
John S. So, just what was it about smoking that was so amazing and wonderful that you feel the need to return to it? 2017
So, just what was it about smoking that was so amazing and wonderful that you feel the need to return to it? Your entire struggle with quitting is just one tiny puff away from a full blown relapse.
And, no, there isn't a slip, there is a relapse. Period. You smoke or you don't, as addicts there is no gray area and there is no such thing as being social smokers or occasional smokers, we had our chance to be that and we dicked it up, we chose to take it to excess and continue doing that for decades.
What is it that you love about it? Wheezing? Coughing? Bad breath? Smelling like an ashtray? Being a social pariah? Do you miss those things? Maybe you were unlucky enough to get cancer or COPD, boy those sure make smoking worth it.
Is there really ANYTHING at all to love about smoking? Anything whatsoever? There isn't for me. So if you can't love it then you either are neutral or you hate it. I'm neutral about bread, but I'll eat it (sometimes). I'm neutral about dark chocolate but I'll eat it (sometimes). I'm neutral about smoking so I'll do it (sometimes)... nope, sorry that doesn't work.
So if we don't love it and it's not neutral then what? Hate it? I hate liver so I never touch it. I hate raccoon so I don't eat it. I hate Yugo's so I don't drive on. Yes, this fits much more into my wheelhouse, I don't do things I hate.
So I'll hate smoking. I'll hate it because I refuse to buy into the bullsh!t I told myself that smoking was good for. I'll hate it not because some "big tobacco" told me to do it, but for me ignoring everyone telling me that smoking was wrong and unhealthy.
I know if I hate it I'll never do it again.
Same question about my quit. Do I hate it? No, I want to keep quitting. Am I neutral about it? No, because that means I only quit sometimes. Loving my quit is the only answer left.
So, really, it's pretty easy when you think about it: hate smoking and love quitting. Love your quit, hate the cigarette. I can lament all day long about a craving or I can come to the logical resolution that I love my quit and I hate smoking.
I'll do this each and every day and, as a result, I will win each and every day.
In honor of a really good guy who is vacationing in America I'll simply add this: #smokingisstupid