Couldn't be more ecstatic about my new smoke-free life (thanks SSC for showing me how!). Don't think about it much these days except as a vehicle to try to help others.

 

I think it was Henry Ford that said "Whether you think you can or you think you can't - you're right". So true!

 

Penitent

 

 

 

 

Seconding that this morning Ashley and Bumping up this thread..

 

Another great post Breather.

 

 

 

Hi breather,

 

I love your addiction insights. I don't think it helps us to pretend that nicotine addiction is any different than addiction to the "bad"/ illegal drugs. Addiction is addiction, with all the physical and psychological components.

 

Learning how to maintain our own headspace and happiness without the addictive chemical is, indeed, critical to moving on. I have been coming to the conclusion that happiness is not necessarily a joyful or euphoric state (although I can sometimes get those, even without the chemicals). Instead, it is more like having perspective and hope, regardless of whether the present moment is and up or a down one.

 

I'm envisioning a little fishing bobber atop the water. There will be calm days, and stormy days, sunny days, rainy days, etc. We can't change that. All we need to do is keep on floating with the knowledge that "this, too, shall pass."

I don't know about anyone else but as a recovering addict I tend to have the ability to throw the proverbial monkey wrench into the works. There isn't anything that has to happen. It can be a good day or a bad day , doesn't matter. We stay smoke free on a daily basis by not smoking but the question is " how do we really feel about this ". Are we truly happy in our abstinence ? It took me a long time to crawl out of the 43 year 2 pack a day smoking pit that I was in and after a few years that void in me is no longer there. I've learned from experience that being unhappy is a recipe for relapse. Are we merely going through the motions of not smoking on a daily basis or have we found a better way to live our lives without the use of an ingested stimulant ? I would suggest that staying smoke-free has less to do with smoking , dipping or chewing than it has to do with learning how to live another way of life and being happy with our new found lifestyle. I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said " A person is about as happy as they make up their mind to be". Excellent for you for not smoking and being happy about it. breather