Saying goodbye to an addiction that has held us prisoner for decades involves more than just recovery from the physical need to smoke. For most of us, letting go of the habit signals a powerful emotional release as well.
Over the years, About.com Smoking Cessation Forum members have contributed personal accounts of the psychological liberation that smoking cessation brings, and they've sometimes done it in the form of goodbye letters.
Photo © Stockxpert
I'd like to introduce you to Jamie, who quit smoking just over a week ago. Her goodbye letter, while unique to her personal experience, details the slavery anyone who has been addicted to nicotine feels.
Read her account and see if you don't agree...and if you feel motivated to, write your own goodbye letter.
Photo © Jamie
As hard as it can be to go through, smoking relapse is a powerful teacher. Each failed quit attempt provides valuable clues about how to manage and ultimately overcome the discomforts of our recovery from nicotine addiction.
Here at About.com Smoking Cessation we have a feature that allows all of you to share your experiences and lessons learned from relapse.
Relapse: Our Stories
You're sure to come away inspired by the stories shared here, and who knows...you might just find the one piece of advice that allows you to make this quit attempt the one that lasts you a lifetime.
So, kick off your shoes, put your feet up and do a little reading. And if you're so inclined, offer your own perspectives - we'd love to hear from you.
Related:
With nearly 800 topics covered on About.com these days, there is certainly no shortage of good reading material available at your fingertips. This week I've selected several articles from around About.com to inspire you as you move through recovery from nicotine addiction and beyond.
Fun Ways to Live Longer -- About.com Longevity
Creating a Gratitude Journal -- About.com Stress
Using Exercise to Help You Manage Depression -- About.com Exercise
Owning Our Quits
When we quit smoking, it is only natural to expect friends and loved ones to share in the excitement of what we are working to accomplish. We want them to understand just how important and how difficult the challenge of leaving nicotine behind is for us.
While many of us do receive support from loved ones, we may find that it wanes within a short amount of time, or worse, that there is a level of unspoken jealousy from friends and family who, for a variety of reasons, might actually want us to fail at smoking cessation.
Own Your Quit Program!
Whether we're trying to lose a few extra pounds, get our finances in order or quit smoking, success depends on our commitment to the task. We cannot hope to have long-lasting results in transforming our lives if we're doing it for someone else. It is only when the change we're after is solidly rooted in our own inner desire that we are in a position to succeed.
Own your quit.
Quit smoking for yourself only, and don't let others shake your confidence as you move through the recovery process. The reasons they cannot be supportive are always about their own issues, not yours.
If you find yourself facing a bad attitude from someone you care about, put your blinders on and pay no attention. Move forward with determination, and connect with like-minded people here at About.com Smoking Cessation who will support you, every step of the way.
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Take The Quit Smoking Monday Pledge
Healthy Monday encourages us to think of for ourselves. If you're still smoking, put your cigarettes down and get started on your quit program today.
We all have the ability to quit smoking successfully, and we all deserve a life that is free of addiction. Honor your life by choosing Monday as the day to start and reinforce your quit program.
You can quit smoking ... and we're here to help you, one simple Monday at a time.
Image © healthymonday.org
