Smoking freedom in 20 days: Day 2

The philosophy behind my 20 day program is to help you think in a new way that will help you acomplish what you want to succeed at in life. If you change your thinking you will change. If you were forced to live with 200 people who are dying of cancer for 10 days you would quite easily quit because your brain would tell your body – yes I know you crave smoking but look around – we just can’t do that any more. If we do continue we may end up in here and that is totally unexceptable.

What activities are triggers to your smoking? Coffee, drinking booze, breaks at work etc. You have to plan what you will do at these times and places to have alternative activities that will not trigger your addiction.
There a multitude of reasons that people have a smoking addiction. There are many reasons that you started this habit but let us first look at two reasons why many people can’t quit.

Smokingis a difficult habit for two types of people. The first group are people who lack the self discipline to change. The latter group are people who see the destruction smoking causes them but when push comes to shove they just don’t care enough to change. Both groups are well aware that smoking is bad for them but neither group have the tools they need to overcome their inner demons.

A few people fit perfectly in the first group and some people are examples of subjects from the “we just don’t care group.” But many people are a combination of the two groups. To successfully overcome a smoking problem you need to analyze which group you are more a part of.

Take a solid twenty minutes or more to think about why you are so completely hooked on smoking.

What percentage would you give the “I just lack the discipline” part of the equation. _______

What percentage would you give the “I just don’t care” part? _______

Knowing what your reason for not being able to quit is very important because if you ignore why you can’t quit you may very well ignore the exact advice you need the most. For example if you know that your bigger problem is that you just don’t care. Then I will tell you to pay special attention when I recommend a book to inspire you. My teaching you to say three times a day that “smoking will cause me destruction” will not work for you because you just don’t care. But if you can read a great book that will inspire to care a little more you can start to make progress.

It takes 18 to 254 days to form a new habit. Average time to form a habit is 2 months but with addictions it may be closer to the 254 day mark. I will repeat many things many times in this 40 day program. If you develop a habit of saying certain statements multiple times each day your thinking will change. Then your habits will change. The more you embrace this repetition the stronger your control over your addiction will become. Develop new habits at your points of temptation and your old habit will end at some point.
Smokers Anonymous says that we should admit we are powerless over smoking.

But if you don’t have the power, who does? There are two power sources for you. The first is to join a Smokers Anon group. The second is your Higher Power.

Does God exist? Is there really a higher power? Thunderstorms, oceans, and fire have more power than you do. List three things that have more power than you do.

1._________________________________________________________

2._________________________________________________________

3._________________________________________________________

Did you learn about God at a Church as a child? ___________

Do you currently believe in God? _______

Do you know people who strongly believe in God who seem happy and fulfilled? ______

List four reasons why believing in God will be good for you.

1.________________________________________

2.________________________________________

3.________________________________________

4.________________________________________

If you don’t believe in God currently that is OK. If He is real He will show Himself to you if you really seek Him. But it is very important that you are open to the possibility of God. If He is the Truth and the life then we really can’t flourish without Him.

God has an overwhelming love for you. But we often put up a wall between ourselves and God and shut Him out. Over the next 19 days we will discover how to break down that wall so that you can experience God, learn how to start to tap into His power to help you, and to be fully aware of His love.

Please note that my program is designed to help you change your life for the better helping you to live in the light instead of the darkness. It is easier to quit when you live in the light.

Say three times every day: “This temptation will go away if I don’t act on it. If I give in it will return and it may be even stronger next time. If I don’t give in it will go away and someday it will go away for good. I have the self control to change”.

Let’s look in on people who quit to see how they did it. Bill is focusing on reading more to replace his addiction. What activities would be good for you?

Lisa went to church last Sunday and she has plans with a new “nonsmoking” friend tonight. She is also thinking about how daily Bible reading might be good for her.

Jim is starting a journal and filling it with ideas about quitting.

Mike keeps forgetting about the destruction his addiction has caused him so he plans to say to himself at least twice today: smoking has caused me destruction and pain, it has in the past and it will in the future.

Find an oral substitute to stop smoking: Keep other things around to pop in your mouth when cravings hit. Good choices include mints, hard candy, carrot or celery sticks, gum, and sunflower seeds.

“We become what we think.”

Increasing self-control: We were born to rebel against rules. But having a good set of rules leads to self-control. Self-control increases joy. Embrace rules, begin to follow rules that make you disciplined. Sooner or later that habit will help with your addiction.

Every day write down which day you just finished so that you can keep track of where to start tomorrow.

If this article has helped you, share it with your friends.

Thank you for reading day 2 of this program on how to stop smoking.

Index

Day 1 Overcoming cravings