Monday, January 17, 2011

Schmoking...

I'm not a resolutions type of person... if I want to change something badly enough, I do it - regardless of the date.  Often I'll procrastinate... until I'm at the point of no return.  Then, I'll make the change.

I decided to quit smoking.   For a few years, I was a pack a day kind of girl.  After I got married, I went to see a hypnotist and although it was still super dooper hard, I stopped smoking.  And it worked well for a year or so - until I moved back to Vic and had no pot to smoke (oh I didn't mention I'd traded one 'smoke' for another - it was only when I was drinking).  We (Micko and I - we do all of these thing together) started to sneak a couple in when drinking... slowly it crept into our week (one after work)... then into a few every night. 

I didn't want to turn into a full time smoker again... I didn't want to be sitting in a movie theatre wishing the movie would end so I could nick out and light up.... I didn't want to be desperately sucking down 4 or 5 durries before checking in at the airport, looking at my watch to count down how long till my next 'fix', running out the doors and lighting up before collecting my baggage.  I also didn't want to be buying 3 packs of cigarettes before a big night - had to have a safety deck after my safety deck (if I'd run out and not be able to scab some, I'd go to bed immediately).  I didn't want to be that sad, addicted freak anymore.

So, I smoked my last cigarette on New Years morning (just a coincidence) - like around 2am.  I wasn't going to put undue pressure on myself... I was just not going to smoke anymore (but if I did, I was going to accept it and start again fresh the next day). 

First week was fine... second and third day were particularly tough but I managed to get through them.  The challenge would be when I picked up a drink!  And it was challenging... I tried to keep myself busyand was a bitch to Micko... but, I got through the night... clean.

The rest of the week was a breeze and the word 'cigarette' hardly popped into my mind at all.... until Friday.  Certainly not as hard as the previous week but I did notice I was a little 'shirty'.  Especially when woken up at 3am by Katy Perry and Micko singing Firework at ridiculously high volume (Micko was a mutant - he'd have to have been to be singing Katy Perry - certainly not one of his favourites!)

Saturday was the real challenge... a night out - with.... chain smokers!  ARGH!  Once again, a battle of will, of which I came out victorious!  I surprised myself and it was much easier than I thought... I was tempted a few times, but thought about how gross it really is - and how my head and chest will feel in the morning.

So, it would seem that I am now officially a non-smoker.  I've come up against my biggest hurdle and I've cleared it with ease.  I've finally joined that group of people that I've admired and envied soooo much over the years!  And I'm smoked (ooops Freudian slip) - ahhh, I mean stoked! 

5 comments:

Bel said...

Well done on the not smoking thannng. First few weeks are the hardest. I think it's now getting easier to quit these days because so many people are trying to give up, and the legal restrictions of where you can smoke. Smokers aren't the cool people they once were.

Anyways, congrats to you. Keep up the good work!

"Seattle" Heather said...

Karls very good job! Pat on the back, yeah?! You will live a longer happier life for doing this! keep up the good work!

Debbie said...

Hang in there! That is wonderful.

Jandy xx said...

Well done Karls! Is micko quitting too?

Christine Vi said...

Congratulations! I like how you approached it. So many people (myself included) start with an "all-or-nothing" attitude and nothing happens overnight. It's great you reached your goal!

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