Five Means to My New Years Resolution to Stop Smoking

My 2009 New Years resolutions are few, but the most important promise is to stop smoking. I need to be bellicose in the approach that I choose to stop smoking because it is such a powerful addiction that runs rampant in my head. These thoughts turn into obsessions then if I act upon those thoughts it becomes compulsion as well. I know that addiction's main core are these two symptoms, obsession and greedy compulsion. This is wisdom and with that knowledge comes power. I will willingly surrender to not smoking and use five main methods in which to do so.

To illustrate, the first support that I will certainly use is prayer to the God I understand. I know that when I am being tried with a challenge that I think is nearly impossible, all I have to do is surrender it via prayer. Because I cannot handle it alone I feel fear and I get anxious if I do not let go and let God. What it comes down to for me is in having trust in the higher power that I allow to guide me.

Another aid that I can trust to encourage me in my endeavor to be a non smoker is my family. In fact, my mother has over 18 years now smoke free and for years she used to be a heavy smoker like I am now. She has all ready expressed her concerns about my giving up the tobacco. Also, my children hate my smoking and have wanted me to stop for a long time. I thank God that neither my daughter or my son smoke. None of my family of origin smokes, so they all gang up on me about the horrors of what I am doing to myself. I am confident that each and every one of my family members will be quite supportive of my becoming an x -smoker.

Also, I can visualize images of family members who have died with lung cancer and remind myself that I could be the next victim. My uncle had his lung taken out due to smoking, but in the end he died in his middle age from the spread of nasty cancer into his other organs. Likewise, my brother was diagnosed with lung cancer at age 51 and died almost 4 years later, in 2006. He suffered horribly and I watched him go from being a healthy, tan, good looking man to this skeleton that was old, withered, and gauntly. My parents had to watch this as well, so that made my brother's illness and death even more sad. I fear having this kind of battle with a disease too.

Above all, I know that exercise is a superb egress for avoiding withdrawal from nicotine. I know this because of the couple of attempts I have made in the past to stop smoking. Walking is the best all around stress reliever that helps me calm down and relax. I love the fact that no matter what I am doing, I can do some form of exercise like walking, stretching, or isolating muscles. I all ready walk daily on my own property with my dog and cat, so I can just increase my mileage if need be. I am also knowledgeable concerning exercise so that is in my favor as well. I can use different types of working out so that the routine does not bore me and I have an outlet for my absence of tobacco.

Most importantly, I will need to have an oral substitute when I get a strong urge to smoke. My plan is to use chewing gum, cinnamon sticks, hard sugarless candies, and drinks like water to curb my need to have something in my mouth. I think that I will find more ways in which to satisfy my cravings for that cigarette once I have let go and not smoked for awhile. I know that the urges to puff will diminish over time and I will have found healthier substitutes for smoking.

In a nutshell, I have my five methods of support for stopping the insanity of killing myself on a daily basis by smoking.There is no positive reason why I need to continue to harm myself. It is not an easy feat by any means to give up the addiction, but so many smokers have become non smokers, I know that it is not impossible for me. In fact, if I need more reinforcement, I can make calls, visit support groups, talk about what I am going through, and write what I am feeling and thinking.