Cigarette Cravings and how to stop them. Three simple and effective ways to keep you on point and become a non-smoker.
"I need it man!" You got the jones on you! You got the monkey on your back.
So, you've quit! Actually, you're trying to quit... face it, you'll never really quit. Quitting smoking is a myth! It's all media hype actually strategically laid out by either big tobacco or the nicotine replacement business. "Quitting" smoking is a scam. You can't "quit" smoking. Nicotine is way too powerful. Heck, I even wrote a book about how to quit and realized that it was all a big fat lie so I changed the title!
Do I sound paranoid enough for you yet?
Truth is, nicotine, just like alcohol, heroin, meth, and a multitude of addictive substances and habits, it a drug that creates such powerful chemical change in your melon that "quitting" is nearly impossible. Impossible because it's an uncomprehending concept to your addicted brain.
How many smokers do you know who've quit more than once? How do you "quit" more than once?
"I've tried to quit smoking three times!" They say while lighting up and shaking their head. "I can't believe I started back up again..." Insert drag of joy and exhale of relief as brain chemistry returns to it's perceived view of normal.
And there in lies the problem. Nobody took Yoda very seriously when he said, "Do or do not, there is no try." Which makes no since to me at all. Why wouldn't you take a Muppet who's about to psycho-kinetically remove an X-Wing fighter from a swamp seriously?
C'mon people, where's your since of imagination and what a great challenge for you. Heck, if Yoda can move an X-Wing strictly with his mind and being in harmony with the Force, how is it that you're still smoking?
Elementary my dear Watson! I refer you to Dr. Wayne Dyer:
"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!"
Perhaps you're looking at this quitting thing all wrong. Perhaps your perception just needs a tweak and you'll be good to go.
Now I'm not going to sit here and opine that you can become a non-smoker just by reading this article, but stranger things have happened. Wouldn't you agree?
What I am going to do is load you up with three simple things you can do to stay in control of and ahead of your self while you maintain your commitment to not smoke... trust me on this one and remove the word "quit" from your addicted vocabulary. It will not serve you at all but only make it way more of a pain in the ass then it already is.
Number One: Hold Your Breath
So instead of bringing in the smoke and gazillion other chemicals, try plain old boring air. Take a deep long breath and hold it.
In fact, do it now.
Ready? Set? GO!
Now, hold it for as long as you can...
just a little longer...
5 more seconds...
OK...
Now exhale.
How long was it?
Do the poll over there...
And now for the WHY!
It takes self control and willpower to resist the urge to breathe. Even if just for a little bit. Sooner or later, instinct will kick in and you'll breathe. But what happens in the mean time? While you're holding your breath and resisting the urge to breathe?
Is it possible that willpower is a skill that can be learned? And is it also possible that willpower is willpower and if you can practice it in one arena, who's to say it's not going to help in another?
See where we're going with this? And what a great way to develop your willpower while learning how to be a non-smoker. Holding your breath. Try it again if you need to. In fact, do it every time you feel like smoking and see what happens. I dare you.
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." -Humphrey Bogart at the end of Casablanca.
Strategically placed quote considering we lost Bogie way too soon from esophageal cancer.
Push Ups
Drop and give me 20!
Or 15.
OK, Drop and give me 10.
5?
Really? You can't do 5?
Alright, look here, a push up is a push up is a push up! If you need to do them on your knees or off a wall or from an incline like a sink, by all means, do so.
The point here is to do something that will result in you becoming slightly (or completely) out of breath in a very quick period of time. Push ups have a way of doing that.
Another cool aspect of exercise is that it releases endorphins and feel good chemicals in the brain.
Exercise has long been used as an effective treatment for depression and since you're coming out of a highly dysfunctional relationship right now, you very well may be a bit depressed.
Also, it requires (here's that word again) willpower to drop and give yourself 20. You can wallow or push up, it's up to you. I say push up!
Breathe
So, we've held our breath, we've worked out, now what?
Breathe! Just breathe.
The best part here is you can do it anywhere, anytime and for as long as you like!
There are multiple ways to breathe.
There's the Miyagi way of in through nose, out through mouth. There's diaphragmatic breathing, Chi Breathing, Yoga breathing, and so on and so forth. Google breathing exercises and find one that works for you.
Bottom line here is that returning to the very thing that gives you life will be a sure fire way to weather the storm of a nic fit.
Breathing is drawing in positive life giving energy and releasing negative energy. Even on a biological level. Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out.
We all need oxygen to live so before you wind up having to carry yours around with you, try getting it the old fashioned way first.
When the urge to light up hits you, breathe deep. So deep you feel it at the bottom of your chest and into your belly. Then let out all the bad stuff.
The bad stuff can be defined as "all the crap that lead me to smoke in the first place." and when you inhale, take in all the good stuff. The good stuff can be defined as "all the wondrous aspects of living on this beautiful planet."
So breathe. Breathe deeply and consider your life and how good it is in spite of everything.
No Butts About It, Just Stop Already! So Now What?
Well, the first thing I'd like you to do is leave a comment below. Second thing is I'd like you to do is shove this article in the face, inbox or on the wall (Facebook or otherwise) of anyone you know who will benefit from reading this. Thirdly, if you got the monkey on you're back and you need help with becoming a non-smoker, get you're self a copy of my book, "How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone."
I've never been one for being subtle... Thanks for reading this far. Let me know how this helps!
"I need it man!" You got the jones on you! You got the monkey on your back.
So, you've quit! Actually, you're trying to quit... face it, you'll never really quit. Quitting smoking is a myth! It's all media hype actually strategically laid out by either big tobacco or the nicotine replacement business. "Quitting" smoking is a scam. You can't "quit" smoking. Nicotine is way too powerful. Heck, I even wrote a book about how to quit and realized that it was all a big fat lie so I changed the title!
Do I sound paranoid enough for you yet?
Truth is, nicotine, just like alcohol, heroin, meth, and a multitude of addictive substances and habits, it a drug that creates such powerful chemical change in your melon that "quitting" is nearly impossible. Impossible because it's an uncomprehending concept to your addicted brain.
How many smokers do you know who've quit more than once? How do you "quit" more than once?
"I've tried to quit smoking three times!" They say while lighting up and shaking their head. "I can't believe I started back up again..." Insert drag of joy and exhale of relief as brain chemistry returns to it's perceived view of normal.
And there in lies the problem. Nobody took Yoda very seriously when he said, "Do or do not, there is no try." Which makes no since to me at all. Why wouldn't you take a Muppet who's about to psycho-kinetically remove an X-Wing fighter from a swamp seriously?
Elementary my dear Watson! I refer you to Dr. Wayne Dyer:
"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!"
Perhaps you're looking at this quitting thing all wrong. Perhaps your perception just needs a tweak and you'll be good to go.
Now I'm not going to sit here and opine that you can become a non-smoker just by reading this article, but stranger things have happened. Wouldn't you agree?
What I am going to do is load you up with three simple things you can do to stay in control of and ahead of your self while you maintain your commitment to not smoke... trust me on this one and remove the word "quit" from your addicted vocabulary. It will not serve you at all but only make it way more of a pain in the ass then it already is.
Number One: Hold Your Breath
So instead of bringing in the smoke and gazillion other chemicals, try plain old boring air. Take a deep long breath and hold it.
In fact, do it now.
Ready? Set? GO!
Now, hold it for as long as you can...
just a little longer...
5 more seconds...
OK...
Now exhale.
How long was it?
Do the poll over there...
And now for the WHY!
It takes self control and willpower to resist the urge to breathe. Even if just for a little bit. Sooner or later, instinct will kick in and you'll breathe. But what happens in the mean time? While you're holding your breath and resisting the urge to breathe?
Is it possible that willpower is a skill that can be learned? And is it also possible that willpower is willpower and if you can practice it in one arena, who's to say it's not going to help in another?
See where we're going with this? And what a great way to develop your willpower while learning how to be a non-smoker. Holding your breath. Try it again if you need to. In fact, do it every time you feel like smoking and see what happens. I dare you.
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." -Humphrey Bogart at the end of Casablanca.
Strategically placed quote considering we lost Bogie way too soon from esophageal cancer.
Push Ups
Drop and give me 20!
Or 15.
OK, Drop and give me 10.
5?
Really? You can't do 5?
Alright, look here, a push up is a push up is a push up! If you need to do them on your knees or off a wall or from an incline like a sink, by all means, do so.
The point here is to do something that will result in you becoming slightly (or completely) out of breath in a very quick period of time. Push ups have a way of doing that.
Another cool aspect of exercise is that it releases endorphins and feel good chemicals in the brain.
Exercise has long been used as an effective treatment for depression and since you're coming out of a highly dysfunctional relationship right now, you very well may be a bit depressed.
Also, it requires (here's that word again) willpower to drop and give yourself 20. You can wallow or push up, it's up to you. I say push up!
Breathe
So, we've held our breath, we've worked out, now what?
Breathe! Just breathe.
The best part here is you can do it anywhere, anytime and for as long as you like!
There are multiple ways to breathe.
There's the Miyagi way of in through nose, out through mouth. There's diaphragmatic breathing, Chi Breathing, Yoga breathing, and so on and so forth. Google breathing exercises and find one that works for you.
Bottom line here is that returning to the very thing that gives you life will be a sure fire way to weather the storm of a nic fit.
Breathing is drawing in positive life giving energy and releasing negative energy. Even on a biological level. Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out.
We all need oxygen to live so before you wind up having to carry yours around with you, try getting it the old fashioned way first.
When the urge to light up hits you, breathe deep. So deep you feel it at the bottom of your chest and into your belly. Then let out all the bad stuff.
The bad stuff can be defined as "all the crap that lead me to smoke in the first place." and when you inhale, take in all the good stuff. The good stuff can be defined as "all the wondrous aspects of living on this beautiful planet."
So breathe. Breathe deeply and consider your life and how good it is in spite of everything.
No Butts About It, Just Stop Already! So Now What?
Well, the first thing I'd like you to do is leave a comment below. Second thing is I'd like you to do is shove this article in the face, inbox or on the wall (Facebook or otherwise) of anyone you know who will benefit from reading this. Thirdly, if you got the monkey on you're back and you need help with becoming a non-smoker, get you're self a copy of my book, "How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone."
I've never been one for being subtle... Thanks for reading this far. Let me know how this helps!
