"My plan" for S&S
I needed a plan. I needed something to help me. I knew I could not do it alone. I had tried it before and one time I almost succeeded but in the stretch run I had faltered. I had caved in to stupidity.
I stood there looking at them laying on the table. One little pack of cigarettes. One big pack of death.
I was alone, feeling sorry for myself. I do not remember why I was depressed. It was probably because I was alone. We all go through ups and downs in our lives and most of the time it is just because of small mood swings and mean nothing at all. On that evening I was looking at the cigarettes that my brother had left on the coffee table and I wondered what would one taste like? I had not smoked one in nine months. I had kicked the habit. I had beat them. But I decided to take a drag to remind me how bad they tasted and I did. Unfortunately for me, that drag was the best smoke I ever sucked in. I had not really kicked the habit. The next day I was back to smoking 2 packs a day.
Fast forward to ten years later. I wanted to quit. Hell, I thought, it isn't hard to quit smoking. I quit 4 or 5 times a day. The hard part is staying quit.
Now this is where the plan comes in. A plan to help me stay quit. I finally devised my plan. It was simple, really simple and some of you are going think that it was stupid, really, really stupid. But as stupid as it may sound to you, it worked for me.
My plan...."cigarette procrastination". Yep that is it..."cigarette procrastination". I wouldn't quit. I would just not have another cigarette until I retired. Does that sound stupid? I don't know, but I am really serious, it worked for me. The thought of never having another cigarette was a lot easier to take. In my mind, I didn't quit, I was just putting it off until another day. That was thirty years ago and I still smoke but I am waiting on that next cigarette until the day I retire. Yes 30 years of "cigarette procrastination". I know that when I smoke that next cigarette I will be hooked again. Maybe that is why I am 70 and still working.
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Grizz,
ReplyDeleteI like that idea. Nothing else has worked for me either. I think I will try your plan.
Much better plan...
ReplyDeleteIt's like me always planning to go for a run... I'll stop stating that fact and maybe start going outdoors for walks in my running shoes!
2cats - hope it works for you
ReplyDeleteLioness -I'll go out for a crawl and maybe I'll walk.. I gave up on running many years ago
Well That was some plan!!
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to get my dad out of the smoking habit since so long....I used to secretly throw away some from his pack until one day he caught me!! Ha Ha Ha...
Very inventive Great plan. 70 and stil working You must like your job or do you have to. My best friend at my last work was 71 I have another job but I stil have coffees there and I think he is the best
ReplyDeleteNow that's a good plan. Out of the box thinking like this can work. I remember when I came down with cfs I used to get angry, which did me no good at all. Then I stopped thinking of it as an illness, and more as a condition, such as losing an arm. As soon as I convinced myself of that, the whole thing got easier in the mind. I'm certain it's kept me sane - if I am :-)
ReplyDeleteI think that is an excellent idea. I'm going to suggest it to a friend of mine who is trying to give up. They say nicotine is harder to give up than opiates. My husband gave up cold turkey after smoking a pack a day for 32 years, but that was due to him getting the life scared out of him because he had a heart attack.
ReplyDeleteI really like your technique - you are tricking the brain into thinking it is not denying itself a pleasure!
Good plan Grizz. I've kicked that habit and I know how hard it is.
ReplyDeletesongofsea - good luck with dad. I think with smoking, any plan to stop must come from the smoker
ReplyDeleteMarja - a little of both. I could retire but I love my work and I would not have enough $ to travel a lot. This way I get the best of both worlds. I work for myself and take off when ever I want and have the $
ReplyDeleteanthony - you continue to amaze me. cfs is not fun and your ability to deal with it is absolutely awesome. thanks for the visit, I am always honored.
ReplyDeleteselma - it did work for me. I hope something works for your friend. It is a vial nasty habit (do not want to demean any smokers but you would be happier if you could quit)
ReplyDeletenara - congrats on kicking the habit. loved your using the garden theme in your post
ReplyDeleteOld Grizz,
ReplyDeleteThat is a great plan! Kudos!
Serena - thanks for dropping by and stroking my ego
ReplyDeleteMy dad is dying of lung cancer, yet never smoked. This held some interesting emotions for me.
ReplyDeleteThe Plan
thom----I'm sorry, that is a real tragedy.. It doesn't seem fair. I will offer a prayer. bless him and you
ReplyDeleteVery clever plan, Grizz. Glad it worked for you. Actually I have never smoked and I'm glad, I saw how hard it was for my husband to quit, tho he did finally succeed. However, I am a terrific procrastinator. Wonder if I can make it work for me somehow..... Hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteA clever plan - I quit a couple of times before I finally managed the final one on the day I watched the smug tobacco quadrillionaires at the congressional hearings claim that cigs weren't habit-forming. I hope they noticed a drop in income when I quit! LOL-
ReplyDeleteGreat mind game!! Well done, congratulations. This from one who was raised by heavy smokers but has never had a drag of a cigarette!!
ReplyDeletetumblewords - maybe together we put a small dent in their wallets but we both not that it did not bother them a dam. Congrats on quitting. It feels good to breath with clean lungs.
ReplyDeleteGiggles - We have friends like that. They both are heavy smokers and their 3 sons have never smoked. Maybe being around it made you realize how bad it is.
ReplyDeleteGood job ya weren't smoking cigars.....
ReplyDeleteCos then it would be
"See Grizz ars Procrastin.Procrs.....pro... Aww he is putting it off again!"
don't knock it if it works...
ReplyDeleteA plan for the power of positive thinking. Well done Grizz.
ReplyDeleteI wish my eldest boy didn't smoke, he is the only one in the family who does.My parents were heavy smokers and that was enough to turn me off it.
Like you I don't know when I will manage to retire, the govt. keeps moving the goal posts here. My poor old body might not last the distance in my line of work, then again it might keep me fitter and younger to keep working.
I think I fixed my link on S.S. I hope I did.
whitesnake....."cigars, cigareets....cigars, cigarettes....remember those lovely ladies...maybe that's why I started
ReplyDeletequin - it did and I am still amazed
ReplyDeletelinda - thanks .....glad your blog is fixed
ReplyDeletewhat a clever plan!! My husband had quit for 6 years and then went back. Now he has been off them since January, but like u said.. one bad mood or day.. He could be right back.
ReplyDeletegood for you for ehhhemm.. your procrastination!!
Hope u never retire! :))
Lucy - thanks for the visit.. I wish your husband power over the dark side....may the force be with him.
ReplyDeleteI think I shall happily die at my desk about 35 years from now.
Great Idea! I recently changed the word "chores" to "life skills."
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference!