It takes a lot of courage to quit smoking. Eight months ago tonight, at 11:45 pm, I put out my last cigarette. After six months of soul searching and praying I decided that I had finally had enough. Not for one moment did I think I would be successful in quitting but I had finally gathered enough courage to try.
The definition of courage is [B]�a quality of mind or temperament that enables one to stand fast in the face of opposition, hardship, or danger.�[/b]
Stand fast against:
The face of opposition, the NICO demon;
Hardship, the crave;
Or danger, stressors and triggers.
That is a very good description of what I had to learn to do in my battle to quit smoking. I tell everyone that quitting isn�t easy. Every smoker knows that. What a lot of smokers don�t know about is all the other changes that come along with quitting. The depression, the anxiety, the loneliness, or the loss that accompany the quit. We have all heard Joe (Golferman) speak of how Quitting takes Strength, Determination, Commitment and A Positive Attitude, while this is all true it also takes the courage to get started. Every moment is a building block on the previous. Every time you exercise, strength, determination, and commitment you are building the courage necessary to keep going.
Mignon McLaughlin said that [B]�The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.�[/b] The first step, actually quitting, is the most difficult. Once you take that first step, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will be amazed at the changes that will occur in your life. The success of quitting and the freedom that accompanies it will be yours in a matter of time.
I can�t help but think of the Whitney Houston song, �give me one moment in time; when I�m more than I thought I could be� That moment has arrived for me. Do you have the courage to make it to that next moment?
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 242
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,857
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $847
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 21 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 49
