Quitting On A Whim

Sazerac

Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free.

Posted August 8, 2016 

Many successful quitters here on QTrain have quit on a whim

and just like them, I quit on a whim too.

This is what led me to making one of the most important decisions in my life on a whim...

It was after a trip to California,  
where finding a place to smoke was problematic
and I was among non smoking friends. 

For the first time,
I started seeing addiction for the slavery that it is and I acknowledged my bondage.
When slipping outside for another smoke, I glibly announced,
"I'm going out now, to shoot up."

On the aeroplane back home,  a colossal coughing fit overwhelmed me.
I had to stand in the back while attendants tapped my back and brought me water.
That was weird, I thought.  That was awful.  What was that about ?

After landing,  I didn't rush outside for a smoke before climbing into a jitney.

Something had changed.

Instead, I  thought, why don't you try and quit....you already have 6 or 7 hours clean ?  Why not ? 
Let's quit smoking for a while and see how that feels. 

I spent the next 72 hours sleeping a lot, drinking whisky

and reading all about quitting smoking, all about nicotine addiction.

After those days, as nicotine left my body,

quitting became a wager with myself,  a bargain. 

'If you don't feel better in five minutes...

maybe you'll feel better tomorrow...
if you are not feeling pretty good by next week...
or,  in a month...see what happens after a year.'

You can always go back to smoking. You know what that feels like.

The thing was....I was feeling Free.  
While I was beating a trigger or a crave....I was learning how to be Free.
It was intoxicating !  It was empowering !

That was where the whim became a serious enterprise.

I realized, I would conquer any obstacle to my freedom from nicotine, it was just a matter of time and choice.

Maybe you will quit on a whim.

You don't need much.  

Cool clear Water,  the fresh Air you breathe,  some Kindness towards yourself, and a Willingness To Be free.

and from our friend, Joel Spitzer,  here are resources regarding Setting Quit Dates

Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7378-quitting-on-a-whim/