So, I started my smoker’s journal the day after the first class. It consists of notes on every cigarette I have—time, location, who’s around, and anything else I notice. The first thing that jumped out at me? I was smoking every 15 minutes. Yeah, you read that right. That’s 3 packs a day. Seeing it in writing was a bit of a wake-up call.
So, I pulled out my phone, checked the time, and decided to push it to every half hour. Just like that, I nearly cut my smoking in half. That was a solid start. But then I started noticing patterns—like how I smoke way more in the morning or when I’m upset. Those are the big triggers.
Morning smokes? I can replace that. A good cup of coffee should do the trick. It’s the stress smokes that are tougher. This house is crowded, and tempers flare. It’s easy to grab a cigarette when I’m pissed off. I’ve taken anger management classes before, so I might need to start using some of those techniques again. Breathing exercises? A quick walk? Maybe punching a pillow instead of lighting up?
The teacher reassured me that people do successfully quit in group homes—even in places where smoking is the norm. Her advice? Keep spacing out my cigarettes and build up to once an hour before switching to the patches. Trying to go cold turkey would be rough, but this gradual approach? That’s something I can do. If I stick to the plan, I should be completely smoke-free before WonderCon. That way, I won’t be blowing smoke all over my potential customers (or you).
I’m also thinking about blogging my progress and posting updates on Facebook. People love that kind of thing. Plus, it’s way more effective for attracting customers and leads than, say, extorting people (not that I’ve tried that… much).
Stay tuned—this is just the beginning.
by Dan and Bonkers
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