So if this blog is about quitting smoking, why all the talk about my art and my cat? Why not just write, “Didn’t smoke today. End of story.”
Because quitting isn’t just about not doing something. It’s about doing something else instead.
There’s a psychological term for this called opposite action. It sounds like a superhero move, but really it’s a simple idea. When your brain wants one thing, especially something destructive, you give it something completely different. You redirect the current instead of trying to dam the river.
Years ago, Subway had that famous spokesperson, Jared, who went from obese to healthy by eating certain sandwiches and walking more. Subway became the poster child for weight loss. Then someone came along and proved you could do the same thing with Taco Bell or just about any fast food chain. The real secret wasn’t the brand. It was portion control and movement.
The lesson stuck with me. Change doesn’t come from magic foods or miracle products. It comes from changing habits.
So what can you do to quit smoking?
Basically… anything but smoke.
Paint.
Write.
Play with a kitten who treats your ear like a chew toy.
Spend time with your mom.
Clean the house.
Walk to the store.
Stare at the wall and contemplate existence if that’s what it takes.
Just don’t light up.
I’ve learned something important though. Some “substitutes” are too close to the real thing. Vaping, smoking cannabis, even holding something shaped like a cigarette can pull you right back into the old ritual. For some people it works. For others, it’s a trapdoor disguised as a safety net. Only you can decide what’s safe and what’s a slip, but don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re getting a free ride.
And let me be honest. Quitting doesn’t magically make you invincible. Today I spent most of the day in the emergency room with shortness of breath, even though I’ve quit smoking. The doctor cleared me and said it was stress and anxiety, but I still have more tests to do. That’s the part no one puts on the inspirational posters. You quit, and life still shows up with its little surprise plot twists.
So when I write about painting or Whiskey Kitty attacking my hands like a tiny tiger, I’m not dodging the topic of quitting. I’m living it. This is what opposite action looks like in real time. It’s choosing life in small, ridiculous, beautiful ways instead of choosing smoke.
If you’re quitting, choose your own version.
Art. Music. Cats. Family. Silence. Noise. Anything that keeps your hands busy and your heart a little fuller.
You may not only evade death.
You might add something meaningful to your life while you’re at it.
That’s why I write about Whiskey Kitty.
That’s why I write about art.
That’s why I keep writing at all.
I got this.
by Dan and Bonkers
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