But, then you didn’t. You couldn’t. You just . . .

It’s freaking hard!

I read this article in Oprah Magazine by Stephanie Losee, titled The Willpower Myth. It was based on a book Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life.

Change or Die.

When you’re a smoker those are literally your choices. You can change and become a non-smoker if you want to live. Or you can choose to keep smoking and live with the consequences: emphysema, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, severely damaging your children. . . oh the list of negatives for smoking just never ends. They keep coming up with more and more reasons to quit smoking.

Let’s face it – this is not new information for you. What will be different this time?

Chantix: it’s a little blue miracle in pill form. It won’t make it exactly easy to quit smoking but it will take you from the depths of hell into simple doable purgatory – which changes everything. Because when it was hell, you couldn’t do it. Now that it’s only purgatory – well, now you can be a quitter.

Relationship: You need support and I’m a been-there -done- that kind of girl. I quit smoking in 2007 and I want to help you quit smoking in 2008. If you think you’ve got it worse than I did – read I Suck.  I have a whole website for people who want to quit smoking at Quit Coping. Feel free to stop by day or night for any support you need.

Repeating: this probably isn’t the first time you’ve quit smoking – so you’re going to be better at it this time. All the other times were just practice. And you know what they say about practice.

Reframing: This may be the most important thing you’re going to do for yourself. You’re going to change your thinking. You’re going to do whatever corny thing you have to in order to change your thinking. One thing that worked for me was to write I Am A Non-Smoker on my wrist and my bathroom mirror. I did it for months. Corny? Yes. But, who cares if it’s effective?

You can do this. 2008 is your year. Stop by Quit Coping and get all the support you can handle.

Be a quitter!

Post from: Blisstree

You’re a Quitter

There are about 2 weeks left in 2007 and before you go making resolutions for 2008 (looking at what is wrong and what still needs changing), how about a little self-praise about 2007?

It’s been one of the Best Year Ever for me. Extra-ordinarily productive.

• I quit smoking with Chantix.
• I started writing again.
• I started So Sioux Me to inspire mothers to empower their daughters.
• I took over Blog Fabulous and tripled the page views.  
• I helped literally thousands of smokers to quit smoking.
• I started  Quit Coping to encourage even more smokers to be quitters.
• I learned to exercise and eat right, losing 30 pounds and 4 jeans sizes, not to mention conquering depression.
• I coached my daughter’s soccer team, successfully changing the name from Bratz to Happy Feet.
• Helped Ambrea, my mentee to go from academic failure to success. Encouraged her to use her gift as a singer to join the church and school choir.
• Started Between The Covers - a bookclub that soothes my soul.
• Bought our first home.
• Paid off all debt (excluding my student loan) w/Dave Ramsey’s plan.
• Took over the household bills and budget.
• Bought mini-van with cash.
• Worked to transform marriage.
• Learned The Secret and how to Attract what I want.
• Made some new friends, reunited with some old ones and been far less codependent in my relationships.

Now, it’s your turn. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia is the book of the season. You’ll want to make your New Year’s Resolutions after you read it. But, first, please pat yourself on the back and focus on something you did right in 2007.

Leave your self-praise in the comments and I’ll mail the hat-drawn winner my extra copy of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

Contest closes on Sunday at midnight. I’ll announce the winner Monday morning.

Post from: Blisstree

Eat, Pray, Love Contest

About 10 years ago I was teaching English at a Lithuanian Teachers University. My students were all studying to be English teachers.

One day I showed up to class and they pulled out a newspaper. There I was right on the front page, above the fold, a big ugly picture of me smoking.

It was considered unseemly and improper for women to be smoking on the street. Women smoked, but it was appropriate for them to smoke in a park, in a restaurant or coffee house or at home. 

Of course, I smoked on the street all the time.

A photographer had caught me smoking on the street during the International Smoke Out.

Due to the language barrier, I hadn’t a clue about the International Smoke Out – but that didn’t stop them from putting me on the front page as the epitome of bad taste and stupidity.

To make it worse – I had burned my bangs off by trying to light my cigarette on a gas stove the week before. They were singed and sticking straight up.

This year I’ll celebrate the International Smoke Out by encouraging other smokers to stop the self-defeating behavior of smoking.

I’ll pat myself on the back and tell you that I’ve encouraged thousands of people to quit with my Chantix post right here on BlogFabulous, which has over 950 comments.

I’ll pat you on the back and tell you – you deserve to be a non-smoker.

The air is great over here. Visit my new website Quit Coping to find out about the emotional tole smoking is having on your self esteem and confidence.

Post from: Blisstree

Quit Smoking Today

 Since losing weight I’ve resisted wasting money on clothes I’m going to wear for a few months until I lose more. Especially on work out clothes. It seems like the least important place to spend any money.

I took a group class this week, not my regular peaceful yoga where everyone is made to feel good about who they are – but the other kind. The kind where everyone is wearing about $200 worth of work out “outfits” with matching sports-bras and sneakers. 

The kind where the lunatic fitness lady is wearing a headset and “encouraging” people with lines like “You know you want sexy calves! Come on ladies, our calves have to look sexy, sexy, sexy! Work those calves!”

Looking in the mirror I realized I was the only one who resembled a bag lady. I’m still wearing the pants I wore last year when I was a size 16 and no one at the gym wears and old t-shirt. Please.

People smile at me a lot. Apparently, it’s pity.

Anyway, my friend Jen said, I want to live in Tracee world where the other women aren’t making fun of your panty lines or what you’re wearing.

I want to live there too, I said.  

But I realize wanting such a thing, doesn’t mean it has any relationship to reality. So, I bought a nicer outfit and I nearly killed me. Though I do feel better about my clothes at the gym now.

Post from: Blisstree

New Workout Clothes

 I’m nearing my 700th post on that one blog entry. It’s becoming difficult to scroll down and load up and more and more people are quitting smoking and wanting to share their stories. It’s taking a great deal of time for me to respond to comments.

What do you do when success is nipping at your heals? Well, what I did do is build a new website called . . .

Quit Coping 

Quit coping with smoking. Quit smoking to cope. Cope with your quit.

Chantix is a great tool. Actually, it’s a miracle in pill form if you ask me. But, without cigarettes we smokers are left with few coping skills.

Time to make some new ones some healthier ones.

If you smoke and you want to take back your life and find out what liberation and freedom from your nasty habit feels like come on over to Quit Coping and join the fun.

Post from: Blisstree

Smoker? Quit Coping.

My true motivation is that someone told my daughter that I will die if I smoke. While true, I think this was totally inappropriate and I feel a little bit of anger and resentment about it. Of course, what I’m really angry about is that I HAVE to quit smoking and I love smoking and don’t really want to stop doing it.

In my perfect world, smoking would not only not kill me, but it would be healthy like exercise or my daily vitamin.

But, in reality my five-year-old daughter bursts into tears and with true pain begs me to stop smoking so that I don’t die because then who will be with her and take care of her.

Who can smoke in the face of that? Apparently, I can. Not only have I expected two pregnancies to cure me of my life-long habit, but I’ve quit at least once a week for the last year since my son was born. I’ve quit so many times and tried so many methods, I’ve come to the realization that smoking is like shackles on my life and I can’t seem to find the key to get them off.

At my recent OB/GYN visit I asked about the new miracle pill and he gave me a prescription. I thought, I don’t care what it costs I’ve got to get rid of these shackles once and for all. I hated that it controlled me. Turns out it was covered by my insurance. Even better.

I nearly wept with unadulterated joy when the pharmacist told me to take off the nicotine patch and smoke during the first week of taking Chantix for the best effect. Permission to smoke for another week! YES! Without guilt or harrassment from my five-year-old conscience. Could it get any better?

I’m currently into my second week. I stopped smoking a few days early while I went on my retreat because there was no smoking allowed on the grounds. It’s going okay. I think I’ve grieved enough for my lost right to smoke, surrendered my precious identity as a smoker, broken the physical habit and addiction. Hopefully, taking this pill will help me get over my urges to cheat and have just one, just this once.

 I’ll let you know how it goes. And really, you should stop smoking. If you think you’ve got it bad, you can read just how much I loved my cigarettes at So Sioux Me.

Try the Chantix. Couldn’t hurt. I haven’t had any night terrors, by the way. Thank God for that.

 AMENDMENT on Sept. 27, 2007:

This is Tracee Sioux from Blog Fabulous/ Chantix, where you’ve been hanging out and getting support. Because readers are finding it difficult to navigate 700 comments, I have built a new website called Quit Coping.

Quit Coping will be using the same tone and texture you enjoy here on Blog Fabulous, but it will allow more interactivity and connection with other quitters. It won’t take so long to load up and I’ll be better able to encourage everyone personally.

Please continue our wonderful discussion at Quit Coping,com.

I am greatly honored to be part of your transformation from smoker to non-smoker.

Sincerely,

Tracee Sioux

Quit Coping

http://www.quitcoping.com

Post from: Blisstree

Chantix