I have put off writing the HOF speech because I question my ability to share any real words of wisdom. I’m also from the South so I am better qualified to talk than write something meaningful. It also scares me a little to celebrate “my quit” as I have caved in the past prior to joining KTC and considered day 100 like every other day – just stay quit. My hope is by sharing my thoughts and lessons learned since joining KTC, someone might benefit, and it help them stay free from the drug that has controlled all of us – nicotine.
Growing up in the South and playing sports, it was a matter of time until a friend said try this – my marriage to Copenhagen started and lasted for roughly 37 years. Overtime, I realized the harm it could cause but never thought it would get me. As I continued to age, my family, friends, and sport heroes started passing away from cancer. It is amazing the power a dead plant possesses. As my family started to grow, I knew I needed to break away from the nasty habit. I didn’t want my family to be disappointed in me and to know my love for them was greater than it was for a cancer-causing pant. One problem, I couldn’t quit. I tried and failed multiple times. However, now day 119 of being nicotine free, I believe and hope this time will be different due to KTC, the tools I have obtained, but most of all my brothers and sisters that I quit with daily.
So here are random thoughts and my keys for staying quit one day at a time…
Decide why you are quitting - Quit for yourself, life is short, DO YOU WANT TO LIVE OR DIE!
Stay short-term. Just quit for today, this hour, the next minute – don’t worry about tomorrow.
Focusing on helping others stay quit, it distracts me and makes my quit easier.
Think about all the positives of quitting.
Have a plan to handle cravings. Go for a walk, push ups, think about my family, pet the dog.
Still have cravings? Who are you reaching out to? When shit goes South, who are you reaching out to?
Realize cravings last less than 60 seconds.
Build a network and share digits. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Attempts on my own always failed. Celebrate successes with family and friends.
Realize I am an addict and always will be. Be true to the routine that has helped me reach day 119.
Acknowledge new feelings – I am proud of myself. I can do this today.
ODAAT and IQWYT – are they just words or do they mean something?
The biggest difference in this quit and other attempts are the relationships I have developed here on the site. A quitter can’t fool fellow quitters. My fellow January 2019 brothers, thank you. Without you I wouldn’t have seen day 10, much less day 100. I look forward to celebrating many more milestones with you. To the vets that reached out to me and showed me it could be done, thank you as well. Quitting with all you removes all the BS, the excuses, the rationale for one last dip, and makes it about caring more about living another day than putting a cancer causing dead plant in my lip so I can spit.
I am forever grateful and proud to quit with all of you.
Keith
