Letting Others Help You Through
"Being around smokers at work was hard for me at first. I'd be doing fine, not even thinking about a cigarette, when someone would walk into my office smoking. The old urge would well up again. Two things really helped. I put a "Thank you for not smoking" sign on my desk, and let people know how much I appreciated their not smoking in my office. When people were smoking around me, I'd tell myself that I could smoke too, if I wanted to. But I really didn't want to. I'd feel better right away."
The benefits of support from others
"I dont' think I could have made it without the support of my friends and family. Between my best friend, my sister and my daughters, I had plenty of T.L.C. They made sure I stayed busy! My oldest daughter had quit the year before. She knew exactly what I was going thorugh. She gave me a lot of moral support."
"When I got low and needed a lift, I called my best friend, Hal. He moved to Florida a few years ago, but we still talk on the phone a lot. Knowing I could always talk to him, even if we couldn't get together, helped me through many rough moments."
Avoiding smoking places and people
"My husband took me to a great new restaurant, with a "no smoking" section. We enjoyed the food there and the chance to get away. With no one smoking around us, I wasn't tempted."
"Weekend afternoons were a tough one for me. So my wife and I started going tothe 5:00 movie. It took my mind off smoking. And we've really enjoyed the time together."
Let your support team know how grateful you are
Tell them how you're doing and how much they've helped. Let them know how they can continue to help, even now that the hardest days are behind you. Celebrate your milestones with them.