Don't we all recognize this little nasty beast in his cage? Haven't we all carried it around in its little carrier for years? I've carried my little beast with me for 30 years. It was quite accustomed to my feeding it.
I took it everywhere with me. I fed it constantly. I kept it quiet and well behaved by feeding it every 2 hours. It appeared to be my friend. It was with me for so long.
At first when I quit smoking it shook that cage loudly and screamed at the top of its lungs for attention. I heard it constantly and tried to ignore it. Later, it would shake the cage for shorter amounts of time. And there were longer periods of peace in my life.
Now I am at 4 months. I well know that addiction screaming at you newbies during hellweek! I remember the demand it made on my life too. It demanded attention and I ignored it. It screamed to be fed and I ignored it. There were times when my hand rested on that cage and I was just one second away from losing my quit. And other times I was screaming with it, crying and wishing I were anyplace but here, in this body, experiencing this pain. But again, I didn't feed it.
Now, the cage isn't with me all the time. I don't take it with me to work or shopping or to friend's houses. I really hardly ever notice it anymore. Please stay with this as long as you can, cause every day is one day closer to success.
I know what you are going through and I know you want to open that cage door and feed that demanding beast. Don't! The only way to quiet that beast is to keep that door closed. And sooner or later, it quiets. Sooner or later, it gives up. Sooner or later, you have peace in your life again.
(One more thought before I go - Yesterday my sister was saying goodbye to my children & me ... after a visit, and she was hanging on the car, leaning her head inside and she said, "What smells so good?" !!! Are you amazed when people actually say your vehicle smells good?!!! That is because we are not carrying that nasty smelling cage with us anymore)
Don't feed the beast today.
