"What if I want to smoke and it's a horrible day and I feel weak and I can't take the pressure? So, what do I do then?"
Answer is: (The envelope please.....)
"You handle it!"
Anybody out there decorate Christmas trees in December? We do. Anyhow, we spend hours putting the ornaments on that tree just so. And in addition to that time, we also buy a new ornament every year to honor that year. So, year after year, the tree accumulates new memories. And as we bring them out from their boxes the next year, we oooooohhhhh and aaaaaaaahhhhhh and laugh and tell stories about that ornament.
It goes like this: "Remember when we ...."
You are a tree. You are a bare Christmas tree. You are a pine tree. You are standing there without any ornaments. You are whining and complaining and worrying about how you're going to manage without that awful nasty cigarette you learned to depend on.
But guess what....you are about to gain ornaments! Yes you are. And they are soooo beautiful! They are all different and original and unique in their own way.
Ornament #1 is for your first hurdle. That day when you thought you wouldn't make it, but you did. Remember that day? Remember how you felt? But you did and so, you get this ornament for your very first struggle. It's soooooo special! Here, put it on the tree.
Ornament #2 is for that next hurdle. Remember that day when you cried and you thought your would crawl out of your skin, but you didn't? You made it without smoking. Here, this ornament is for that time. Wear it proudly. Put it at the top of the tree where everybody can see it. Don't hide it down low under the branches. There, that's perfect!
Ornament #3 is for that time when you were with your friends who smoked and you somehow managed to find something else to do with your hands. Here, this is a very important ornament. It needs to go somewhere special too.
This is what is happening to you right now. Building character is what it's called. You are molding the new you. You are learning new management skills and you are coping! One minute at a time, one day at a time and one experience at a time, you are building your new character.
I have a new person that I am today and this person is not the same one who smoked every single time she was stressed out. I love this new me! And I am glistening and glowing with ornaments that represent each difficulty that I encountered and I mastered! You will too.
Trust me ... don't smoke and you will live. As a matter of fact, you will live a much much better life! And you will build character. This character is very beautiful! Enjoy your tree and may your branches be heavy with ornaments!
