Try Hot Coals

               Originally posted By Ms. Jane Boyles

       I have been smoke-free for 15 3/4 years now. I quit cold
    turkey and have NEVER wanted to smoke after the 3rd day. My
    profession as a Cancer Registrar (in Calif) has lead me to
    volunteer as a Fresh Start Facilitator for the American Cancer
    Society and I have been doing this for about 7 years.
       I have followed their plan and added a few insights of my
    own over the years and I would like to give you some food for
    thought that may help you over some rough spots.
       1. Most important - YOU must really want to quit - for YOU. 
       2. Pick a positive reason to stay quit - the scary things
    (poor health, social pressure) will get you to the point of
    quitting - but the positives (feeling better, more money,
    SMELLING BETTER) will keep you quit - focus on those.
       3. REMEMBER THE HOT COALS: This is an imagination game.
    First of all remember back to your first cigarette and the pack
    or so that followed. Most people will tell you that they tasted
    lousy and made them feel lightheaded and sick, and when asked
    why they tried cigarettes, will tell you various terrible
    reasons. Peer pressure, to look cool, to lose weight, everyone
    else did it, etc. But what did we do? -- We continued to try
    smoking until our bodies could tolerate the insult to our
    systems until - BINGO - we were addicted and couldn't put them
    down. NOW - here comes the good part . . .
       IMAGINE you are standing at the end of a bed of hot coals.
    This represents the place you were before you had your first
    cigarette. The hot coals represent the PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT you
    experienced when you first smoked. There you are -- a never
    smoker and you take your first puff - taking an imaginary step
    ON to the hot coals. You will experience discomfort
    (lightheaded, dizzy, pukey etc) but do you step backward OFF
    the coals, put the cigarettes down for life? NO WAY!! We all
    continued across the coals, experiencing whatever discomfort we
    had to in order to "look cool" until we could no longer step
    backward because we were addicted Now you have arrived on the
    other side of the coals a full-fledged smoker, addicted to the
    nicotine, pleasure, and habit of smoking. 
       Now you want to quit. You turn around and face the hot coals
    once again and contemplate all the pain of withdrawal-
    lightheaded, dizzy, nauseated at times, nervousness, etc. Most
    of us put one foot on the "coals" and immediately withdraw even
    though we have excellent reasons to continue on to the other
    side - the smoke free side. We had LOUSY reasons to cross the
    first time but we did it. Now we have GREAT reasons to cross
    and have a terrible time going through the pain of quitting. 
       I know how hard it is - I've done it. You can too.  Keep
    reminding yourself of the good reasons to quit and try to
    imagine just how far you have come back across the coals to
    reach your goal. I wish I could be there to help all of you.
    Hang in there!