Excuses - Ending

     One issue with trying to overcome a habit or creating a new positive one is that excitement gets you going, but you quickly wear out. With in a week or two, maybe even a couple of days or hours, the desire to continue wanes. For instance, quitting smoking was a ridiculously hard addiction for me to break. It took years of failed attempts before this last one stuck.

      I would decide on a day for quitting and then the previous night would quickly smoke all that were left. After all, we don’t want to waste them do we? Things would be going along okay at first. The thought of going without starts to creep in, “How the heck am I going to make a week? That is so long.” After a bit smoking consumed every single thought. Will power would snap and a trip to the store for a pack of cigarettes would seal the deal.

      During a visit to the doctor for my first physical ever, he informed me that my blood pressure was very high for my age. It probably didn’t help drinking a large amount of Mountain Dew and smoking a few cigarettes before arriving. He pulled out a pad and started writing. Great, here comes a prescription for blood pressure pills. I was in my late 20’s and didn’t think someone that young should need them. Looking at the script it said Welbutrin and the doctor said “You’re going to quit smoking. You’ve 6 months to get your blood pressure under control on your own.

      Just what was needed – another failure under my belt. I decided to try a new plan of attack. Instead of focusing on quitting for a long time period I decided to just not smoke for that day, but the following day I would smoke if the desire came about. The next day came and I decided not to smoke just for that day, but the next day if the desire came about. This week is 5 years since quitting. My blood pressure is much lower, not as good as it can be, but lower. I’ve never had to resort to meds to control it.

     Intention and action had to come together and at the same time and in the now. Just staying in the moment and not thinking ahead was the key. Intelligence was used instead of the effort of willpower. Willpower is like using muscle and trying to force something. Intellectual non-action is the key for the moment.