Tomorrow is My Quit Smoking Day

Today is my last day as a "smoker". They say that the first three weeks are usually the hardest so I know this won't be an easy task at all for me come tomorrow morning. However, I have very good news. I have spent this weekend thinking and acquiring all the things I believe will help me through within budget. Each of these items should help me when I get an urge to smoke or help me not think about having an urge at all. 

I have...

• I GOT MY NICOTINE PATCHES!!! They arrived on Saturday and I will be honest and say that I was highly excited about getting them. I opened the package like I was a child opening a present on Christmas Day....LOL. I even read the instructions and their "Behavior Support Program" that comes with each box. I am a little worried about the possible side effects, but I don't think they will be that bad if I use them right.
• Two journals that I will keep with me at all times. This so that if I am in a particular place (like a hospital, stuck on the side of the road, going on a road trip, or on a lunch break I can do something other than have a cigarette. One journal is my "Quit Smoking" journal where I will write may daily triggers (when I get the urge to smoke or would normally smoke), how I handled the triggers, and how I felt. The other journal is simply for thoughts I have for posts to my other 3-4 blogs. Really need to update those major.
• Bought sunflower seeds (2 big bags) and 2 large pomegranates for those times I am in my car or just having a craving, but can't get up to go for a walk or anything at that particular time.
• Bought 2 cross-stitch pattern kits (with the DMC floss, needles, etc. already included), extra needles/DMC floss, and a cross-stich hoop. This should help me during idle times and when I don't feel like doing anything in my journals. I am pretty good at these so they will probably be done within the next couple of weeks, but that is fine. I can always get more when I am done with these. It also very exciting because they are both for my granddaughter who is due to arrive on March 23rd.
• I also bought several small Healthy Choice meals, Complete meals, and bagels (with jelly) for me to eat at work this week. I decided that I might as well 1) start trying to save money in other places for us and 2) Try to eat just a touch healthier. Not everything I got is completely healthy, but compared to what I normally eat and spend this is a major change. It should help me with my urges to want to stuff my face with food too. Losing weight is another goal I have and plan on working on.

Another couple of things I have put together to help with encouragement from here until June 1st (This is the day set by my job that I have to be at least 30 days smoke free to keep my insurance low). I created a calendar from January to September (the month of my birthday) with encouraging notes and reminders of my trigger alternatives. I will also be restarting my Quit Smoking app on my cell to keep track of the days I have stopped smoking and the amount of money I am saving.

I have also talked to my little man about his thumb sucking and we decided together that he will be given 10 cents for every sticker he has earned as long as he can give me a full 30 days of not sucking his thumb for the month of May. If not then he only gets 5 cents. Either way he will be allowed to spend the amount he earned after June 1st.

My hubby (who is my main support buddy) has offered to help me in the mornings by both of us taking a walk. We use to do this after I had my 7 year old, but it only lasted for like a month. His goal is to start trying to lose weight too so it seems we are now support buddies which means I have 3 now. Anyhow, we are going to start doing this next week because I told him that wanted to give my body at least a week to deal with the nicotine patches before I start exercising in that manner. I am not exactly sure what if any side effects I will have, if any. I want to make sure my body can handle it before I take that next step.

So as you can see it looks like I am on the right track to making this time a success. I have my fears about it all and I do realize this will be a difficult road for me, but I think all the annoying preparation I have been doing and all the help I think I will get this time it just might work. My real test will be when I no longer have the patches to help me. That will be in eight weeks.

LET THE QUIT SMOKING CHALLENGE FOR ME BEGIN!!