Somehow I don't think your going back...Sorry to hear the work load is heavy. I understand that, the only thing that helps me is to remember that we have a source of income. That is becoming a luxury these days...But sometimes, it does feel good to think about packing it all in and hitting the road. I even have a vehicle in the garage that is my designated running away car...I doubt that I will fire it up any time soon, but then again it is a nice notion...But who would tend my garden???
Yes, I understand...Its a time of marking seasons, stages in ones life really. The changing of the seasons, especially fall to winter, seems to underscore the hastening of time. I become very aware of this fact, especially when I look at my plowed garden. It always seems rather sad, but I know its only sleeping. By the end of February I'll start growing the seedlings for the spring planting and that always makes me feel better...Take good care of your quit, you certainly do not want to give it up on account of some transient blues...I won't, I know I'm never going back...
Yes I think it is most definitely a bittersweet holiday for most of us as we get older. We only have the memories of Christmas past which we can never recreate because alot of those people who made it special are gone from our lives for ever. Also, as children or yung adults we just sit back and reap the rewards of the hard work the older generations put into making the holidays special for us. Then there is the over commercialization and the greedy nasty frenzied behaviour of people out there as the shopping days get fewer and fewer. I know the holidays are hugely triggering for me so I've decided to cut myself some slack with the NRT gum until it's all passed and then I'll seriously work towards getting rid of it totally. In the mean time I will allow myself some me time by going running with my group twice a week. It's a great tune out and terrific opportunity to chat as you run with people from various walks of life that you may not ordinarily have the chance to meet. I'll also do some baking once I have some time on the weekend and bring it over for Christmas eve to my mother's place. I especially want to put the effort into this as it may very likely be the last Christmas I will ever have with her.
You are not alone. I am not a fan of the fall/ winter holidays except for Halloween. It's a hard path for me until the forced and commericialized "cheer" being shoved down my throat is gone and I start really noticing the longer days in January.
I'm not really having any increase in desire to smoke at this time. We'll see how it goes when I get some time off. I'm hoping to use the time wisely with exercise, housecleaning, and maybe some extra sleep and some good comedies. Bad Santa always makes me feel better about life. ....Yeah, I'm twisted.
Here's to you finding something positive to soothe your soul this season.
Thanks for your insight once again, buddy! I will definitely take your words to heart this year, as I definitely don't want to go anywhere near that dark path with Mr. Melanchloy! Work stress is definitely in high gear along with a complete change of holiday activities this year. But, I've made it through 4 smoke-free holiday seasons so far and I WILL do whatever it takes to continue on with this tradition!
Merry Christmas, Nonic, and to all of my fellow SSC quit buddies as well!
Yep this is a tough time for many folks...It always brings me to a rather awkward place, and I certainly can not be the only one...It's just one more of those inexplicable paradoxes...On the one hand it is a season of light but its very nature can take folks down a very dark path...That old bitter sweet thing once again....In any case it can be a dangerous time for the quitting community...
It's that time of year again...The days have grown shorter, the nights are just a bit deeper and the winds seem to be blowing us toward winter's waiting jaws...This can be a difficult time for many of us. I know it is for me and I suspect I am not alone.
As we approach the holiday season, I do hope that you will protect your quits at all costs. This is a time when we may be in danger of meeting up with the ghosts of Christmas past. Melancholy always comes looking for me around this time. And that can be a dangerous thing for anyone struggling down cessation road. I have always found the holidays to be a bitter sweet time. While there is a certain beauty in that, there are dangers as well.
We all know of the chemical affinity of alcohol and nicotine. Well, as you make the rounds of parties and celebrations there will no doubt be many opportunities to lighten your load with a bit of the old cheer. Nothing wrong with that, as long as you remind yourself ahead of time down what path that little buzz may take you. You have worked to hard to let your quit go up in smoke while basking in the warmth and camaraderie of friends and family.
This can also be a very stressful time for many of us...And slipping back behind the thin blue veil can seem like a comforting thought when faced with the pressures of the season. I do hope that you will appreciate the singular qualities of the holidays and take good care to keep two feet planted firmly on the quitting trail...
