Day 17: April 30, 2007 and Today's TIP

I was surprised to wake up to the shocking reality that I was actually dreaming about having a cigarette. My mind was playing through all the motions of "lighting up". This was quite interesting because the conflicting thoughts running through my mind were along the lines of "Hold on, where did these come from? I thought I Quit?" When I did wake up, I was relieved to find out it was just a dream.

I was feeling so good about having 16 Days behind me and I just couldn't imagine the thought of a relapse - I think that would have crushed me more than having the actual cigarette. Oddly enough I did not wake up with an actual craving. I was disgusted at the thought of even considering having a cigarette.

Otherwise I'm well rested and exercising. I have been riding my bike at least 5 miles a day. That may not sound like much, but it is when you haven't done it for years. My ride time to cover this distance is getting shorter, so I'll be extending my route in the near future.

I did a quick Google search for Nicotine Quench Plan and discovered that this BLOG was at the top of the list. That's encouraging.

My Nicotine Quench Plan is quickly becoming a routine. The evening hours are still a little rough but I'm working it through. A small snack and a glass of juice around 8:30 pm seems to do the trick.

Today's TIP - Celebrate your Milestones

It's been an awesome ride so far. If you've made it this far, it's fair to say your plan is working for you. As we've said many times before, take it one moment at a time.

I read somewhere that you shouldn't "project into the future". However, I think it's important to celebrate milestones to recognize your accomplishments along the way. Every major goal is broken down into smaller achievable goals or milestones.

During my first week, I went moment by moment - hour by hour, day by day. One day nicotine free is a major milestone in my opinion - especially after smoking for over 30 years.

My Current Milestones:

Day 0 - April 13, 2007 - 1:45 pm QUIT - Hour by Hour - Completed
Daily - April 14 - 20, 2007 - Hour by Hour / Day by Day - Completed
Week 1 - April 21, 2007 - Completed
Week 2 - April 28, 2007 - Completed
Week 3 - In progress

Celebrating a milestone is recognizing what you have accomplished. Celebrate them as they occur.