First step in achieving...

On April 2, I celebrated my 10 years of having quit smoking.!

I remember when I had tried to quit before and it was always a struggle. I always thought of it as something I SHOULD do. "I SHOULD quit, it is bad for me." What was different the last time, when I was finally successful, was I WANTED to quit and believed it was possible. I knew I wanted to quit more than I wanted to continue. Oh, how I enjoyed blowing smoke rings and having cigarettes with my friends but I knew quitting was what I really wanted.

I remember struggling with "what do I do with my hands." So, I started painting. I painted whenever I had free time. I painted just to keep busy and it worked. I also struggled with "how do I drive my car without having a cigarette?" So, I started chewing more gum and eating cinnamon Altoids. That probably lasted a few months and then I was over it.

I don't remember when I stopped thinking about smoking but I know I dreamt about it all the time. What I know for sure is that it was a huge thing in my life to accomplish. I know that once I quit, I truly felt I could do anything.

There is great power in believing in yourself and achieving the things you dream of!