Taking ownership of your decisions

[nsd_user663_deleted]

About fifteen years ago, I stopped smoking for about five years. After I started up again, people naturally used to ask me why. I made up all sorts of answers, mainly revolving around that fact that I liked the taste, the smell, being with other smokers etc. etc. But, the truth was that although I believed all these things to be true, the main reason I had started again was simply because it was never my idea to stop in the first place! I had been coerced into stopping by my ex-wife, primarily so that she could stop too. So, the natural thing to do right after the divorce was to rebel by having a few cigars followed by some cigarettes, followed by a further ten years of at least 40-a-day :).

I firmly believe that had it been my decision to stop smoking all those years ago, I still wouldn't be smoking to this day. The problem was that I didn't really take ownership (or buy in) to the idea of not smoking at that time. In fact, it's only very recently that I have learned to do what is right for me regardless of other people's opinions (whether they are right or wrong).

So, my tip is that you need to make sure that you make your own decisions and take ownership of your actions. Nobody is better placed than you to bring your decisions to a successful conclusion.

Michael.

[nsd_user663_4121]

There is a lot of truth to this, Michael. Ultimately it is up to us how we chose to live this life. Many of us got sick of smoking, realized how negatively it impacted our life, and we chose to quit, not because we thought we had to or should but because we wanted to. For a successful quit that is the main ingredient.... that and a little support, some education thrown in the middle and voila, happy non-smoker! Good post, best of luck to you!