Little sweet Angel and Little red Devil

[EmJay]

I thought I'd chat a little bit about this little pair here who you quite often find perched one on each of your shoulders

The night before you stop smoking, you generally listen to the lovely sweet voice of the little Angel, she tells you ;

"You can do this"

"You'll be saving so much money"

"You'll be so much healthier"

"Life will be better"

"I don't like smoking"

"I'll smell better"

Then the next morning you wake up, feeling okayish, then you reach for a cigarette and remember about making that decision to quit smoking...

Then the first craving sets in.....

The little red devil has a louder voice, he tells you;

"Go on, you can just have one cigarette to start your day"

"You can quit later"

"You'll feel much better if you smoke"

"You would have spent the money on cigarettes anyway"

"You know you really love smoking"

"It will affect your sense of smell, so you won't even know how bad you smell"

You overcome the craving, you don't realise it at the time until it comes back the next time. However, for it to 'come back' it must have 'gone away'. Remember this, as it is all part of your confidence building and learning that you are taking positive steps forward.

Little Devil: "Go on, just have one"

Little sweet Angel: "One will lead to another"

You: "I am not going to smoke"

Little Devil: "Just buy 10 cigarettes instead of 20"

You: " At least this will mean I'm still having a go, still trying"

Little sweet Angel: "You're doing so well, it will get easier"

You: " I am choosing not to smoke"

As the hours/days/weeks pass by you notice that both of these little voices will get quieter and quieter until eventually you won't have them about as often.

The voices of this little pair are only your own inner voice, it's important that you understand how powerful the words are that you say to yourself.

Keep your thoughts and words positive and remember that you are stopping doing something that you no longer want to do anymore.

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Good Morning Emjay,

I love this, it's so true :), I eventually learned that i needed to change my thoughts to quit smoking, it took a while, but better late than never, and i'm so glad i did, with that and all the wonderful people on here I feel I'll do it this time So thank you to you and everyone else

[Kazzachoc 2 YEAR WINNER]

This is so true EmJay it's a constant battle between good and evil

Mind over matter and staying positive is what is needed and keeping busy to silence those voices but it's not always easy which is where we all come in to give a helping hand and that bit of extra support.

The pic is lovely.

[Fags1]

In the past my inner voice has said such things a " You're gonna die anyway, might as well enjoy yourself. If the fags don't kill you, it will only be something else". Well I want to be struck by lightning or knocked down with a bubble car or get whisked off by a tornado, I don't want to reach the point where I haven't the breathe to say " have you gotta light buddy because I listened to my inner addicted conscience. I want to die a more interesting death on a later date. I don't wish to write such stuff, but once I have, it's as if I have exorcised some demon. Thanks to everyone for your words of encouragement, you are really making a difference.

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer]

Aup Emjay

Thats ace gal, cos that is what it is like, !! for me any way you just have to keep knocking that little devil down