How is it that we don't know we have a problem, until we see the evidence for ourselves in a picture of a video.

We think to ourselves...  "now that is embarrassing"

The Greatest thing you can do for yourself is admit that you do have a problem.  This is the first step.

The second step is that you eliminate all the areas of your life where you fall back into the hole.  For me, the hole was when my friends would light up a cigarette around me.  I sat there, wanting so badly a cigarette, that once I took a puff, I would convince myself that one more cigarette and THEN-pack wouldn't matter.  What a lie I told myself, and the worse part is I knew it was a lie.

Addictions are so powerful sometimes that you need to know to avoid putting yourself in the situation where you are going to slip.

Leave the room when people are lighting up, or drinking or taking drugs.  Sometimes for YOUR OWN sake, you will need to not hang around a particular crowd to avoid the temptations until you know you are confident enough to say no. 

If you are able to draw up a plan of attack covering all angles where you might possibly slip, you are going to succeed moreso than the person who hasn't got a plan and just decides to quit their habit.   What is your battle plan?

In January, I told my husband I was going to give up coffee.  A great Christian speaker I love dearly (Bree Keyton) had suggested in one of her seminar's to quit coffee.  I would be quitting coffee for the health benefits, and to get my body off of the reliance of a cup of coffee to function in the morning.  I do love creamy lattes and espresso's, so when January came, I substituted my regular coffee for decaffeinated.  The first 2 weeks were rough.  Every morning I had a back ache, and neck cramps.  I felt as though I was sick for a good week and a half.  I wasn't vomiting, but just weak, and overly tired.  I had no motivation to work,....  I just wanted to sleep.   After the two weeks, my body was no longer dependant on the coffee, and it functioned just the same as though I had a cup.  So, in other words, my body was back to it's normal state.  A few months later, I ended up having some specialty coffee's (french vanilla) that we stored away, (when I took out all the coffee out of our cabinets) and I felt bad to just throw it out, so I had a cup.  It had instant coffee in it, and for the rest of the day I had a very bad headache.  SO, I know, it is not worth it to have a cup, OR the rest of my day is a right-off. 

You can do it!  Remember, don't let anyone tell you, or plant the seed in your mind that you cannot do it !  People don't realize their words.  Everyone has a family member or a freind who shots out insults, and disbelief, so be mentally on-guard for it. 

If you fail, DON"T beat yourself up.  Pick yourself up and immediately get back on track!  Keep telling yourself ..."I have quit " and that action confirmation in your mind will direct your path to being totally free from addiction

Meranda