Reason to SMILE #366: KICKING A HABIT

I’ve heard that it only takes 7 days to form a habit – good or bad. I’m not sure if that’s true.

Since everyone is different, I tend to believe it may take months for some people to form a habit while it may only take days for others.

Then there’s kicking a habit.

Forming habits is so much easier than kicking them!

To get rid of those nasty habits we form, it takes

TIME,

determination,

WILL POWER,

fortitude,

COURAGE,

accountability

and

MORAL & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

Geesh!

Why do we begin those nasty habits in the first place?!?

Whatever the reason, I think at some point, we all find ourselves faced with the challenge of kicking one habit or another.

My old college friend, David, is working on kicking his smoking habit. In fact, he just announced his 2-week non-smoking streak to the world (well, Facebook world, I suppose). His excitement over his triumph and my excitement for him was the inspiration for this SMILE.

I also have another friend (Really, I do! 😉 ) who is struggling to beat an alcohol addiction.

Even I am working on squashing my soda habit. Today is day #12 of my soda abstinence! Yay me!

Three different habits. Three (most likely more) different reasons the habits were formed. Three different people. Therefore, the process for ridding ourselves of these bad habits, addictions or emotional crutches will be just as different. But one thing is certain, we will each be faced with hurdles to jump, temptations to avoid and set backs to overcome.

So, how do we do it? How do we make it to the finish line? How do we successfully beat those nasty habits?

You have to find what works for you but whatever it is, don’t do it alone. Let someone be your rock, your accountability partner and your listening ear.

The words of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 are true: “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

And remember to take it one DAY at a time –

No. More like one MOMENT at a time.

Each moment that you make the better choice, each temptation that you successfully thwart and each time you pick yourself up after a set back is cause to celebrate. These are the moments that should make you SMILE because these moments bring you one step closer to, as my friend David would say, kickin’ that habit to the curb!

 

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A Year of Smiles – Day 259

Reason to SMILE #259: CARE PACKAGES 

This arrived from my older sister today! Inside this box I found:

• 1 bag Sweet Potato chips
• 1 bag kettle style Potato chips made with avocado oil
• Mini vanilla marshmallows 
• Two dietary supplements that help alleviate anxiety 

The snacks were all gluten free and non GMO verified, have no preservatives, no MSG, no Trans fat, no artificial flavors and low sodium. I’m not sure if they have any taste 😉 but apparently, they are good for me and I need to be eating healthier snacks. She knows me all too well.

The supplements were included because of my confession to her about recent anxiety attacks I’ve had at the grocery store and in normal conversation with people I’ve known for years. My anxiety makes absolutely no sense to me. I suppose that’s the nature of anxiety but my sister understood. She swears by the natural calming aides she included in my care package.

What a SMILE – a package full of items meant to enhance my well-being sent by someone who loves me and is concerned about my health. It’s a care package only a sister would send. That’s what sisters are for, right? 

Hmmm. I suppose it’s my turn to send a care package to my younger sister now. Time to pass on a SMILE!

A Year of Smiles – Day 110

Reason to SMILE #110: UNDERSTANDING

“That’ll be $169,” the receptionist at the doctor’s office said as she looked up from her computer.

“Wait,” I balked. “That’s more than the price given to me over the phone when I made my appointment.  What’s the difference?”

“Your age,” the receptionist blurted without hesitation or even a hint of sympathy.

This getting old thing is no fun at all!  And I’m not that old, for Pete’s sake! (OK.  Maybe I shouldn’t say “for Pete’s sake.”  Kinda makes me sound old, doesn’t it?)

Annual checkups are no fun to begin with.  Enduring all that poking and prodding and having to answer a barrage of embarrassing questions is no walk in the park, that’s for sure.  Then after all of that, to be penalized for being another year older…  That’s just plain rude.

But the cherry on top was the order to cut back on the fats in my diet.  You mean, I can’t even eat like a young person anymore?  C’mon!  What else is there to live for? 😉  Well, not really knowing what to eat or not eat, I did a quick google search of foods that I need to avoid in order to lower my cholesterol.  According to almost every article on the subject, I must watch saturated and trans fats, avoid fatty meats and cut out simple sugars like those found in candy, soda, cakes and cookies.

I am going to die…

…very soon!  Either that or I’m going to kill those closest to me as I go through withdrawals.  You have now been forewarned, by the way.

But here is where my SMILE comes in.  I know I’m not the only one who is getting older every year.  It sounds silly to say because aging is unavoidable.  It’s easy, though, to be so wrapped up in our own problems that we begin to believe we’re alone in our plights – even in aging and all the struggles that come with it.  So, I know that no matter the new and interesting experiences I face each year I grow older, there will always be someone who has either been through it already or is going through it at the same time I am.

I am not alone.  These crazy things happening to me are not unique (although they seem pretty darn unique to me!).   There will always be someone who completely understands what I am going through and who is willing to put their arm around me and tell me I’m not going to die if I cut sugars out of my diet.  Or…

There may just be those who look at me, laugh and say, “You’re a big girl now.  Suck it up!”  But if you think about it, there’s plenty of understanding in those words, too!

You’re not the only one facing your struggles.  I bet if you’d look, you’d be sure to find someone with enough understanding to help you SMILE today.

Go on.  Take a look.  An understanding SMILE is waiting.

 

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