Smoking in 2016 has got to be the most unrewarding experience that I can think of.  Take away the social aspect and what is left?

I was working with a client who expressed her desires to quit smoking.  During the session I had her list and write down the benefits of smoking.  This she did and there were a couple of minor benefits that she could link to smoking.  However when we weighed these against the disadvantages of smoking a huge imbalance became evident.

It took me only a few minutes to dissemble the benefits of smoking, and to show her how to fill the same needs in a positive healthy way.

All that remained was a long list of disadvantages.  She was ready to make the changes and for the re-patterning process to be installed directly into her unconscious mind.

An interesting concept that I taught was that in order to take control of this addiction, she needed to choose to either shrink the addiction or alternately grow bigger, or outgrow the addiction. As I considered these two approaches and thought about their implications, my mind was drawn to two different schools of thought.  The first is the concept of mindfulness.  Mindfulness is the concept of just letting the thought go, or allowing it to pass. It is the realisation that negative impulses will come, and as we allow these to be, they will pass when ready.  Mindfulness is a way of shrinking the challenge by simple allowing temptation or impulses to simply come and go on their own.  The other process of outgrowing the addiction is about dominating it and taking full control of ones life. It is about being fully committed.  To have a mind of certainty and conviction, and to continually mentally dominate the issue.

What I have leaned is that both approaches work effectively, and that each person can and should choose to overcome weaknesses and issues in their own way and according to the strategy they choose to employ.  When a person chooses for them-self and is determined to succeed miracles happen.

Whatever the tool or strategy, when it comes to extinguishing that last cigarette, nothing can compete with the power of belief.

Instead of breathing smoke, breathe life.