Dr. B’s HOF Ramblings
I’ve been looking forward to writing this HOF speech for a long time. It was the HOF speeches that saved me, brought me back to KTC, and showed me what it takes to finally quit my most shameful habit.
Quick recap: I’d chewed Grizzly Wintergreen Pouches for well over a decade. Joined KTC, quit for a week, then caved after thinking “Great job – you quit for 5 days – you deserve a chew”. Obviously I did not understand what quitting was all about. I told my quit group that I had caved and was ready to start again, but they responded with a level of righteous anger that I was not expecting (and in hindsight am eternally grateful for). I stepped back from KTC, thinking I could take what I’d “learned” and do it on my own…
Through all the ensuing failed attempts, I kept getting the Hall of Fame emails. Stories of people who stuck with it for 100 days (or, in some cases, 1000 days) and overcame hurdles far larger than mine. Every time I tried to quit on my own and went back to the can, I saw a new email from a KTC member who had beaten their addiction for 100 days with the help of their quit brothers and sisters.
I came back to KTC as the first member of the Feb 2018 group with a new understanding of what it takes to quit. The “reward” for quitting isn’t that you get to have another dip. The reward is everything else in your life that is better because you’re not dipping. Here are some examples from my own personal experience:
- Our credit card is paid off, and I’m not afraid to let my wife see the statement.
- My kids can walk into my home office any time and I’m not worried that they’ll see something they shouldn’t.
- I can go out for family adventures in the morning on the weekends and not worry about when we’ll be coming home.
- I’m starting to apply this newfound self-awareness and confidence to other areas of my life – work, health, family… and actually having some success!
Bottom line: Quitting tobacco isn’t just about “quitting tobacco”. It’s about growing as a person, learning who you really are, and experiencing a life of freedom and joy that you’d forgotten was possible.
I owe thanks to a LOT of people; I’m going to mention a couple here, but please know that if you’ve ever sent me a text, or called me out on my BS, or responded to a post of mine with an inappropriate emoji, you helped shape my journey here and I am eternally grateful to you!
Lumberguy67: My quit brother from another mother. We quit on the same day. Two totally different dudes, from different places, with different careers, different tolerance for things like mudhole-stomping and lumber-shampoos… Yet this guy has kept me honest, motivated me, helped me keep the Feb group on track early on, and though we’ve never met in person I consider him a good friend and quit brother.
Samrs: If you’ve read any HOF speeches from the past couple of months, you’ll recognize his name because he has basically helped everyone. For me, it’s because during my first quit he called me up and we chatted for 5-10 minutes. That’s what made me realize that KTC was legit. And his daily jokes ranked up there with the HOF speeches in terms of convincing me to come back to the site.
Jmedic30: As his name implies, he saves people. He reminds me that even heroes struggle with this stuff, and they need support just like those of us who DON’T resuscitate people for a living. He is a good guy through and through, and I’m proud to quit with him.
Montovon: One of my earliest friends in my first quit. A font of knowledge and support. When I caved, the most painful part was letting him down. When I rejoined, he said simply, “This time, no more bullshit”. And here we are. Thanks coach!
The Febbin’ Catalina Wine Mixer: My quit group is full of solid, dedicated quitters. We’re a quiet bunch, calmly keeping ourselves quit while going about our business. If you’ve been reading recent HOF speeches this might catch you off guard because January is… quite different.
If you’re thinking of quitting, please understand that KTC WORKS for thousands of people like me who simply couldn’t quit on our own. We need accountability, support, and hell – FUN – to quit successfully – and that’s what we have here.
Thanks everyone, and I look forward to staying quit with you all!
NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member drbottux
