Milestones – Keep Striving and Keep Celebrating

I was asked the other day how I keep my quit “fresh” in my mind.  There are quite a few people that utilize the forums religiously for the first 100 days of their quit and then fade away.  Unfortunately, more often than not, they show up a few months (or years) later posting day #1 again.  Obviously this isn’t a good thing.

We focus so much on the 100 day “Hall of Fame” that many times people feel when they get there they should be “cured”.  I’m here to tell you this isn’t the case.  You’re simply not going to be cured after 3 months free from your addiction.  And why would you be?  If you’re like me, you chewed for more than a decade.  Personally, I chewed for over 6,000 days…. why would I expect to be back to “normal” after 100?

Back to the question at hand.  How do I keep my quit fresh?  First off, I post roll daily.  It’s my daily reminder of my quit and the battle that I’m fighting.  Yes… I’m CONTINUING to fight.  Sure, I don’t crave any more, but I still deal with quit issues.  I still have dip dreams occasionally, and tobacco still crosses my mind from time to time.  I’ve been told many times by quite a few people, “But Chewie… the only time I think about dip is when I post roll.  Why would I want to continue doing something that makes me remember my addiction?”  I’ll answer that question with another question.  “Why would you want to forget?”  I NEVER want to forget my addiction.  I never want to forget what a strong hold dip had over me.  I never want to forget what an asshole I was when I was a dipper.  If posting roll and “remembering” it on a daily basis is all it takes to keep me quit… Well, in my mind that’s a very small price to pay for freedom.

In addition to posting roll, I set other quit goals.  The beauty of the 100 day Hall of Fame is that it’s attainable.  The concept of “forever” is too large for an addict to comprehend, so we don’t bother.  100 days.  It’s a nice round number.  It’s not nearly as large as a year, and not nearly as daunting as forever.  So, I set and CELEBRATE milestones in my quit.  Every hundred days, every year, every anniversary of my entry into the Hall of Fame (Halloween, for those who care).

If you’re looking for another token to celebrate your milestones check these out.  They’re priced at $15 a piece!  A small price to pay to show off your success!

• 200 Days – “Caving Is Not An Option… Do Something Else”
• 1 Year – “Never Again For Any Reason”
• 500 Days – “Close The Door”
• 2 Years – “Only You Are Accountable For Your Actions”
• 1,000 Days – “The Comma”
• 3 Years – “The Difference Between Success And Failure Is Measured In Willpower”
• 4 Years – “Nothing Is Impossible, The Word Itself Says, I’m Possible!”
• 5 Years – “Stay Close. Stay Strong. Stay Quit.”
• 2,000 Days – “Quitting… Everyone Is Doing It”
• 2,500 Days – “One Day At A Time”

Not a trinket fan?  No big deal… like I said, I didn’t set out to write a commercial.  But I’d STRONGLY advise you to set goals and to celebrate them.  Go out to dinner, take a day off work, buy a new fishing pole.  Whatever floats your boat.  But recognize what it is you’re doing.  You’re in a fight for your life.  Celebrate your successes.  You deserve it!