Overcoming Urges

One of the hardest thing about making a New Year’s Resolution is keeping your commitment during urges, especially early on. It’s always smart to use the common sense tactics to be aggressive with your offense against your bad habit. It’ highly likely that anyone reading this has already lapsed back into your habit, that you’ve made the commitment to quit. The most common resolution made, or a very common one, at least is the main resolution I made with millions of others in Americans: to quit smoking. It’s easier said than done. In fact, most people who successfully quit smoking, research studies¹ suggest, attempt it over 20 times unsuccessfully. The fact is, if you’ve lapsed back into the habit, you are already closer to your goal than you normally would be, if you pick your commitment up now.

Some of the common sense methods that I mentioned above are the following:

·         Avoid areas that you’re about to identify as high risk zones.

·         Avoid (temporarily, at least, if even possible) the presence of friend and family who are likely to take part in the habit your trying to beat. It’s sucks but it’s an important part of successfully defeating any habit.*

·         Make sure that you’ve gotten rid of all items that you associate with taking part in your bad habit

·         If you’ve been successful until day 4, congratulations. You’ve done the hardest part with the most intense urges and cues to lapse. If not, four is any easy landmark to hit, so let’s focus on that, and at that time schedule something to lock you into your commitment and understand it for what it is, which is a symbol that you will be successful in your attempt to throw off whatever addiction makes you do the thing you don’t really want to. A great example for smoking is to have your teeth cleaned and whitened. Obviously, after that you’ve increased your chances of winning the fight. You’ve effectively tricked yourself to placing a higher importance on the need to overcome smoking. Since the fight is decided by, well, you, then as silly as it is, tricking yourself, or adding actual value to the beating of your decision. Whichever way you interpret it.

·         Another thing to punctuate a successful amount of time is to take on something healthy if it’s for your health, an added percent of a week’s income to boost your savings it you’re saving for something, or three days of doing your new activity for a longer time than normal. If your resolution is to quit smoking, try a 1-3 day juice fast or use a 21 or 30 day toxin cleanser. There is a special one for smokers who’ve quit at Vitamin World, and probably anywhere of that nature.

·         Do something to in the morning to prevent your habit all day. For instance, if yours is to work out, take your supplements before the warring factions of your mind start to argue about whether you should even go today. Or tell the “loser you”, that wants to just relax, that you’ll just drive to gym and then come back home. You’ll find that “winner you” will do the rest if you can just get your body to the gym.

·         Examine the things “loser you” is saying. This is the constant monologue that goes on in your head. LY can come up with some baseless excuses, that’s most of what this part of your mind does. It looks out to avoid immediate pain and seek instant pleasure, ONLY! YOU, though are in charge of you and choose whether or not to take LY’s advice.

These are things that we all know to do, but often it’s a good idea to see them laid out, as simple as they are. I notice with myself, even simple ideas coming from another source as input, can reinforce these ideas and bring them to the surface where I can more readily use them. Use whatever works for you.

There are also some techniques from the sharp psychological frameworks that I use when changing an area of my life. I’ll introduce the areas I usually consult for high power change and some that I am interested in becoming more familiar with.

·         NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) This is my favorite tool set for change in myself and even eliciting change in others. It is a psychological framework developed for influence over yourself and others, based on common human behavior. The idea is that we can study and implement behavior that will receive a certain response. It’s based on the programming the language of the mind. The way you stand, your posture and breathing all send feedback to your brain and can help you change your mood and every aspect of your life. I am a fairly new student of this metascience, but I have used the tools and techniques for effective results already. You can too. Soon, I will post an introduction to this great mindset. For more information on NLP visit http://www.nlpu.com/NewDesign/NLPU.html

A word of warning concerning NLP: There are a lot of people out there that have taken this 40 year old metascience and completely embedded wishful thinking into the processes. Here is an example of what I think does not work with the way our minds are programmed to understand communication. Try this "mind trick" out and let's hear if anyone has much success.

·         Processes and Tactics that are taught by self-help super-coaches, Stephen Covey (most famous for authoring “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”), Anthony Robbins, who has an amazing story and travels the world teaching his processes for change (He is probably most famous for his bestselling book “Awaken the Giant Within”, although he has an extensive volume of contributions that range from books and audio downloads/videos to research in the field of self-help and change.) I used to discount these types of “gurus”, because of the gimmicky industry that they are in. Anthony Robbins took some getting used to, but looking past his high energy and enthusiasm, he has programs for change. He has dozens of little individual exercises he encourages in his tapes, which can have a powerful effect. Tony Robbins - Official website of Tony Robbins www.tonyrobbins.com

Stephen Covey (10/24/32 – 7/16/2012) is an author that I have a reverence for that I’ve never had for someone I haven’t met. This man has authored several books and traveled speaking at seminars for the majority of his career. He is the founder of FranklinCovey, a business that makes business people better, using his original ideas and tools from his own research. If I could identify one factor that changed my life from addiction/suffering to a happy free life; it would have to be Stephen Covey’s work.

In my addiction I had to go to jail and while I was there, with nothing else to do, I picked up a John Grisham book, “A Painted House”, before that I hadn’t read any books, really. It took a while, but I changed and liked to read. I hated it before. After I read all the Grisham books from back then, and a few other fiction books, I decided that I should read books to learn something and better myself. I eventually worked my way to “The 7 Habits”, and though I couldn’t understand it all, I got so much from that book that I was moved to desire a change in my life, and now had some tools to use. I’ve read every word he’s written and the 7 habits 6 or 7 times. Each time I understand more, and it proves the point of the book. The 7^th habit (spoiler alert) is to “Sharpen the Saw”. Basically, this means to learn every day.  When you do, you grow and become more capable, competent and happy. Therefore, each time I read it I can take just as much away from it as the first time. I have to attribute the desire to change to Stephen Covey and the authors that teach real world ways to have what want and base your desires on principles that you value. For more info visit www.franklincovey.com

·         SMART Recovery® is a modern, science based recovery program for addicted individuals. It is similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, in that they have group meetings and fight the same foe. They are different in their core beliefs of what addiction is, how to effectively fight it, and even disagree on pillars of theory that each program is founded on. For instance, SMART Recovery, much less well known than AA and ¼ of the age, it tries to stay abreast of the latest scientific and medical research, using all available tools to attack addiction and defend against it. AA is strict in its traditions that are the constitution of AA and will not change until AA is no longer relevant. SMART doesn’t have 12-steps, they use a 4-point system; Maintain Motivation, Coping with Urges, managing thoughts feelings and emotions & living a balanced life. SMART does not maintain that an addict must hit “rock bottom” to begin to change, religion is outside of the scope of SMART, so a spiritual experience nor choosing a higher power is relevant nor necessary to recover from addiction. Instead of spirituality, they use science, and because of this many addicted individuals use both. You’ll notice the so far, that we have loosely stuck to these four points in the blog posts so far. There is more info about SMART Here.

·         The 12-Steps: since I mentioned them above, I should point out how truly powerful these steps can be and can be applied to any type of change. I know someone who quit smoking using the 12-steps. Find out more HERE.

·       

Albert Ellis

  Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy is a metascience that was developed by Dr. Albert Ellis, and has changed millions of lives. You can find out more about REBT HERE. I have a free e-book courtesy of the REBT Network, and you can download your free, no hassle copy HERE.

The basic premise of all of these schools of thought is that you can change anything in your life.  You are in the driver’s seat and no matter what obstacles are in the way of you and where you’d like to be, you run you, and making excuses only aids your enemy in controlling your behavior.

For Addiction to Drugs or Alcohol:

If you are trying to stop doing something like addictive drugs, as I’ve said before, that is outside of the scope of the New Year’s resolution strategies segment of this blog. However, I would love to help you find assistance which is imperative in changing a life controlling problem. You still have the power to change, but that power lies in your ability to be able to ask for help when you need it and being brutally honest with yourself. You can never have anything worth having in this life so long as you are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Since that is the main purpose of Focused Life, please, reach out and let us know about your problem and we’ll do all the heavy lifting in finding a place that will help you.

I hold no person in a higher regard than someone who defeats a drug or alcohol addiction. There is no shame in reaching out for help. It is the brave thing to do. It’s easy to stay in your current descending state of crisis, but it takes a noble soul to reach out and get assistance for the problem that is controlling your life. Addictions are very complex issues, and even though you may feel like you can beat it on your own if, you haven’t already, and then it’s highly unlikely that you will. Life is an experience; you can spend your entire existence letting something call the shots for you, or you can step up and get the help to kick this addictions ass. Call me on my cell phone. My name is Ryan and if you follow this link, you will find my number on the left-hand side of your screen. Even if you just need to talk, or want to learn more and aren’t ready to stop, call me. Morning, noon or night, call or text and we can figure out something that works for you.

Thanks for stopping in. Leave a comment and let us know how you are doing with your resolution. Tell us what’s working for you and what’s not. Tell or ask anything….

1. https://www.dropbox.com/s/6cummmymph4v50g/TobaccoFreeFL-Quit-Kit_5-FINAL.pdf?dl=0

Maintaining Motivation

I've stuck to the schedule, thus far without incident. I am so sore from yesterday’s workout and I couldn't have done it without you guys; or at least knowing that I’d look like a fool to you guys if I didn’t. Thanks either way. I started off the new, lifelong health change by doing a body shock. I worked out muscles I haven’t felt in years. I plan to do a body shock for another 6 straight days to really get my muscles aware that this is really going to happen. Then, taking Creatine monohydrate, and whey protein (always), I’ll move on to the longer phase of isolating muscle groups, by day of the week when I've rested for two days after my last body shock workout. 

20 minutes after quitting smoking, your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

I want to put on about thirty pounds of lean muscle because I was so embarrassed that I have withered away to nothing. I said that I’d always be honest on this blog, so I weighed myself and am ashamed to report that I am only 158 lbs. I know some of you are like, “What’s the #@%*ing problem, I wish I could lose weight.” Trust me. It’s a problem. I worked out a lot when I was younger, but I've never weighed more than 205 lbs., which made me look like a monster because I’m normally so scrawny. 

12 hours after quitting smoking, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

My goal for the summer is to be at a solid 185 and in athletic shape. I am going to start taking a photo in the mirror every day, so at the end of the first 30 days, and also the six months, I can show a before and after. I do not want to show the before until the after is ready, though. It’s horrible. 

In 2010, 52.8 percent of cigarette smokers in Florida made a quit attempt.

My plan for dealing with growth plateaus and proactivity, is leaning on supplements and changing my workouts up, before the monotony sets in. I’ll start taking creatine next week for 10 days, because, even though most of the mass one gains (sorry ladies, 1 sec) is going to be lost, seeing the results fast is important to me. I know myself and to maintain motivation, I have to go look in the mirror after I’m pumped up from a workout and be able to tell a difference. 

Two weeks to three months after quitting, your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

If you have any tips of how you will create or maintain your motivation, please post it in the comments. Your mind is yours. Your thoughts are conjured by you. You are accountable for your actions. So, you also get to reap rewards from positive behaviors. The concepts that I am going to share are from a number of sources and I will try to find out where they all originated and give the discoverer credit. 

One to nine months after quitting smoking, coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) start to regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

If you lack motivation, I know of one quick exercise that will eliminate that lack today. If you can’t decide what you want to do, but have some ideas, I have a super simple way to make up your mind. If you are suffering from depression or any mental health issues, then please don’t mistake this for the prognosis of an expert. Seek medical treatment, but use this as well. 

About one year after quitting smoking, the excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker's risk.

Speaking of smoker's risk:

This is what happens when you drop your lighter
under your seat. Or, when you drink and get behind
the wheel. One of those two, I can't remember, this
used to happen so often,

I am not sure if I am ready to commit to quit something destructive in my life, or begin something great. This is how Benjamin Franklin made decisions, or that’s how the story goes. He would draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper and one side would represent the pros, the other would represent the cons. This practice is widely used in sales, with uncertain prospects. If you know that the pros of buying your product or service outweigh the cons, this is an easy way to get a visual on all of the information that has to be taken into account to make a decision. 

15 years after quitting smoking, the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker's risk.

10 years after quitting smoking, the risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking.

If you know that your resolution is important to do, but you can’t seem to get your butt in gear, try this: Close your eyes. Think of a time, down the road from now, and focus on that time in your future. Spend 3-10 minutes visualizing your life, one, five, ten years from now, if you do the thing you want to. However, before you visualize that, take the same amount of time, with your eyes closed visualizing the effects that this thing will have on your life if you don't stick to your resolution. If you have a strong resolution with solid benefits, it will hard to sit there and imagine your life. You will want to get up and do something about it. 

Evidence-based cessation counseling and FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) provided by the program can double to triple your chances of successfully quitting.

Now, this exercise only works if you do it. Try one minute on each if you're too busy. Anyone can spare 2 minutes to manufacture the motivation you’ll need to stick to your resolution. I also want to quickly point out the power of doing a little research on your issue. I found some really great information in seconds about the benefits of quitting tobacco, and I will list them below. If your resolution is anything else, I’d suggest that you look up the benefits, or even get them from your Benjamin Franklin list. But, to keep your motivation up, you have to know why you are doing the things that you are. I imagine they won’t be pleasant for the most part, so it is easy to just give up. Don’t ignore the impact your resolution will have on your life. Find out all you can about the changes that are going to take place, as you start a new habit or quit an old one.

About five years after quitting smoking, stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker's risk and, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker.

The first time I heard of this, Tony Robbins, a self-help guru whom I highly recommend, implored his audio audience to pull over and take the couple of minutes to see the results in their lives. I did this exercise and realized immediately some of the things that I must do in my life. This little powerful practice is called meditating. I know that it is somewhat taboo, and that’s a shame, because everyone should experience the life changing effects of different kinds of meditation. 

Most former smokers made several attempts before finally quitting permanently. The average smoker attempts to quit between eight and 11 times before succeeding.

In my opinion, an individual must become brutally honest with herself to make this thing work. I often see people that make excuses for their own status quo, when they obviously want to break away from it. Tomorrow, we will explore how to do this with psychological sciences. Keep up the good work and take control of your life today. You can change anything and you can change it in an instant. Once you realize your power to change the things under your direct control (you), you’ll love making changes and it won’t be so overwhelming. Old habits don’t die easy.

""Lift off" takes a tremendous effort, but once we break out of the gravity pull, our freedom takes on a whole new dimension.”  

--Stephen R. Covey

See ya, tomorrow!

The number of American adults, aged 18 and older, who smoked cigarettes declined from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 19.3 percent in 2010. This translates to 3 million fewer smokers.

Not only are there fewer smokers, but smokers are also smoking less. The number of adult smokers who smoke 30 or more cigarettes a day decreased to 8.3 percent in 2010, compared to 12.7 percent in 2005.

While fewer American adults are smoking, the rate of decline between 2005 and 2010 is slower than in the previous five-year period (2000-2005).

Since the Bureau of Tobacco Prevention Program (BTPP) was re-instated in 2007, adult smoking prevalence has declined, resulting in about 500,000 fewer adult smokers in Florida.

63.5 percent of adults who have ever smoked have quit and there are more former smokers in Florida than current smokers.

There are more former cigarette smokers than current cigarette smokers in Florida. 29.8 percent of adults in Florida are former cigarette smokers. Go Florida!

Find more information like this at http://www.tobaccofreeflorida.com