Independence Day

 

     Today for me is many things beyond just the Independence Day of our country. It is my own little Independence Day, and the fourth seems to have become Independence Day for my family. In numerology four is the number of completion, so it stands to reason that even though we didn’t know it picking the number four for our Independence Day brought us completion.

     So what is this Independence day that I am talking about ? Today marks one year since I smoked my last cigarette. This is one of the changes that I have made that I am the most proud of. I was a smoker for twenty four years and stopped cold turkey last fourth of July, knowing that I was truly finished this time for good. Sure I’ve quit before, but this time was different. It wasn’t because someone was telling me to, or asking me to, it was because deep down it no longer matched the person that I was becoming.

     One of the reasons that I struggled for so long about quitting was because I was afraid that I would gain weight. I did. I know that this is a reason that a lot of people won’t stop smoking. To that all I have to say is at the end of the day I gained some weight and I survived. One year later it’s almost all off and I am so much healthier than I was this time last year. It was worth the extra pounds to gain my independence.

     For my oldest daughter Ashton, today marks her first six months off Heroin. I hope she knows how proud of her I am. It’s so good to have her back ! I can’t say that I know how hard it’s been, because I have no idea. I know how hard it was for me to stop smoking, and I don’t think the two compare. Watching her come back to life has been almost as amazing as it was watching her grow up in the first place. Keep moving forward girl, you got this.

     I took a class a couple years ago called The Psychology of Addiction. In that class I learned that we are all addicts. Everyone has something that they are a slave to in their lives, doesn’t have to be cigarettes, drugs or alcohol. Your vise could be gossip, drama, negativity or a multitude of other things. Whatever it is, that monkey on your back….today is a great day to declare your independence. Happy 4^th of July ! I hope you all have a fearless and fabulous day !!