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Post Info TOPIC: Trying hard to keep my mouth shut


Veteran Member

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Posts: 68
Date:
Trying hard to keep my mouth shut


AH and I both smoke cigarettes.  Cigarettes are my only addiction.  Last week AH made the announcement to me that he is going to cut way down on his smoking and eventually quit.  Just a few minutes ago, we both went outside to smoke, and he jokingly called me a chimney.  He said he has noticed that I seem to be smoking more, which isn't true.  I am smoking as much as I always have, which is about a half a pack a day.  I know smoking is bad for my health, but at least it doesn't cause me to act different when I do smoke like it does when he drinks.  When we were outside, he made the comment that he wanted to quit smoking to give his lungs a break.  I almost said as he took a drink of his beer "What and give your liver a workout instead?"  But I held my tongue.  I also wanted to make a comment to his observation that I am smoking more by saying "Please don't make comments about how much more I seem to be smoking because you don't see me making comments about how much more you are drinking lately."  Again, I held my tongue.  I am really struggling with keeping my comments to myself.  I guess I am still upset about giving in and buying him beer today when he asked, and am feeling the urge to bait him into an argument to make myself feel better and take the spotlight off of myself, but I know that the outcome of that won't be pleasant and won't serve a good purpose, so I am doing whatever it takes to keep my mouth shut.  I hate the way I am feeling right now.  I am ready to go to bed, and hopefully wake up more refreshed in the morning.

Thanks for listening.




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Kimmy


What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson







Senior Member

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Posts: 413
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Kimmy....what wonderful insight into your own behavior....you're doing well.  Keep posting and working your program...hang in there...it will get better.

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RLC


~*Service Worker*~

Status: Offline
Posts: 1483
Date:

(((Kimmy)))

I see the positives in your post. Nothing wrong with thinking "it". I think "it" almost daily. With the use and practice of my favorite slogan Don't React, over time I realized I had a part, a big part, in many discussion that went south.

I remember the night I put the program to work for the first time. I kept my mouth shut instead of reacting to a comment my AW made. I detached, walked into the bathroom, looked in the mirror, smiled and said......I hate Al-Anon. Of course I was only kidding, but I had learned a valuable lesson. How important is "it" to open my mouth and try to win a battle that can never be won. By not going to battle I had accomplished something more important, I had won the war, serenity in tack.

Think about it, you shouldn't hate the way you felt, instead you should be proud of yourself. Your program kicked in consciously or unconsciously. Either way you should have gone to bed with a big smile on your face. I does work if we work it.

HUGS,
RLC



-- Edited by RLC on Monday 29th of November 2010 12:15:48 AM

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~*Service Worker*~

Status: Offline
Posts: 523
Date:

I love that slogan, don't react. And Kimmy, I believe from what you said, that you did just that. Awesome :) I know with my ex-husband, who was abusive but not an alcoholic, if I didn't react to his abusive ways and didn't get hooked into an argument, things were a lot better for me. Don't react... sounds so serene :) I am learning to respond, but not react ...

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You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.  -Buddha

The past has flown away.  The coming month and year do not exsist.  Ours only is the present's tiny point.  -Mahmud Shabistanri


~*Service Worker*~

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Posts: 1138
Date:

I always imagine putting duct tape over my mouth when i know it is time to keep my mouth shut. It does not some naturally for me not to throw in my 2 cents lol. So the visual I give myself of placing duct tape over my mouth helps me.
Quitting cigarettes is more difficult then quitting Heroin ( proven fact ). So i wish your husband luck with his quitting. I am a smoker also only 1/2 pack a day or less so you'd think it would be easy to give up. That is my addiction and god help anyone who trys to come between me and my smoke lol
Blessings

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