Can Recession Tame Your Smoking Habit, Make You Leaner, And Bring You Love? By Wendy N. Lapidus-Saltz At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Two of my friends are steadfast smokers. Lately all they have been talking about is the high price of cigarettes during this recessionary time. Almost every time I see them, the topic comes up.

They talk about switching brands, moving from packs to cartons, cutting back just enough to save a few cents a day. They communicate weekly about where the deals are this week: supermarket versus convenience store, and so on.

If Washington spent the same amount of time addressing the economy, we'd all be on easy street. Ok, enough inner ranting.

It's important to them, so I say nothing, just hold my tongue, grit my teeth, and hope they will soon tire of the subject.

A few months pass. I phone one of these friends on Monday and see the other that Wednesday. Monday tells me she is manicuring her own nails now, and getting haircuts every four months instead of every two so she can afford her smokes.

Wednesday says she has given up smoking to get more frequent manicures, and she notices her skin is looking better. I notice too.

I’m surprised how nonchalant she is when she mentions quitting. I recall how many times we spoke about it, and how many times I reassured her that she could do it. (As a certified hypnotist, I’ve helped lots of people quit, and every one of them has survived—most quite gracefully.)

“Bet you feel pretty good about lowering your risk of all sorts of things,” I say, thinking about the many health concerns.

“I’m ecstatic. My nails look terrific. I never even think about biting them!”

I giggle to myself. She gave up smoking for better nails. And on top of that, it was easy. This time last year she couldn’t live an hour without knowing there was at least half a pack in her purse.

A client gave up her car to save on gas, maintenance costs, repairs and parking. Now she walks just about everywhere, and is becoming lean. When it’s very cold, she takes the bus. Last week she met a great guy on the bus. They’re planning a coffee date next week.

All this because of the recession?

Well Grandma said if they throw rotten apples at you, make applesauce. And it seems like a great number of people are grabbing onto that idea.

But there’s something else behind this. Something simple but very profound.

A change of environment. An alteration in routine. A mystical example of the old adage “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”

The flip side is: if you change what you do, other things will change. You will drop old scenarios. New situations will present themselves. Different opportunities. Different people. Different perspectives to bounce off your thinking.

If there are any benefits to our financial climate, this is one. What have you noticed changing for the better? Consider jotting it down, looking for others, and plotting to keep the best of these changes when the economy swings back. ©2009 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=347204&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet

Important Notice DISCLAIMER: All information, content, and data in this article are sole opinions and/or findings of the individual user or organization that registered and submitted this article at Isnare.com without any fee. The article is strictly for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be used in any way, implemented or applied without consultation from a professional. We at Isnare.com do not, in anyway, contribute or include our own findings, facts and opinions in any articles presented in this site. Publishing this article does not constitute Isnare.com's support or sponsorship for this article. Isnare.com is an article publishing service. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.