GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are quitting or thinking of quitting (or want to support quitters), please - join us! We kindly ask that politics be left out.
You can also click the GUS tag to view all diary posts, or access the GUS Library at dKosopedia for a great list of stop-smoking links. Check it out! Want to make sure you never miss us? Follow (♥) the GUS tag to keep GUS in your Stream.
A message to all quitters: you don't have to avoid GUS if your latest attempt to quit didn't work out. We won't give you a bad time and we consider the attempted quits as "practice" for the real quit.
GUS COMMUNITY ALERT! This is to let all GUS members there's still time to contribute a message to DKos Quiltmaker Extraordinaire Sara R's community quilt for our much beloved labwitchy. Here's the link if you haven't yet left a message for our friend: Community Quilt for labwitchy
We all have baggage.
No, really, we do, whether we realize it or not. Even those enlightened souls who are on the most relentless, thorough, and comprehensive self-improvement programs have baggage -- in fact, their efforts might have been inspired by baggage they're looking to shed. They may have achieved a more centered, peaceful, focused, fully actualized existence, but unless they've gone full nirvāna and cast off all worldly concerns and pursuits, they've probably got a few remaining pieces of luggage circling baggage claim.
The rest of us poor schmoes? We've got enough baggage to open a shop. We lug it around with us, wearing ourselves out, not even sure why we're hanging onto it ('cause some of it is really old, and a lot of it is embarrassingly ratty and worn-out). We haul it from place to place, job to job, relationship to relationship, without question. It's our stuff. It represents where we've been and who we are (or were). It reflects and often dictates our choices.
Anyone who's ever gone through the personal ads, Craigslist Missed Connections, or write-ups on dating websites is familiar with this one:
"I'm looking for blah-dee-blah, blah blah blah blah. Must like blah blah blah. No baggage."
Well, someone's dreaming!
Most people over the age of 16 have at least some baggage, and virtually all of us over 30 have quite a bit of it. We get it from all kinds of sources: family, friends, colleagues and adversaries, and it's remarkably difficult to get rid of, so we just get used to hauling the load and don't always notice when it's getting too heavy.
We start picking it up as kids. Anyone who's ever been bullied, ostracized, marginalized or treated like an "other" -- picked last for gym, not invited to the dance, cut from the team, left out of a clique -- probably has some baggage to show for it.
If you've ever struggled to get by or come from a humble background; had money and lost it; been unemployed, underemployed, laid off, or fired; or been marginally housed or homeless, you've likely got some baggage relating to that.
If you've ever tried something and failed or started something and bailed, that's probably responsible for a bit of baggage, too. We're often our own harshest critics.
If you've ever had a relationship crash and burn, dealt with toxic or indifferent romantic partners, pined for someone who didn't reciprocate your feelings, been ignored, stood up, cheated on or lied to, or never chosen at all...yep, more baggage.
If you've ever had to deal with your own serious illness, or that of a loved one...well, that's just fraught with baggage. It impacts how you see yourself and how others see you. Ditto for those who have wrestled with addictions or mental illness (including anxiety and depression, very common in addictive personalities). The baggage can really pile up there. Better get a trolley.
A lot of the baggage we end up carrying isn't even our own. Odds are pretty good that we're also hauling around other people's baggage, too. Cycles of emotional or physical abuse occur because people tend to foist their own suffering on those closest to them -- a terrible cocktail of proximity and trust. People who have been exposed to this kind of thing are also more likely to repeat the pattern, projecting their pain and loading others up with the things they themselves were subjected to. The problem is, doing so doesn't really ease (or even address) the source of their own pain, it just burdens the next generation (or relationship) with baggage not of their own making.
One of the worst things about all this is that while most of us are hauling around all this baggage, often letting it dictate our own self-image and life choices, we're also trying very hard to pretend it isn't there.
And that does none of us any favors.
I'm thinking that recognizing and owning the baggage you're carrying around is the first step to offloading some of it. Once you acknowledge it's there, what it is, where it came from, and what role it's playing in your life, it's easier to deal with it head-on...and, eventually, let go of the negative baggage that's weighing you down.
They Ain't Heavy, They're Our GUS Buddies...
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, Actbriniel, addisnana, AfroPonix, aishmael, Alise, Alpha99, A Man Called Gloom, ambeeeant, American in Kathmandu, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, angry marmot, Anne933, anodnhajo, aoeu, aquarius2001, arcadesproject, Archie2227, arodb, Arthur Wolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, b4uknowit, bamablue, BARAKABETH, barnowl, b barrie, bdizz, beatpanda, BFSkinner, bgblcklab1, BigAlinWashSt, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, BJKay, bleeding heart, blingbling65, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, BluejayRN, BlueJessamine, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrenP, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, buddabelly, burrow owl, BusyinCa, Carol in San Antonio, CathiefromCanada, CathodeRay, CDH in Brooklyn, cee4, Cen Den, ChiTownDenny, ChocolateChris, ChurchofBruce, ciganka, cinnamondog, citizenx, Cleante, Code Monkey, codobus, Coldblue Steele, Colorado is the Shiznit, coloradomomma, commonmass, Common Sense Mainer, congenitalefty, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, Dauber, Dauphin, Dave in AZ, demkat620, Dexter, Diana in NoVa, Dickie, DiegoUK, Dingodude, dirtdude, distraught, djMikulec, dolfin66, donnamarie, Donna O, dotsright, DRo, droogie6655321, duckhunter, Eclectablog, Eddie C, EdgedInBlue, effervescent, elbamash, El barragas, el vasco, ericlewis0, Everest42, Ex Con, fhamme, Fineena, fiona2, fishhawk, Flea, FlipperWaves, flumptytail, fritzi56, FrugalGranny, Garrett, Gator, gchaucer2, GDbot, Geiiga, Georgianna Darcy, glpaul, GN1927, gooderservice, gooners, gravlax, greylox, grndrush, GrumpyWarriorPoet, gzodik, Haole in Hawaii, HappyinNM, henlesloop, HeyMikey, hideinplainsight, High Tide, hiliner68, hold tight, hulibow, I love OCD, Im a frayed knot, imisa, Indexer, indubitably, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, I said GOOD DAY sir, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, janl1776, Janeo, JayinPortland, jayjaybear, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, jmadlc55, jmonch, Joe's Steven aka Steven, john07801, johngoes, jsfox, JVolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, kai99, kailuacaton, Kamakhya, kat herder, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, kittania, Kodiak54, Kristina40, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, Lahdee, langerdang, LarsThorwald, LA rupert, last starfighter, LaughingPlanet, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, lockewasright, longislandny, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, mango, Marc in KS, marknspokane, maryabein, Matt Esler, mdemploi, Meteor Blades, Micburke, michael1104, MillieNeon, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, mjbleo, MnRaindog, mntleo2, Morague, Mr Bojangles, mrsgoo, mskitty, msmacgyver, MsWings, Murphoney, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, NearlyNormal, Nedsdag, Nick Zouroudis, notgivingup, NY brit expat, one pissed off democrat, operculum, OrangeMike, Ordvefa, OverTheEdge, pager, paige, PaintyKat, paradox, parryander, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, Proud Mom and Grandma, psycho liberal, ptolemynm, Purple Priestess, PvtJarHead, racheltracks, randallt, real world chick, red mittens, Reepicheep, regis, relentless, revelwoodie, revsue, Rex Manning, rexymeteorite, RiaD, rickeagle, ridemybike, rightiswrong, rincewind, rkex, roadlion, Roger Fox, Rosebuddear, roses, rscopes, Rudini, Safina, SallyCat, Sark Svemes, sboucher, scooter in brooklyn, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, Shifty18, shmuelman, shopkeeper, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, snoopydawg, snorwich, SnyperKitty, SoCalHobbit, sofia, soonergrunt, sostos, sowsearsoup, SpecialKinFlag, spmozart, spotDawa, SpotTheCat, StateofGrace, Statusquomustgo, stiffneck, sunbro, Super Grover, tallmom, Tay, tdslf1, teknospaz, theatre goon, The Eyewitness Muse, TheGeneral, TheStoopingRabbit, TigerMom, tiredofcrap, TomP, tonyahky, Toyotabob7, Treefrog, triciawyse, trs, trueblueliberal, ttanner, Tulsonian, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, Tyto Alba, uc booker, UncleCharlie, Unduna, Unforgiven, ursoklevar, USArmyParatrooper, VA02 femocrat, Vacationland, valadon, Vayle, Vetwife, vgranucci, waytac, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, Whimsical Rapscallion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, Wreck Smurfy, x, xopher, yet another liberal, Zotz
Had some experience with the effects of smoking?
Has your life been affected by smoking or smokers in your life?
Feel like providing a supportive place for quitters and would-be quitters to hang out?
If so, we would love to have you write a GUS diary or host an open thread! Please sign up in the Butt Can (Tip Jar), and name the day and time that works for you (AM, PM, late-night, early-bird, lunchtime, whatever...)
Diarists in regularly-scheduled time slots are listed in bold.
Tue PM: Vacationland (You Are Here)
Wed AM: labwitchy ☣
Wed PM: FrugalGranny ❀
Thu AM: Open
Thu PM: Open (anodnhajo/dan ♫♪♫ off this week)
Fri AM: flumptytail Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ
Fri PM: Open
Sat AM: effervescent ☯ (bring your yoga mat!)
Sat PM: Dave in AZ ☼ (College Football Edition!)
Sun AM: ✰Safina✰
Sun PM: Open
Mon AM: Open
Mon PM: ★ChocolateChris★ (MNF Edition!)
Tue AM: Open
(aoeu ☮ taking a break...but perhaps back soon with a weekly slot on The Get?)
Help!! As you can see, we still have a bunch of open slots on the schedule. If you can spare a few hours, please consider hosting! Not sure where to start? Go here to find out how to write a GUS diary the easy way, or just ask for help in the Butt Can (Tip Jar). Seriously, it doesn't have to include specific elements or require all sorts of fabulous diary formatting skills. The regulars will make sure stuff gets carried over from diary to diary, so if you want to just tell your story and host for a few hours, that's cool too!