Bad habits

It's been two years now since I quit smoking. It was a horrible habit - one that I still miss. My addiction wasn't really physical. It was more psychological. I used to get a lot done when I was sitting out on the back deck having a smoke - reading, writing, phone calls, etc. But, it's something I've gotten over and I don't think about it every day like I did in the first year as an ex-smoker. (ed note: I will never consider myself a non-smoker, because I associate "those people" as the ones that cough and gag whenever they pass a lit cigarette).

Thinking about smoking got me thinking about other bad habits that I have. I used to bite my nails all the time. I did stop, but I do still bite my cuticles (and it drives my mom nuts! She will still smack my hand.)

I'd like to say that my oral fixation with food was caused by my quitting smoking, but that's not true. I was fat before I quit. I just gained 40 pounds after I quit. Now, I'm down 20 and working on more. That brings me to another bad habit - being lazy.

This week, I am going to sign up for a gym membership. Yes, there is a treadmill in the house and, sure, I could walk on the Rail Trail, which is not far from my house. But, I know I won't. So, I'm going to the gym - no matter how embarrassed I am.

What else? Does anger count as a bad habit? I'm quick to react to things in a negative way. Of course, I tell my kids they shouldn't get mad and, instead, think about how to react to a problem. "Do as I say, not as I do" right? That one has definitely got to go. I think I'd rather be a fat, no-nail smoker than to be angry all the time. I'm gonna work on it.

So, if you see me coming out of the gym with a scowl on my face, it's because I want a cigarette and a cookie. Tell me to smile. You can't be mad when you're smiling!