Quit Smoking: Avoid my triggers?

I put on my first nicotine patch on Friday and they really do help! I AM still smoking even though the directions say not to, but I'm not smoking nearly as much. I'm finding it much easier to just say no! :)

I do have a concern though for the weeks to come. The literature for the patches give tips on quitting. The first tip is that you have to be motivated to quit - got that, no problem.

The second tip is to avoid your triggers. This could be a problem. I don't know about the other smokers out there, but for me life is my trigger. For me to avoid my triggers, these are the things I'm going to need to avoid:

Waking up

Eating

Driving

Riding

Whiny kids

Screaming kids

Umm, this is gonna be tricky.

My Goals

I suppose a good place to start this journey is to list my goals, so here goes:

Quit Smoking

I have been smoking for about 12 years and am ready to be done with it. I just got a prescription for nicotine patches, next step - put it on. Will keep you updated.

Eat Well

My family has had many illnesses lately and this has really strengthened my determination to watch what my family eats. I never realized how bad some things are for us that we normally eat everyday. My goal is to try to cut back on meat and dairy and add more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and water to my family's diet.

I currently consume way to many Sundrops and Redbulls, had a tooth chip the other day so I have seriously got to cut down on these. Eventually I hope to eliminate them altogether but I'm going one step at a time here.

Exercise 

Having kids, I do get a moderate amount of exercise, but I would like to get much more. I am starting slowly here. I'm thinking maybe some Wii time, working in the garden, and walking.

Think well

I firmly believe that thoughts are THINGS. Bad thoughts create bad energies, good thoughts create good energies. I want to think better thoughts about everything around me and stop being so quick to judge. I'm hoping this will help me to be a calmer, more peaceful person to be around.

Live well, on a budget

I am always looking to save money, mainly because we rarely HAVE any. I want to get past the pop-tart coupons (not that I would turn those down just yet) and see what I can find to complement my current goals. I'll be looking for ways to save on healthier, greener products to benefit me and my family.

Get Organized

I am constantly trying to organize everything in my life, but I usually get so frustrated that chaos reigns again. I'll be looking for new ways to get and stay organized.

I fully expect to slip up along the way and do not expect to see this overnight, so don't be surprised if you see minute steaks on the menu one night. I know this will take time, but all the important things do. The main thing to do is to not be discouraged when I fail and keep going after the setbacks.