DAY 4: Reactions to Smokers

DAY 4: Reactions to Smokers

There are people in my life who smoke cigarettes.  These individuals are not living with me but I do see them on a daily basis. I am a carer for one of them so I visit every day. I being a non-smoker I strongly dislike cigarette smoke and would motivate anyone to give it up. I watch cigarettes make lives worse for people both on a physical and money level so I strongly dislike it. Here in Australia they talk about trying to make people give it up by banning people from smoking on the some streets, by raising the prices and putting gruesome pictures on the packets. But none of that works really well. They don't want to give up on selling cigarettes or get rid of them because they make too much money on tax. Anyways, when I visit I am a passive smoker. I try to slow down my breathing or put a fan on but it is very hard to escape. I have backchat come up in these times. The person I watch smoke has lung cancer and is a chain smoker. I watch him cough during and after a cigarette then backchat occurs again. I feel very frustrated, annoyed and start judging them for smoking. I cannot change this persons circumstance but the main reason I am there is to make it an easy one. I care for someone who is terminally ill so it probably won't make too much of a difference if they gave up now. I have stopped suggesting that they give up as they do not wish to. So – it's just about taking responsibility for what comes up and ensure that I find ways to continue to have fresh air and use diluted (a few drops of) hydrogen peroxide 35% to spray into my lungs. 

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge person b for smoking  

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge person b for his drinking and smoking habits.  

I forgive myself to feel sad about person b having a smoking habit that makes his life uncomfortable and unhealthy.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel sorry for person b and their circumstances

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel sorry for Person b as he chain smokes 

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to call person b worthless and stupid for smoking 

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not see/realise/understand that there are ways to ensure that the smoke does not damage my body.  

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge person b every time he lites a smoke after he had one 3 minutes or so ago.  

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge person b for smoking inside  

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge person b as stupid for living in cigarette smoke 

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to worry about the cigarette smoke doing more damage to person b when I have already said and done everything I can for Person B 

When and as I see myself reacting within annoyance, frustration and start backchatting about Person B as he smokes – I stop and I breathe – I realise that I can move myself in a position where the smoke does not bother me so much and take measures at home by using what I believe will assist/support the lungs.  

I commit myself to ensure that I open the surrounding windows when I am at Person B's house.  

I commit myself to move for fresh air if I need to.