First of all get this straight: I love fun, and I hate pain. I don’t do pain. I can’t even stand to break in new shoes. I wanted to cross country ski. The instructor said "these muscles will hurt for a week" and I said "I don’t think so, I’m on vacation." No pain no pain is my motto.

That hasn’t changed. So I hope you won’t stop reading when I say the baddest word of all: Exercise. Exercise is the true add-water-and-stir way to quit smoking. It gives you all the stuff that smoking lies about giving you. It truly relaxes you (smoking raises your blood pressure while giving the illusion of relaxing you.) It increases your metabolism, helps you control your weight, is a perfect outlet for stress. And I am here to tell you it can be fun. It’s the same old secret: Stack the Deck. For you, not against you.

If you want to walk find a partner or a dog that loves to walk, and make a commitment to it. If you have a place to swim (or just walk in the water) do that. If you find that you aren’t exercising 3-4 times a week then stack the deck some more. Find more partners, or a reward that motivates you. You could pay yourself $3 for each hour you walk, and put it with your cigarette money to be used on a vacation.

I find that belonging to a health club is the ace I need. I go to a warm water aerobics class and it’s fun, the time goes by quickly, I’ve made some friends in the class who chide me when I miss. It works for me. My club has FitLinxx, which is a computer that tracks your visits and reports to your coach, who then leaves you messages. It’s a gentle kind of accountability that helps keep me motivated. I feel better than I have in years, and hope to continue for the rest of my life. I resisted doing this for 20 years or so, so I’m not pushing you about it, but if it’s an option for you I urge you to give it a try. Choose a club that is nearby and has the facilities you want. I didn’t want one where everyone is young and beautiful. I wanted warm water aerobics, so that cut the choices down too. In the end, one opened about 5 minutes from here and I ran out of excuses. Now I love it, don’t want to miss it for anything. Sometimes the universe has to stack the deck!

I have known for years how important exercise is to living a long, healthy life. What I didn’t know was how much it improves the present moment. I did what you probably have been doing about quitting smoking: kept holding out and thinking I was dodging the bullet. What a waste of time! I feel younger and more energetic than I have in years. I feel like I’m giving myself a gift every time. More fun, sexier body, better health, longer life, all from splashing around like a kid. Ain’t life grand?

--- © Jeneene L. Brengelman

04. "Don’t refer to the activity as exercise, call it creative movement."

--- © Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance

05. "Where Is God?" --- Thanks to Chuck S.

Two brothers, aged 8 and 10, were always playing pranks and getting >> >into

mischief. When things went wrong in town, at school, at fairs, >and >> >at

church, they were inevitably behind it. Their parents were beside >>

>themselves with anxiety. What if their children should "step over the >>

>line" and get in trouble with the Law?

>> >

>> >They decided to send the boys to talk with the pastor of the church, a

>> >Bible-thumping, God-fearing, pulpit-pounding Rock of Ethics and >Values.

>> >The 8-year-old had the first appointment, walking the four blocks from

>> >home to the church. When he sat in the chair across from the pastor’s >>

>desk, the pastor regarded him with a deep scowl, and after a minute >>

>said, "Young man, where is God?"

The boy remained silent in his >chair.

>> >The pastor raised his voice a bit. "Young man, I said where is God?"

>> >Still the boy remained quiet, but his eyes widened, and he swallowed >>

>nervously.

The pastor leaned over his desk and yelled, "Young man, I >> >asked you a question! Now where is God?"

>> >

>> >In terror, the boy leaped from his chair, ran home, vaulted up the >>

>stairs to his bedroom, and hid in his closet. The 10-year-old, hearing >>

>the noise, ran into his younger brother’s bedroom and found him >>

>shivering in the closet. "What happened?" he said, starting to get >>

>scared himself.

"Oh, man, we’re in deep trouble," said the 8-year-old... >>> >"God’s missing, and everyone thinks we did it."

--- Author Unknown