Sisters-in-Service
Are you a women veteran who feels unseen and unheard? Do you struggle with finding your purpose after service? Sisters-in-Service is a podcast that gives women veterans the platform to talk about those exact issues and more. Hear from other veterans, military spouses and Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) just like you that have overcome their transition from the military. Every Tuesday this podcast encourages women veterans to stand up and be counted because as a group we have a voice. From your host - Cat Corchado - The Voice Connecting Women Veterans
Sisters-in-Service
Journey to Freedom: Overcoming Addictive Habits with Compassion and Strength
Thirty-three years ago, I broke free from a habit that was slowly deteriorating my health—smoking. What began as a way to fit in as a new military mom gradually became an addiction that threatened to bring recurring bronchitis into my life each year. The journey to quit wasn't straightforward, and it certainly wasn't my first attempt.
In this deeply personal episode, I share the strategies that finally helped me succeed where previous attempts had failed. The key wasn't willpower alone—it was understanding my "why," creating systems for accountability, finding alternatives to keep my hands busy, and celebrating each small victory along the way. I discovered that breaking any addictive habit requires recognizing it's not just a "bad habit" but a genuine addiction that needs a thoughtful approach.
Whether you're struggling with cigarettes, sugar, shopping, or any other addictive behavior, the principles remain the same. Start by understanding your triggers and motivations. Reduce gradually rather than attempting cold turkey. Find an accountability partner who asks the right questions without judgment. Most importantly, string together days of success and celebrate each one—because overcoming addiction is a journey, not a destination. After three decades of freedom from smoking, I still mark my quit anniversary every August. What habit might you break free from by applying these same principles? Your journey toward a healthier life can begin today, one small victory at a time.
Hi everybody, welcome to another episode, the latest episode of why Not Wellness. You know me, I am your host, kat Cortado, your movement specialist. You know August marks a very important milestone for me. 33 years ago I quit smoking. It's a big deal to me and when I thought about quitting which I had to do, try, attempt several times before I was successful and I look back on it, I think why did I start in the first place? Well, there are lots of reasons. I was a new mom. I was going in the first place. Well, there are lots of reasons. I was a new mom. I was going in the military. You know, everyone else was going out for a smoke break and I'm the only one left in the dorm and I felt left out. So when I think about it, it's kind of stupid. Started smoking and I was still exercising Okay, there's a myth for you. So just saying that when you see a fitness person, I'm not saying they are smoking, but it's a possibility. Probably not so much now. So when I look back on that and I think of everything that went into raising my son, because the stress level was high, you guys, it was.
Speaker 1:But when I quit I had to think why was I smoking? Why was I addicted to nicotine? And number one, I thought it was a bad habit. That's what my mother called it. You need to stop that bad habit. But then I figured out that I'm actually addicted, or was addicted, to nicotine.
Speaker 1:Why do we have addictive habits? I don't know, but we do it and we keep doing it. Is it a source of comfort? It was to me. Was it a source of powering down? Yes, I had one when I first woke up. I had one after I ate, every meal I ate, and I had one in the evening and probably more, depending on the stress level. So how do we change? What is the first step towards change?
Speaker 1:So, when I started my journey again okay, because every time before I learned a little bit more about how I needed to move forward if I wanted to quit smoking. And I knew I was one of those people that you take something away from me. It's the one thing I'm going to crave and I will not be what's the word? Not nice about it. So how can I do this? How can I figure this out? First of all, I had to figure out why I wanted to stop. Well, for my son, for my health. But here's the other thing. Let's go to health for just a second. I had gotten bronchitis one year and the doctor asked me do you smoke? And I said yes, and he said you're going to get bronchitis every year and it's going to last a little bit longer. Each time I was like, okay, kept smoking Next time, got bronchitis again the following year and it lasted a little bit longer and I said oh, no, we're not doing this. No, no, no, no, we're not doing this. Which is what prompted me to start this journey.
Speaker 1:So I had to figure out why I was smoking and also to figure out how was I going to quit smoking. So I knew I have this addictive nature. My husband has told me that I had it to sugar and to smoking. There you go. And so what I started? I went from the cigarette I was smoking went to the lowest nicotine cigarette and then I started cutting down on the number of cigarettes until I got down to four. And so after that I was going to get ready to go to go get another pack and I said let me see if I can go without cigarettes.
Speaker 1:So number one once you understand why you're engaging in addictive habit. You can find healthy alternatives. If you smoke to relieve stress, perhaps a walk or a few minutes of deep breathing could help. What works for me was doing something with my hands. Okay, if you're addicted to overeating or to sweets, sugar is your addiction Find something to do with your hands.
Speaker 1:I find that this works really well and you know, what I found is that within five minutes I forgot all about the addiction. I was like, oh, I don't need a cigarette right now, I feel just fine. So find out, you know, how can you accomplish this? So I had to find something to do with my hands. Once I did that, I knew I was on this road to what I call recovery.
Speaker 1:The other thing I do or the other thing I did, by the way, was enable my son as my accountability partner and I said tell me, or ask, ask me every day you come home from school, did you smoke, and I'll tell you the truth. So get an accountability partner, but you are the one to write that question. It has to be that question. Don't let them verbalize it differently oh, did you do that nasty habit again? Because then it sounds horrible. Say, hey, how many cupcakes did you have? If that's your addiction. How many cigarettes did you have? Because that's going to keep you on course. So once you understand why you're engaging in addictive habit, you can find healthier alternatives. Here's another thing String along days of success that's what helped me.
Speaker 1:Once I got five or six days in a row I was like, ooh, maybe I can get 10. And each day, each day, I took each day at a time and remember. The other thing that helped me was especially with smoking. I'm not sure this would help with a cupcake or anything, or a cookie, but a person told me close to me said keep remembering that there's no such thing as just one cigarette. And every time I thought I really want a cigarette, I'd be like there's no such thing as one cigarette, which helped me a lot. So when you string those days of success together, every day you resist your addictive habit is a victory. String these victories together and they become a powerful motivator.
Speaker 1:My 33 smoke-free year started with one smoke-free day. What else did I do In the beginning? Every day that I went without a cigarette, I did something special for myself. I bought myself a little something. I did something that I normally wouldn't do to celebrate. So celebrate your victories. And I did that for a month. Yes, I did, and then I went weekly and then I went monthly and now it's yearly. Do I still buy myself something every? Yes, I do, because it's a huge accomplishment for me.
Speaker 1:Celebrating and acknowledging your process is cute. Process. Your progress is crucial. Every small victory, every healthy choice is a step towards a healthier, happier you, and every step is worth celebrating. So I've talked about the, not just one. Whatever that is for you, find these things, write it down on paper, your why for stopping, how you're going to stop and then put it in motion.
Speaker 1:Mindset is huge.
Speaker 1:If you really want to stop your addictive habit, mindset's huge. If you're trying to do this in the back of your mind, you're going. You can't do this. You've tried several times before and it's just not going to work. You've already defeated your whole process. But if you think, let me just take an hour at a time, a day at a time, and mark it on your calendar and whatever your favorite color is, check mark one day of success and then celebrate it.
Speaker 1:So, in conclusion, overcoming an addictive habit is a journey, it's not a destination. Overcoming an addictive habit is a journey, it's not a destination. There could be, and will be, setbacks, but don't let them discourage you. Every step you take towards quitting is a step towards a healthier, happier you and, like I said, every step is worth celebrating. So I'm celebrating this whole month because I think I deserve it why not? But if you're trying to understand your why, think about way back.
Speaker 1:I was like I told you I was addictive to sugar because my mother had a dessert every day of the week. The exception is Saturday. So I expected a dessert every day, and that's how it started. Cut back gradually, a little bit at a time. If you used to have a cookie, you go out and you get a coffee and a cookie. See if you can do it every other day, and then every two days, and pretty soon you're down to one time a week. Cut back gradually. So with that I'm going to sign off. This is Cat Corchata, your movement specialist. You know what I'm going to say. Keep it moving Till next time.