The mentoring program forms part of the Navy Women’s Leadership Program and will utilise the ‘My Mentor’ program created by former Telstra Business Woman of the Year and CEO of Emberin, Maureen Frank.

Speaking at the launch in Canberra, Rear Admiral Trevor Jones, Head of Navy People and Reputation, said, “In the maritime combat space Navy has more women in combat roles. The ADF has a proud history, and continues to display its commitment to its female members, current and future, with initiatives such as this.”

Designed by Emberin, ‘My Mentor’ is a highly regarded program, and has been implemented in many corporate and public sector organisations around Australia, as part of gender diversity strategies to help women achieve their career potential and counter the gender imbalance in the workforce.

The launch of the Navy Women’s Mentoring Program was attended by female Navy members participating in the program, ranging in rank from Able Seaman to Captain.

Guest speaker Professor Kerryn Phelps said the presence of female members wanting to enhance their leadership prospects was encouraging.

“Women in the military may face unique challenges, but they also enjoy unique benefits – access to leadership training, career progression, not to mention travel and adventure,” Professor Phelps said.

“The world is changing and I am pleased to see that traditionally male areas such as the military are changing with it.”

‘My Mentor’ is DVD/CD and workbook-based, and is designed to be completed over a 12-week period. Navy Captains Elizabeth Rushbrook and Siobhan Bacon feature in the DVD, along with many highly regarded senior women from corporate and public sectors.

“What is so important about this program is that it is designed to enhance female leadership in the Royal Australian Navy, and can be used to shape our desired Navy culture through empowering and supporting these future leaders,” Rear Admiral Jones said.

“This program will assist in taking Navy in the direction that society in general is heading – of flexible careers, flexible work options and an inclusive culture.”

For more information about the ‘My Mentor’ program visit the website www.emberin.com

In what was the most watched TV program in US history with over 106 million viewers tuning in, The 2010 NFL Superbowl telecast is as much a showcase of cutting edge advertising from the world’s biggest and best known brands, as it is a finale for the NFL season.

Superbowl ads occupy their own unique category for sheer “WOW” value. As some of the most expensive advertising spots available anywhere, advertisers pull no punches to compete for the attention of the massive television audiences that tune into the NFL Superbowl. The ads feature the biggest stars, the biggest budgets, the most original ideas and often enough special effects to shame most Hollywood blockbusters.

The 2010 Snickers “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” ad starring Betty White not only captured the title of the most popular ad during the telecast, but created a sensation after the game, attracting over 10 million views online and featuring on network news, current affairs and talk shows and on hundreds of websites.

The popularity of the advertisement has seen the reinvigoration of Betty White’s career with over half a million people logging on to Facebook to demand that she be made the host of the iconic “Saturday Night Live” comedy show on the NBC network.

The Snickers “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” ad featuring Betty White will debut on Australian TV on Sunday, 14th March 2010 as part of a new local campaign for Snickers, but you can see a preview at www.snickers.com.

The 10 Secrets of 100% Healthy People by Patrick Holford

Can anyone really be 100% happy? Probably not, but surely many of us can be a good sight happier than we are right now. Depression is a leading cause of both mental and physical illness, and it’s no doubt that positive mental conditioning can vastly improve the lives of anyone affected by a dejected demeanour.

Patrick Holford is one of the world’s leading authorities on new approaches to health and nutrition. In his latest book, Holford shares his findings on how we can thrive – not just ‘survive’ – modern life and all its challenges.

Following Britain’s largest-ever health and diet survey (with over 55,000 participants), The 10 Secrets reveals fascinating insights into the prime ways to achieve good health and happiness, offering an easy-to-follow, measurable format for everyone, from the relatively fit to those suffering from health issues.

Readers will be treated to 10 areas that are crucial to a healthy and happy life – including how to gain energy, lose weight, slow down the ageing process, sharpen the mind and improve mood – even how to find purpose in life.

Feel good again. Unlock the secrets.

Piatkus (Hachette Australia), A$35RRP

YOU CAN BUY THIS BOOK ONLINE AT:

• Angus and Robertson Online – A$26.95

• QBD The Bookshop – $35.00

• TheNile.com.au – A$35.49

• Fishpond.com.au – A$36.97

• Amazon.com – US$19.57

This Book Has Feelings by Dr Neil Scott and Dr Sandi Mann

Interested in an inward journey? An adventure into the philosophies and psychologies of your own mind? This brilliant book by two respected occupational psychologists lifts the scalp and delves deep into your head, on a fascinating journey to self-understanding.

Covering clinical information in layperson’s speak, anyone with an interest in our minds, hearts and souls will dip into this informative book and come out refreshed and enlightened.

Beginning with a journey into the emotional brain, we not only learn the physical structure of this miraculous organ, we discover where our emotions lie, snug into folds bathed in nerves and neurochemicals. We discover emotion in all its various aspects, from Darwinism to gender, through attachment, fear, anxiety, depression – even the evolution of the brain.

Studded with pockets of fascinating fact, the synchronicity between science and the intangible is palpable in This Book Has Feelings. And learning more about the physical and psychological processes we go through when we think, feel and react is priceless, not only in terms of understanding ourselves better, but also in regard to how we can improve on that understanding. Brilliant.

Allen & Unwin, A$19.99RRP

YOU CAN BUY THIS BOOK ONLINE AT:

• TheNile.com.au – A$17.99

• SeekBooks.com.au – A$17.99

• Fishpond.com.au – A$19.99

• QBD The Bookshop – A$19.99

• Angus and Robertson Online – A$26.95 (hardback)

• Amazon.com – US$18.96 (hardcover)

The 8 Second Secret by Dr Gail Trapp

More secrets! We all love a good secret, and if it can fast-track us to a fitter, firmer body in just 20 minutes a day, I’m all for the whispered exchange. In The 8 Second Secret, Dr Gail Trapp offers readers a scientifically proven method for lasting weight loss… as opposed to those weight loss regimes that snap back like a trackie-dack waist as soon as the ‘diet’ is over.

Fitter, stronger, slimmer, calmer – these are the four main benefits this book espouses by following its 20-minute interval training programme. And yes, this book is centred in exercise, so put down that muffin and reach for your sneakers. Don’t be put off, though – even couch potatoes can incorporate the four integral parts to this regime – at only 20 minutes a day.

The Fitter section includes a proven exercise programme which substantially improves fitness whilst smoothing out those lumps and bumps.

The Stronger section promotes the enormously beneficial results obtained from strength-training, both in terms of the body’s ability to burn fat and in terms of ageing.

The Slimmer section plucks Asian and Mediterranean cuisine from the gastronomic stratosphere and lays it on your plate as proven fodder for nutritious, fat-busting meals.

The Calmer section reiterates how vital stress reduction is to weight loss and overall health – body, mind and spirit.

Seeing as though this book claims to bring these health-beneficial elements to your life pronto!, I’m certain this book will fly off the shelves. After all, aren’t we all always in a rush? Slow down, and take the time to read this book – after all, there’s nothing wrong with rapid life change, especially when it’s for the better.

Allen & Unwin, A$32.99RRP

YOU CAN BUY THIS BOOK ONLINE AT:

• SeekBooks.com.au – A$26.39

• Fishpond.com.au – A$30.95

• Angus and Robertson Online – A$32.95

• QBD The Bookshop – A$32.99

The Big Picture by David Suzuki

What could be more vital for our health than a deeper understanding of the ramifications modern-day life is having on mankind and our planet? What’s a little different about David Suzuki’s latest book is that it takes a holistic approach to the future of our planet, including reflections on science and humanity – vital components to our ecological future.

Broken into a series of fascinating essays, Suzuki has paired with Dave Robert Taylor to present a book that will make you think, and hopefully positively influence your frame of mind, let alone the trajectory of our beautiful planet. Information is power, and this amazing collection will surely give you a sense of the bigger picture.

Current scientific evidence about our future is quite literally overwhelming and immobilizing. Without resorting to hyperbole or schlock, Suzuki and Taylor effusively share their ideas on a variety of motivating topics, including car culture and sustainable transportation, food shortages – what will we eat in the future?, putting Mother Nature on the payroll, technology and consumerism, and protecting the diversity of life on Earth.

Clearly a call for the individual to take a step back  and reclarify our positioning and understanding on ecological issues, the authors urge us to draw a deep breath and take in the bigger picture. This eye-opening book will certainly help your quest.

Allen & Unwin, A$29.99RRP

YOU CAN BUY THIS BOOK ONLINE AT:

• Fishpond.com.au – A$24.97

• TheNile.com.au – A$26.99

• SeekBooks.com.au – A$26.99

• Amazon.com – US$13.82

A recent review by researchers for the Cochrane Collaboration has highlighted the potential health benefits associated with the current trend towards more flexible working hours in the UK and Europe.

The Cochrane Systematic Review included ten studies involving a total of 16,603 workers and examined a variety of forms of flexible working. Self-scheduling was found to have positive impacts on a number of health outcomes including blood pressure, sleep, and mental health.

In one study, police officers who were able to change their starting times at work showed significant improvements in psychological wellbeing compared to police officers who started work at a fixed hour.

“Flexible working seems to be more beneficial for health and wellbeing where the individuals control their own working patterns, rather than where employers are in control,” said Clare Bambra of the Wolfson Research Institute at Durham University in the UK.

“Given the limited evidence base, we wouldn’t want to make any hard and fast recommendations, but these findings certainly give employers and employees something to think about.”

Co-author Kerry Joyce, also based at the Institute, added: “We need to know more about how the health effects of flexible working are experienced by different types of workers; for instance, comparing men [with] women, old [with] young, and skilled [with] unskilled. This is important [because] some forms of flexible working might only be available to employees with higher status occupations, and this may serve to increase existing differences in health between social groups.”

A full copy of the review is available on the Cochrane Library website.

For more information on Workplace Safety, Work-Related Injuries and Diseases, and Work-Related Stress visit the website www.healthinsite.gov.au

Source: HealthInsite

Endometriosis affects up to 10 per cent of women of child-bearing age. It is a condition where endometrial tissue, which normally lines the uterus, grows outside the uterus by mistake and attaches to other tissues or organs. Symptoms of endometriosis include heavy, painful or irregular periods, abdominal, back or pelvic pain, bowel or bladder problems, and premenstrual symptoms. For some women, the most distressing symptom is reduced fertility – having endometriosis can make it difficult to get pregnant.

Some newly diagnosed women may worry that they may never have children. This is not necessarily true – only 30 per cent of women with endometriosis experience fertility problems. In these cases, having the endometrial tissue removed surgically via a laparoscopy can increase the chances of falling pregnant naturally. If surgery is unsuccessful, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) can be an option, however it is important that the endometriosis is properly treated first as IVF treatments can aggravate the condition.

The good news is that women with endometriosis who do become pregnant often report that their symptoms are alleviated during pregnancy as they are no longer menstruating.

Unfortunately, the effect is usually temporary and symptoms will often reoccur after the baby is born and periods return. Hormonal therapies (such as the Pill) may be used as a maintenance treatment option after pregnancy however this is not suitable for women trying to conceive.

If you have endometriosis or experience the symptoms of endometriosis, see your health practitioner for advice about appropriate treatment options.

8-12 March is Endometriosis Awareness Week. For more information about endometriosis, visit www.endometriosis.org.au.

Source: Published with the permission of the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health

Comprising women’s organisations and individuals from across Australia, each alliance has a specific focus: economic security, equality rights, violence against women, immigrant and refugee women, rural, and Indigenous women.

Ms Plibersek said through these alliances, women and women’s organisations will share information, identify issues that affect them, and identify solutions.

“The alliances will engage actively with the Australian Government on policy issues as part of a better more informed and representative dialogue between women and government,” said Ms Plibersek in a media release date 10 March 2010.

“Most importantly, the alliances are about inclusion. The National Women’s Alliances will ensure that the voices of a variety of women are heard, including those that have not been well represented in the past. They will allow women to actively engage with all levels of government by identifying and responding to current issues.”

The alliances will be encouraged to align strategically with government priorities to ensure representation for all women, especially those who in the past have found it difficult to engage in advocacy and decision making.

Ms Plibersek said “The Australian Government will work together with the alliances in the coming weeks to establish funding arrangements and to discuss the best ways of working together.”

Funding has been offered to three alliances to focus on specific issues:

• Economic Security for Women will focus on improving women’s economic security and financial independence

• Equality Rights Australia (ERA) will address gender equality and leadership issues and

• Women Everywhere Advocating Violence Elimination (WEAVE) will address issues of women’s safety and the elimination of violence.

In addition, funding has also been offered to three alliances to represent specific groups of women:

• The Australian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Alliance will engage with and advocate on behalf of immigrant and refugee women, with a particular focus on building leadership and advocacy skills among its members

• The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance will give Indigenous women a strong voice in Government decision making; and

• The National Rural Women’s Coalition and Network will provide a voice for more than 250,000 women in rural and regional Australia and fulfills the Government’s election commitment to establish a national network for rural women.

For more information on the National Women’s Alliances visit http://fahcsia.gov.au/sa/women/progserv/equal/Pages/engaging_womens_org.aspx

Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development, Maxine McKew, announced yesterday that the Australian Government would invest $600,000 over three years to ensure women from rural, regional and remote areas are able to bring forward the concerns and issues from their communities.

“The NRWC will ensure that rural women from across Australia are better able to share information, identify issues from their communities and raise concerns, in their own words, with their own solutions,” Ms Plibersek said.

“The NRWC provides a voice for over 250,000 women in rural and regional areas, as well as their families, communities and associated networks. This funding will allow the alliance to continue its work of engaging and representing to government the interests of women from rural, regional and remote areas.”

Maxine McKew said members of the NRWC represented a broad spectrum of women in rural and regional areas.

“Organisations such as the Country Women’s Association, Foundation for Australian Agricultural Women, and the National Rural Health Alliance are among the Alliance’s members,” Ms McKew said.

“The needs of women in rural and regional areas often differ to those in metropolitan areas, for example, pressures of drought and flood, distance and isolation can be profound. The NRWC will make sure the voices of women in rural and regional Australia are heard. The NRWC will also complement the newly established Regional Development Australia network, which has strong representation from women.”

NRWC is one of six National Women’s Alliances that have received funding to actively engage with the Australian Government on policy issues.

The alliances will be encouraged to align strategically with government priorities, building broad collaborative networks to ensure representation for all women, especially those who in the past have found it difficult to engage in advocacy and decision making.

For more information on the National Rural Women’s Coalition visit the website www.nrwc.com.au

Source: Minister for the Status of Women Tanya Plibersek

Photo credit: National Rural Women’s Coalition

It is inevitable that bullies will try to use social networking sites as a tool. It gives them a platform to humiliate their victims not just in front of a schoolyard full of kids but potentially a global audience, with little chance of being held accountable.

The problem has grown so great that dealing with the fallout has become a major part of many school counsellors’ jobs. The Adelaide Advertiser reported that at Blackwood High School, counsellors “spend all day Monday and sometimes longer dealing with the issues that are generated on Facebook and by text messages over the weekend”. 

Kids are also using Facebook to harass teachers. In Australia recently, students have posted messages on Facebook threatening a teacher with being “massacred by chainsaws”, targeting a female teacher with sexually offensive material and falsely alleging that another was a gay paedophile.

Bullies are renowned for being blind to the feelings of others, and when they take their bullying campaigns to the internet, a terrible thing appears to happen: that lack of empathy spreads like a virus. The victims become depersonalised - just images on a screen rather than real people with real feelings, and it is all too easy for others to join in the mocking. Recently, 60 students at an Adelaide high school were involved in bullying a fellow student on Facebook, according to The Advertiser.

This phenomenon in evident on a very disturbing misogynistic Facebook page that Melinda Tankard Reist blogged about. It is a page on which members can post pictures of women or girls they deem to be ’sluts’. These ordinary young women are left completely vulnerable to appalling taunts and insults by people all over the globe. She wrote:

Some images are clearly posted for revenge. Often full names are used. What means do these women and girls have to defend themselves? How do they deal with it? What does it mean for them in their daily lives at school or work or at home or anywhere, to be identified to the whole world as a slut?

By allowing this site, Facebook is a conduit for bullying, harassment and abuse.

There are a number of pages on Facebook that are, to use Melinda’s words - ”temples to human cruelty”.

I was mystified when a 14-year-old girl at a school I worked with recently told me she had joined a Facebook page for fans of Eminem, named after a line in his song Superman: “I do know one thing though, bitches, they come they go’s.”

The Eminem song is that of a battle-scarred adult, full of twisted hurt at failed relationships, and full of vitriol and hate against all women. The profile picture? A beautiful but scared-looking young woman with her mouth taped shut, her hands presumably bound.  What a bully’s fantasy that is. I think it’s important to be aware that we live in a world where 14-year-old girls can be drawn to, and get involved with, such a seemingly incongruous message and online community.

Of course, the worst thing we can do is have a knee-jerk reaction and try to stop girls from using Facebook. Not only would it be impossible, it would be a bad idea. Maintaining connections and mastering technology are vital for girls’ development. All young people need to not only be able to read and write in print media, but to be ‘multi-literate’; competent in the full range of media.

It is important not to lose perspective: most of what happens on Facebook is fine, and social networking sites can be a great way to get girls engaged in technology. Enlighten Education has its own Facebook page where positivity reigns supreme and the empowerment of girls is the ultimate goal. We post articles and videos to inspire girls and get them thinking, and we provide a safe and affirming forum for them to express themselves.

What we all need to do is get involved with our teen girls and give them the support and skills they need to use technology safely. At Enlighten, we run ‘digital citizenship’ workshops for teens and parents, because it is crucial for teens to learn to navigate the social world of the internet, in the same way that it has always been crucial for them to learn to navigate the social world of the schoolyard. 

Bullying must never be ignored, whether it’s taking place face-to-face, on the internet or via text messaging. As adults we need to take responsibility for bullying, and give teens the support they need to deal with it.

Combating Cyber-bullying

• Sometimes girls hold back from telling adults about cyber-bullying because they fear they will be banned from using the internet. Rather than making threats, keep the lines of communication open and establish trust. 
• Make yourself familiar with Facebook so you know what your daughter may encounter while using it.
• Some adults become their daughter’s Facebook friend so they can monitor her. I think it’s more beneficial to work on a trusting relationship with your daughter so she knows she can come to you if she has a problem.
• If you suspect your daughter might be a victim, don’t ignore it. Ask her sensitively about your concerns.
• Parents should alert their daughter’s school to cyber-bullying. The only way to solve the problem is for parents and school staff to work together.
• Encourage girls to think before they accept a Facebook friend request. Is this a person they would be friends with in the real world?
• Emphasise the importance of girls setting their Facebook privacy to the highest level so only their friends have access to their page

This article contributed by Dannielle Miller, CEO of Enlighten Education, which helps girls develop a sense of power, self-esteem and confidence. See www.enlighteneducation.com for more.

See AWO’s article on Dannielle’s critically acclaimed book – The Butterfly Effect: A Positive New Approach to Raising Happy, Confident Teen Girls.

Eating for Two by Kathleen Gandy

This truly beautiful book by award-winning food writer Kathleen Gandy is more cookbook than pregnancy guide, yet it also includes priceless nutritional information for pregnant mums.

Gandy reveals her Top Ten tips for fixing morning sickness and provides a highly motivational shopping list of nutrient-rich superfoods for expectant mums – those foods high in folate, iron, calcium, iodine, protein and vitamins. Gandy also advises mums on foods to avoid – and why.

Then there’s the recipes. With delectable tempters such as grilled five-spice chicken with tomato rice, zucchini mint and haloumi fritters with beetroot tzatziki, and date and cardamom clafoutis, you don’t need to be pregnant to enjoy this specially designed menu.

The perfect gift for a baby shower.

Penguin Viking Australia, A$35RRP

YOU CAN BUY ‘EATING FOR TWO‘ ONLINE AT:

• TheNile.com.au – A$31.49

• SeekBooks.com.au – A$31.50

• Fishpond.com.au – A$32.95

• QBD The Bookshop – A$35.00

Save our Sleep Toddler by Tizzie Hall

Hang the baby years, oftentimes it’s the toddler years that prove to be the real sleep sapper. Why? Legs. And a more argumentative disposition. And louder voice. All things considered, no matter the age of the child, sleep deprivation is a serious issue for many parents, and this new book by the international baby whisperer, Tizzie Hall, could be just what you’ve been dreaming of (during your short bursts of sleep).

In Save Our Sleep Toddler, Hall aims to help parents create a happy and secure toddlerhood for their children (aged 1 to 3), by helping them understand the links between sleep and behaviour.

The book covers specific routines for sleeping and feeding toddlers, handling breaks in routine, addressing tantrums and setting boundaries, potty training, the transition from cot to bed and answers to common health problems.

With enlightening case studies from parents who’ve been through it all, this is one book that will keep you wide awake.

Pan Macmillan, A$34.99RRP

YOU CAN BUY ‘SAVE OUR SLEEP: TODDLER‘ ONLINE AT:

• SeekBooks.com.au – A$31.49

• Angus and Robertson – A$31.95

• Fishpond.com.au – A$32.99

• QBD The Bookshop – A$34.99

Parenting by Kathy Walker

Which came first? The parent or the child? In her latest book, renowned educational and parenting consultant, Walker, places the parent first – and asks this exhausted creature to not only recognise but improve their parenting style – a strategy which helps develop an understanding of the behavioural issues plaguing children.

Subtitled ‘A practical guide to raising preschool and primary-school children’, Walker’s book shows readers how to create a calmer, more nurturing environment for children, providing strategies and advice on such biggies as maintaining routines, promoting self-esteem and resilience, and communicating effectively with your child.

This frank and easy-to-follow guidebook begins with self-discovery – understanding your own parenting style, and moves through our wants and desires for our children to excellent strategies such as the author’s top 10 behavioural techniques.

So fascinating, it makes me want to relive those preschool years all over again. Almost.

Penguin Viking Australia, A$32.95RRP

YOU CAN BUY ‘PARENTING‘ ONLINE AT:

• TheNile.com.au – A$29.49

• SeekBooks.com.au – A$29.66

• QBD The Bookshop – A$32.95

Talking to Your Kids About Sex by Dr Laura Berman

Let me tell you ‘bout the birds and the bees, the flowers and trees. Oh, alright – no more metaphors. Let’s talk about sex, baby. In Talking to Your Kids About Sex, Dr Laura Berman, a New York Times’ bestselling author, does just that – gently taking your hand and guiding you through this often hairy (‘scuse the pun) topic.

Far from having to plunge into a wordy tome packed with unapproachable jargon, Berman’s new book is instead laid out in characteristic Dorling Kindersley style – packed with photos, diagrams, tables, information boxes and really clear text – making sense not only for parents in need of a quick answer, but for kids who’d like to explore a rather perplexing world in greater depth.

The book is astoundingly comprehensive, frank and really well done. Beyond the point-and-giggle biology, it covers all manner of issues that will promote a healthy, strong and emotionally mature attitude towards sexual responsibility and personal hygiene and health.

For those parents interested in making the transition to talking about sex easier, more open, realistic and crystal clear [read: less embarrassing], Talking to Your Kids About Sex will not disappoint. Essential reading for both parent and child, particularly if that child is turning hairy.

Dorling Kindersley, A$29.95RRP

YOU CAN BUY ‘TALKING TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT SEX‘ ONLINE AT:

• Fishpond.com.au – A$23.95

• Angus and Robertson – A$24.95

• SeekBooks.com.au – A$26.96

• TheNile.com.au – A$26.99

• QBD The Bookshop – A$29.95

I hit a major hurdle on Day Five (a week ago) when I realised my commitment to becoming a non-smoker was not what it should be. I actually made a major mistake on Day Three when I stopped keeping a record of every cigarette smoked in the “smoking diary”. The creator of Think Quit, Mark Stephens, has consistently said this is the one thing you should not do. I chose to ignore that warning and as a consequence, I’ll have to start all over again at Day One.

If your commitment to becoming a non-smoker is any less than total, you may also find it difficult to complete the “smoking diary” each day and if this is the case, then like me you’ll have to renew your commitment and start all over again at Day One.

If you’re not familiar with the Think Quit Program, you’re probably wondering what is this “smoking diary” she keeps referring to? For seven days you are required to note down every cigarette you smoke in the “smoking diary” which is included in the Think Quit book and with the Think Quit MP4 Player. For every cigarette you smoke, you have to write down the time, the trigger, how you felt before it and how you felt after it. You also have to note down a replacement strategy for every cigarette smoked. Where I came unstuck is the “feelings before” and “feelings after” columns. Whenever someone asks me ‘how does that make you feel’ my mind draws a complete blank.

It was in an attempt to disconnect from my feelings that I started smoking in the first place. When I started smoking regularly at 20 years of age, I didn’t want to ‘feel’ anything but numb and I was convinced smoking helped me to achieve this aim. It sounds crazy to me now, but I actually thought I could disconnect from my emotions by smoking a cigarette. But I’m beginning to realise this belief and the other beliefs I have about smoking are just a pack of lies.

Mark Stephens says the belief that a cigarette reduces stress is just a myth. What smoking does is that it provides us with a welcome distraction when we’re feeling bored, anxious, stressed, or whatever.

A man whose work I greatly admire, the author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck said: “smoking takes the edge off consciousness”. But it doesn’t really, it just shifts your focus elsewhere. Smoking also forces us to concentrate on our breathing and to breath more deeply and this is why most quit smoking programs also include deep-breathing exercises.

Mark says that if you stop filling out the “smoking diary” you need to go back and start over at Day One of the Think Quit Program. So that’s what I’m going to do – start over at Day One and complete the “smoking diary” as recommended.

I spent yesterday re-reading the first ten chapters of the Think Quit book and listening to the audio introduction sessions on the Think Quit MP4 Player. I’ve renewed my commitment to the successfully completing the program and being a non-smoker – and now I’m ready to begin again at Day One.

Related Posts:

• My Quit Smoking Challenge: DAY FOUR

• My Quit Smoking Challenge: DAY THREE

• My Quit Smoking Challenge: DAY TWO

• My Quit Smoking Challenge: DAY ONE

• My Quit Smoking Challenge: Introduction

• Looking for 100 Volunteers to Quit Smoking on TV

Think Quit: smoke free forever by Mark Stephens is published by Allen & Unwin and is available now at book retailers across Australia (RRP $24.99). ‘Think Quit’ will be released in the United States in June 2010.

YOU CAN BUY THIS BOOK ONLINE AT:

SeekBooks.com.au – $19.99

TheNile.com.au – $22.49

QBD The Bookshop – $24.99

Amazon.com – release date June 2010