--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I squeezed the controls to brace myself…" description: "\"“I squeezed the controls to brace myself so I wouldn’t shiver with the chill of wanting. Normal people got that feeling when they quit smoking cigarett..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/jennifer-echols-943_normal-people_i-squeezed-the-controls-to-brace-myself_711116.png" --- # I squeezed the controls to brace myself so I wouldn’t… ![“I squeezed the controls to brace myself so I wouldn’t shiver with the chill of wanting. Normal people got that feeling when they quit smoking cigarettes. I had gotten it then too. Normal people did not get that feeling when faced with danger.” quote by Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/jennifer-echols-943_normal-people_i-squeezed-the-controls-to-brace-myself_711116.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/jennifer-echols-943_normal-people_i-squeezed-the-controls-to-brace-myself_711116.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/jennifer-echols-943_normal-people_i-squeezed-the-controls-to-brace-myself_711116.png) > ““I squeezed the controls to brace myself so I wouldn’t shiver with the chill of wanting. Normal people got that feeling when they quit smoking cigarettes. I had gotten it then too. Normal people did not get that feeling when faced with danger.”” [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desperate cravings for a habit can feel like a physical chill, unlike fear of danger. **In simple terms:** Addiction cravings differ from fear. Key Takeaway Recognize cravings as habit loops, not danger. Themes addiction craving psychology Mood introspective analytical Type psychological personal When to use this quote - quitting smoking - stress management - therapy sessions - mindfulness practice Key Concepts habit formation self‑control stress response Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your cravings? - How can you reframe the sensation? A Different Perspective Cravings may persist despite rational understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Smoking cigarettes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoking-cigarettes/) ## Related quotes > [If we see you smoking we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/if-we-see-you-smoking-we-will-assume-you-are-on-fire-and-take/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [If you ever lit a cigarette in your life, you have very little will to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/if-you-ever-lit-a-cigarette-in-your-life-you-have-very-little-will-to/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [The believing we do something when we do nothing is the first illusion of tobacco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-believing-we-do-something-when-we-do-nothing-is-the-first/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I quit smoking cigarettes and with the $70 a month I am saving not smoking cigarettes I'm smoking $700 worth of cigars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/i-quit-smoking-cigarettes-and-with-the-70-a-month-i-am-saving-not/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [“Just smoke less and keep trying. 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It was cigarettes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/you-know-it-s-cigarettes-that-killed-jerry-garcia-everyone-thinks-it/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [“He’d faced down danger without a qualm. Only the truly brave—or stupid—showed no fear. But she doubted anyone could call Fabian stupid. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/he-told-me-that-while-he-was-in-a-chinese-communist-gulag-for-almost/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [If the fact that people make poor decisions is reason enough for the government to second-guess their decisions about dangerous activities such as smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-sullum/if-the-fact-that-people-make-poor-decisions-is-reason-enough-for-the/) Jacob Sullum > [We have too many preacherettes preaching too many sermonettes to too many Christianettes smoking cigarettes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/we-have-too-many-preacherettes-preaching-too-many-sermonettes-to-too/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) ## More by Jennifer Echols > [“Well, let's say you heard a fight in the boys' bathroom, and you broke it up. 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There'll be hell to pay if you hurt my drum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/mr-rush-slapped-drew-on-the-back-of-the-head-you-pay-attention-morrow/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“He ran his hands through his hair and held on to the back of his neck both biceps bulging. Dang him for looking so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/he-ran-his-hands-through-his-hair-and-held-on-to-the-back-of-his-neck/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“Did you alltake your pants off? 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I could press the red button to cancel the call. Without pressing anything, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/nick-s-number-waited-impatiently-on-the-screen-tapping-its-foot-i/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“There was a reason I was so into yoga. I was high-strung(news flash!).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/there-was-a-reason-i-was-so-into-yoga-i-was-high-strung-news-flash/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“It wasn't a pretty sunset. The colors were as expected: violet clouds, bright orange and pink underneath, against the pale blue sky. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/it-wasn-t-a-pretty-sunset-the-colors-were-as-expected-violet-clouds/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“Adam found a break through the thicket and up the hill. He turned around and extended his hand to help me up. I froze,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/adam-found-a-break-through-the-thicket-and-up-the-hill-he-turned/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) [Explore all 322 Jennifer Echols quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) ## More Normal people quotes > [Most conservatives - by which I mean normal people - have little conception of the aggressive and revolutionary force that confronts them. 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After expulsion from paradise all humans are in exile. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-codrescu/the-real-secret-though-is-that-nobody-belongs-whether-they-are/) [Andrei Codrescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-codrescu/) > [“Normal people don’t know how lucky—how blessed—they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/normal-people-don-t-know-how-lucky-how-blessed-they-are/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I don't have to pad my resume. 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