That Will Power

I've jumped from a battery producing company to a cigarette manufacturing one last December. My current employer belongs to a controversial industry. Yes, that line "smoking kills" and the likes is one of the battlecry that we are facing. But I am do sparing this blog from debating on my company's existence, we do have a Corporate Affairs group who handles such things from barangay level to the Senate.

What I wanted to impart is a personal realization on the word - will power. You see, smoking is relatively allowed in some of our meeting rooms. You get to see different kinds of brands meeting each other in meeting tables. If we have this, how much more during parties?

We recently had our Finance summit in Tagaytay where we all gathered to define our priorities and set the tone at the top regarding Finance's direction for 2011. A long day of series of talks and activities, the whole participants deserve a party at night! And by party, I really mean party! Drinks were high and mighty, and so were the cigarettes. You know that feeling of being out with yourself, with your colleagues not as officemates but as fellow party-goers? Yes, freedom and riot! All night, supply of drinks and cigarette was overwhelming. I had a few liquid turning me to a tipsy lady. But cigarette? I did not dare to try it.  I was proud of myself of not giving in to what the mood of the party sets - lots of drinking and smoking. I surpassed the temptation with a strong amount of will power!

There was one colleague though, who finally tucked one stick on his fingers after the longest time he had one - that was when he was in high school. I can't help but wonder, why, in all these years that he managed to do away with cigarette, he finally let some smoke get out of his nose? But maybe, just maybe, he wanted to try our products. But then, I still see him having a growing relationship with smoking. I felt sad.

Choices. Will power. Peer pressure. How do handle them?