Hello, my darling Nicotine Free Creatures!

In days I will be starting my Tenth Year of freedom from nicotine.
I will never smoke again.

At times, with smoking friends, I think...I used to smoke.
Do I want to smoke again? 

The answer is always a ferocious, NO ! to the virulence of nicotine.

I didn't have an easy quit. 

It took a full year for some serious craves to abate but, I never lost my Resolve. 

That was the ribbon of truth weaving through my whole quit, 

I was completely committed. 

At first committed to what I thought of as an experiment. 

I gave it a year, a challenge to myself. 

If after a year, I didn't like the changes...well, I would reconsider the experiment.

During that first year (and continuing today), I educated myself about nicotine addiction. 

The changes to my brain, the science of addictions. The brutality to my lungs, my body. 

I knew too much after brief study to use denial as an excuse. 

Either I would continue to be a slave or rejoice in a profound freedom and allow my body to heal.

After that first year, I committed to another and another. 

It is always a NOPE for me.
I am very grateful to all the NOPERS here,
so many blazed a trail for me and were there for a laugh or a nudge. 

Often, a blast of useful information from Joel Spitzer, my hero.

I wrote about our addiction in my blog here on QTrain

and hope quitters will find that useful on their journey.  

On QTrain, we all know what quitting feels like, especially the early gnarly days,

and I am so proud that I can now tell you what quitting for almost a decade feels like. 

You know it feels good, you know it feels bloody awesome.

Keep your quits and nurture yourselves, your beauty is showing.

Love,

Sazerac