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Seems like I get around to this every six weeks or so. Lazy sod! Last time I did one of these at 10 weeks in, I talked about how quitting was pissing me off, it felt like a daily grind and I was tired, but kind of seeing some benefits at the same time. So what have the last six weeks brought? I had more tough times, particularly in the early part of the period, but participating here, with friends, helps immensely. I'm still having urges to smoke at times, particularly related to those things that I'm starting to do for the first time since quit, now that spring has sprung. Fortunately having read about it here, I was ready for it. At ten weeks I thought those urges to smoke were between 50% and 75% the intensity compared when I first quit. The really good news now is that this has become much easier, probably no more than 50% intensity. I still have to be on my guard, I still have to make the smart choice, but I am better equipped to do so. Little successes have helped. Out drinking recently and wandering home with people outside the pub smoking, I had a wouldn't that be good moment. I actually, for the first time, truthfully answered my own question with a "No, it wouldn't". Even in my slightly inebriated state I could recognize it would have tasted like crap and would have made me feel like crap the next day, without even getting into the tossing the quit question. The morning after the night before the conviction wasn't quite as strong, but easily dealt with. And in the last 4 weeks I have really noticed a change in my breathing. It is easy in a way I don't ever remember. So, first 3.5 months have been about survival and nurturing the quit. I understand when people talk about romancing the cigarette, because I still do to a degree, that's still a work in progress. The last couple of weeks though has been the first time I'm feeling truly happy about being smoke free. So now for the big one, I have committed to myself that the next 4 months I need to be smoke free. The posts from Sazerac about treating yourself, well I've taken it to heart and have gone big. The next 4 months smoke free = Payment for 1 charity trek for me to The Grand Canyon in October I wouldn't have done this before, but what the hell, I'm saving that money, I get to help a kids charity and it sounds like an awesome trip. Now all I need to do is lose some of this bloody weight before hand. Chat to you around the 6 month mark my friends!

NOPE ?

Yep to N O P E !!!

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nope

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Gday NOPE for me C

NOPE!!!!

I pledge NOPE today one day st s time.

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Well my lovely fellow NOPErs its another fine day to nope. No special days on the Aussie calender but the A-Northies have been very, very generous today. So before we nope, we need to consider that today is "Horay for Buttons Day"... because buttons are really important, ask any B-Northie chocaholoic. It is also "National Mascato Day" ... or as the kid calls it, Mosquito Wine... dyslexia the disability that gives and gives.... and finally, today is the day to annually clean out all those socks that have saddly lost their partners (unless you are like me and only wear them odd) as we celebrate with the A-Northies Lost Sock Memorial Day. Where do all those lost socks go.... and why???.... should we mount a rescue mission ??? ....NOPE there just silly bits of cotton... we have bigger fish to fry... cos we all need to NOPE ... nothing controls me but me, not today, not tomorrow, not ever, forever! Topic of the Day: Things you loose. Edit: So I'm a way down Southie... and some of you mob are A-Northies (being from the Americas) and some of you are B-Northies (being from the British Isles) and some of your are E-Northies (being from Europe)... see free stupidity translation service... with a smile

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NOPE !!!!...not today!!!

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Morning all, it's a bright, sunny, cheery Nope from me this morning!

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#NOPE

Good morning my fellow travelers on the NOPE train. Here's hoping we are all hail and hearty. So what's happening around the world today... well its World Missing Orangutan Mother's Day... which scarred me for a bit cos I'm the mum of a ranga and if were going missing maybe I should be worried... but then I took a chill pill and realised they meant the real rangas and that decimation on their populations by the palm oil industry. So they we are all aware. ... so then I popped over to the American daily even calendar and it is gold.... because (and @Boo is gunna love this) it is their National Shrimp Day .... nope, not the day they celebrate short people but the day they celebrate the deliciousness that is the prawn! For those not enamoured with the yumminess of little shellfish please note it is also the American National Clean Up Your Room day... what a great lead in for Mother's day (for the non-Brits).... will be pretending it is so in Aus too and telling the little ranga this morning if the room isn't cleaned her ranga mum might go missing. Here's a fun fact.... no Aussie ever chucked a shrimp on the barbie, let alone another shrimp but we would have been known to chuck some prawns on the barbie.... Hoges just told ya that cos we didn't want yas to have to translate too many words. Your welcome. OK so on to the important thing... its time for the pledge: NOPE NOT TODAY, NOT TOMORROW, NOT EVER, FOREVER! Topic of the day: Sad Songs ....

G'day yep smoking sucks GITW, NOPE from me C

Nope. Smoking is not an option.

Good morning. I pledge NOPE today.

#NOPE

I was thumbing through some pics on my phone last night and I came across this one. The quality and content are pretty poor, but there's a tremendous amount of significance I associate with this picture. This picture was taken at 6:36 AM on 11/29/2015. It was exactly one week after I quit smoking and I had a terrible night's sleep due to quit-associated anxiety and insomnia. I rolled out of bed shortly after 6 AM and thought, "I'm gonna hop in my car and go buy some cigarettes.....I just can't take it any more." I was feeling total despair and gut wrenching cravings. Well, the store didn't open until 7 AM, so I got out of my car and paced the parking lot. I snapped a quick pic of the sun hitting the foothills shortly after sunrise. At that time, I knew nothing about "NOPE" or "distract" or "breathe". But somehow all those concepts were buried deep in my brain. I thought, "I've made it this far, and I would be so stupid to ditch all the efforts I've exerted so far." I decided to drive my car down the street and take an early morning walk along a small stream. That moment of misery passed and here I am 2-1/2 years later so grateful that I was able to win that most difficult battle of my quit. To those who are newly quit: your commitment, strength and determination are most needed in the early days. But keep in mind that when you get past these trials (and it does get easier), you will be changing your life from a picture of despair to a picture of health and freedom.

NOPE!

And all is good this morning It feels soooo good not to be putting nicotine in my body. It feels good to be able to breathe a little better each day.

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Thinking of you @Giveintowin , hope the happy memories outway the sad today

Good morning ! ? love seeing y’all here again today ! Nope?

WOOHOO! I MADE IT! I'm making it!!! Thank you all so much!!! I really love this site, the folks and personalities, the wisdom and support. It has made my quit that much easier and ... stickier. :-) I really feel like smoking is not an option for me at all. Even when I think about smoking I don't really have a desire...it's just a thought that passes and sometimes I have to kick the thought aside...NOPE, NOPE, NOPE. I celebrated a little early with a weekend in the Smoky Mountains. I hiked a difficult trail (beyond my skill level) and I made it up and back ... gave my lungs a healthy workout for sure ... but it was so great that I wasn't held back from a challenge because I smoke. Freedom feels good.

NOPE NOPE NOPE

Nope-- no way

My dad quit smoking five-years before I was born. My mom never smoked. Yet I started smoking and fell right into the trap of nicotine addiction. No one to blame but myself. Death, taxes, and teenagers doing stupid shit are some of the few guarantees we have in this life.

I smoked my first cigarette in about the fifth or sixth grade. I was so disgusted by that experience that I didn't smoke another cigarette again...until my first weekend in college. And, it wasn't long until, well, you know... I don't think any of us set out to be addicts but that occasional social cigarette early on can become an addiction quickly. I think it is good that your daughter told you and I really hope she doesn't light up again. Since she confessed to you, I hope she listens to what you say and realizes how bad this whole smoking thing can really be and steers clear of trying it again in the future.

NOPE

Nope!!!

Personal commitment Positive thinking, Pushing through discomfort (embracing the suck), Time

I still had over a 100 nrt gums in my place and at work for 2 months after I stopped chewing them, just in case.... nothing wrong with being smart about this. As Sazzy said, going back on the patches is not failure... the only failure is putting a smoke in your mouth, lighting it and drawing back.... just don't smoke, one day at a time, thats your focus. Look forward and lets do this one day at a time. Because you know you can nail one day... you've already done more than a week.... all those 24 hours are adding up....

Thank you all for your support and for being there!!! Strange how you all, who I never met never knew existed until a week ago are so darn important to me. I think it is only people like you who have gone through this can understand and not judge my craziness a what I am going through. WE ARE strong. Thank you for letting me borrow and share you strength and helping me find mine. I went for a nice walk and swim. I will take a patch to work with me tomorrow, just in case.

Wow Iml ! Wow ! What an exciting day ! Congratulations. You ARE strong....even on patches you are strong. You are going to win. You have education and intent on your side, all of us are on your side. Please protect your quit and if you need to do patches again do not hesitate to go on them. Patches or no, the most important thing is You have Quit Smoking. Returning to patches will not signify failure. The only way you will fail is if you put a smoke in your mouth and set it on fire and that ain't going to happen. I think you are going to feel better the sooner nicotine is out of your body. Well, you might hit a few bumps but, just knowing it is leaving your body will give you extra powers. Super Powers. Have no doubt, you are going to win. You are already ahead of the game by your work these past 10 days of not smoking. Please stay close to the board and let us know what is happening. pm me if ever you should need. Love, S Here is my jasmine wall with a special message for you, YOU GO GIRL !!!

^ so I liked your post, for lack of a suitable option... we need a hug, or a pat on the back option or something... because I didn't think sad was appropriate either.... we just need something fr solidarity or to show support... a flower? wont the sticks just love that. OK big huge fellow mummy hug. Lets focus on the positives here.... she confessed, voluntarily... that shows she loves and respects you and you have an amazing relationship. It shows she knows she did wrong and you are going to love her unconditionally, regardless of what stupid thing she does... and at 18 the stupid is only just beginning. It shows she wanted 'the talk' and you to do the mum thing... she wanted to hear, that's how I started don't be a dipshit like me... she wanted to be reminded of that and she knew you would do it without making her feel worthless, COS YOU ARE A FRICKIN BRILLIANT MUM!!!! Don't blame yourself at all either cos parents smoking making it acceptable for the kids.. I call bullshit. Neither of my parents smoked in my life time and both were militantly anti smoking (well mum would have a cigar when she was really drunk but that's it) and I grew up to be a minimum pack a day smoker. My cousins, who grew up with two chain smoking parents and all their clothes reacked of stale smoke cos they smoked in the house... both grew up to be militantly anti smoking. What your parents do does not control what you do.. were you in her mind controlling her muscles?, didn't think so (and if you were please tell me how so I can do that with the Kid). You did not put that smoke in her mouth, light it or drag... as an adult (18 is legally an adult) she chose to do that herself. As an adult, she knew she effed up and came to talk to you about it. You were a great example to her.

The major is out right now, if you'd like to leave a message he'll get back to you, but There's a starman waiting in the sky He'd like to come and meet us But he thinks he'd blow our minds Would you like your mind to be blown?

Thank you, Sazerac! I'm hanging in there doing pretty good with this quit...loving the smokefree life (well mostly loving it). On Saturday I hiked a trail in the Smoky Mountains ... it was a difficult one and above my skill level, but I made it up and back super grateful that I don't smoke anymore.

Hi johnny5, I love your picture of the toddler. That look on his/her face is how I feel right now. When I see that pictures, it really reminds me...I CAN do this. I AM doing this. So cute

Great attitude?. I hear you, anytime I thought of quitting I was terrified and have anxiety. I cannot for the life of me remember what I was soo damn scared of . You got this?

You ARE stronger than you think you are, and I love how empowered you are! You are brave and committed! Keep up the vigilance! I didn't use patches, so I can't speak from experience there. But, these first few weeks are a roller coaster of emotions while you go through the process. Go with them as best as you can. Stay close.to the board for as long as you need, and then stay a little longer.