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Love your post Roark! You really have your head screwed on straight, as the saying goes - lol. Learning to create that new nonsmoker lifestyle is what takes the longest and I also believe it's where many fall by the wayside because they simply can't exist in that void for very long and don't make the effort soon enough to create a new life for themselves. You will get used to doing things you used to do as a smoker. It takes some time is all. Fighting off the cravings you get initially will make those things easier to do in future without smoking but having "new" interests to immerse yourself into is a great incentive to continue on with your smoke free life! Great stuff Roark

It is amazing how many a****holes appear when you quit smoking. Keep hanging tough mightyboosh. You got this!

Absolutely NOPE !!!!!

I was tested yesterday following a heated argument where adrenalin levels were sky high. My brother was with me who had some smokes with him but you know what, it wasn't even an option in my mind to have one. I know that in previous attempts, I would have reached for one.

N O P E

nope

NOPE

I love this post Linda, it so describes the journey we were all honored to watch you take. The one where you discovered your self worth, xoxo

Nope! As well as a smoking Nope, it's a Pizza NOPE for @notsmokinjo

NOPE

Really enjoying the smoke free life I'm putting together. Wife and I rode our bikes to the community center pool today, then rode back home. Cooked outside for both lunch and dinner. Football and baseball on the couch. Starting to really see that it's up to me to invent my new life. When you quit, you are left sitting around with a "hole" in your life. You are just waiting to smoke, and can't. But six weeks in I don't even think about smoking when I'm doing one of the "new" things. Exercise. Leaving the house. The new list of "to dos" that I've taken on. The restlessness comes on when I'm doing something I used to do. Sitting on the couch in the evening with a beer watching football. And while I totally get the whole idea of avoiding things that "trigger" you early on, I think I'm to the point where I am going to draw some lines and push through. Reclaim some parts of my life from the smoky mindset and I totally now see that involves pushing through the cravings and doing those things "smokeless" until it takes.

Nope not today!

G’day NOPE to start my day

NOPE....

NOPE - I don't smoke anymore.

NOPE-- To start my week, no cigarettes for me!!!!!

That is one of the most insidious aspects of addiction: it wears you down mentally to a point where you feel defeated and ready to resign yourself to live and die an addict. A sense of despair and hopelessness goes hand-in-hand with the addiction. Of course that also leads to one of the most glorious aspects of quitting: the return of autonomy and the confidence that comes with knowing you are strong enough to take control of your life. You get yourself out of that rut and move forward. From there, the momentum kicks in. Strength begets strength. Confidence begets confidence. Ain't it the truth!

Emotions run on ultra high for quite a while as we are reshaping our lives to function comfortably as non smokers. Just don't let those emotions lead you back to smoking. Remember to put your quit first over everything else, as you clearly did this time. Learning to do that no matter what life event is unfolding will get you to where you want to be. We've all gone through similar issues and we all came out as solid non smokers. You can too!

I don't think that phase ever ends, unfortunately. They still appear frequently for me, just don't let them threaten your quit.

Smoking affects so many aspects of our lives in a negative manner and we never even think about that as addicts. We use smoking to hide away from so many things in our lives. When we quit, it's sort of the same thing in reverse but all the effects are positive It's too bad we don't realize this before we quit or even in the early days of our quit. It's only after we've gone through the process that we actually get it! It's nice to enjoy life again the way it should be

NOPE

Congratulations @abbynormal on 8 months smoke free. You are doing great! I hope you do something to celebrate today!

The emptiness of it all. Sooo much more time on my hands and nothing to do but think about how I wanted to have a smoke. I did no planning on getting into some new activity to fill all that extra time I suddenly had. Had I to do this all over again now, I probably would have bought some puzzles to do or joined a gym or something that I could have thrown myself at. The early days were tough ..... no question. Feel your way along a day at a time and remain true to your own self commitment. Those are the thoughts that got me through I think. That and the fact it was so uncomfortable, I never wanted to go through it again! Had I failed that first time, i'm pretty sure I'd still be a smoker now.

NOPE!

NOPE

Ditto for me Phil, they're everywhere lol

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE

Great work Abby! Hope you drop by and let us know how you're doing. Celebrate today because you're two-thirds of the way to the Lido Deck - Yay!

PRECISELY THIS thank you @jillar, you nailed it.

Roark I went thru the same thing -- trying to fill that hole up. I walk more now, goof with the grandchildren more, don't worry about where I am going (don't have to plan the cigarette time and place and that is just awesome, something you don't realize at first). It does get better and you find your new normal even with the things you did before. Congrats on the quit so far!!!!

What do you think we're trying to do?

Ha, you're right. How long does this phase last?

Great job, mightyboosh. Smoking is not an option. Keep up the great work.

Yup! Nicely said J

You're doing great Roark, sounds like an awesome day. I refused to give up my Coors light when I quit smoking so I made sure to drink a couple everyday so it wouldn't trigger me. I love your profile pic. Is that your 19 year old? My girl is 15 now and hearing stories like yours makes me hopeful my Cookie will live at least that long too

NOPE!

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOPE - I don't smoke anymore.

I remember thinking I had all this time suddenly. I didn't know what to do with it or with myself or with my hands and I felt so silly for that. I remember wondering what people do in X situations, how do they cope?

Mentally, I quit on a Sat. about 10:30 AM when I was loading groceries into my car on a cold, damp January day. I was coughing hard and what did I do .... I pulled my cigarette pack out of my coat and lit one up. That initiated another bout of harsh coughing. Probably not the first time that had happened but for some reason, it clicked in my brain ; "You gotta quit this bullsh*t"! Next morning I had my last smoke on waking up at about 8:30 AM. I was convinced I would fail so did not tell anyone I had quit. I kept the mostly full pack of cigs I had - just in case! I have no idea how I made it through those early days. It was pretty overwhelming so I basically just became a nico-zombie! Not knowing what to do or what to think but I did know I just couldn't smoke even one or my battle would be for nothing and it was too disruptive to my entire being to have to ever go back to the place I was on that Saturday. There were a few pinnacles in those first few months where I had to really focus on what I wanted my future life to look like. I guess it was maybe 6 or 7 months in when through whatever circumstance I was in then, I just suddenly knew .... I would never smoke again. Since then, It's been pretty smooth sailing. I still think about smoking at times even though I can't imagine myself as a smoker yet I have enough respect for myself and for the fact I am a nicotine addict for life to ever consider lighting up another smoke for any reason what-so-ever! I know I have to live the rest of my life by the same principal I have done for the past couple of years - NOPE! And, that doesn't bother me in the least

I've just put a post up on my Facebook if anyone would like my Allen Carr book, if none of my friends need it I'm sure I'll find someone

This, this, this! I also quit on a whim and then spent significant time educating myself about addictions. I realised I'm never going to be free from it, I Ill always be an addict. Hence I will never smoke again.

Love yourself Juan. You are so worth it. Keep that quit going

bump

You are building a strong and sturdy quit, @Roark. Face the triggers head on and reward yourself for every crave and trigger conquered. You are re-wiring your brain. Your Brain Beating A Crave In that thread, a great vid on neuroplasticity from @Boo

Congratulations Abbynormal on your EIGHT Months of Freedom ! Rewards ! Accolades ! Celebrations !

Awesome job on the 8 month mark abbynormal -- you are going strong now. You had better take some time today and pat yourself on the back and celebrate -- you deserve it!!!

NOPE (Not One Puff Ever) This must be a commitment, a serious commitment and not just words to be thrown around before you smoke again. You are still not being clear with us. How can we help you ? What kind of NRT are you taking ? When did you quit ? Here is an important post from @Cristóbal YOU --> QUIT --> LIFE When our quits are young, we must learn and then practice in a conscious manner, to disconnect and keep separate our quits from all life events. We learn to always keep our quits sacred, protected, and never influenced by any life event that may happen. This dynamic we may call The Proper Sequence, and it is powered by your commitment to Never.Take.Another.Puff. (NTAP). It does not matter what may happen on any day in your life...... as long as you maintain in a conscious manner The Proper Sequence dynamic as a primary element of your quit, you will not smoke. The Proper Sequence is: YOU --> QUIT --> LIFE. •NOT•: YOU --> LIFE --> QUIT. By maintaining this simple sequence dynamic in your quit, you will not ever have your quit influenced by life events. If you always keep your quit close to you, protecting it with your commitment to Never.Take.Another.Puff (NTAP), you will never, *EVER*, smoke again. We build our quits, and train our minds, our emotions, and our spirits to live as non-smokers in beautiful freedom by continuing to commit to NTAP. as our way of not smoking, and our way of slowly putting this awful addiction to sleep. Consciously adding The Proper Sequence dynamic to your new non-smoker identity will strengthen your quit even more. Cristóbal

This is my favorite part about being here, watching people begin to trust themselves, care about themselves and make even more changes in their life to nurture themselves, to make themselves better humans. I couldn't agree more .. It's wonderful to watch a newbie travel on their road to Freedom...Growing confidence ,and strength in every aspect of their lives.....

Are you peeking in my window?!