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G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

NOPE…

You have to own the thought thst you are a recovering addict. There will always be cravings but the easier as time goes by. 2 1/2 years quit and I still get cravings. So, when I get a craving I just like to remind myself that I am a healthier and happier person smoke free. You must believe and have faith that you are doing the best thing for you.

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Thank you everybody!

NOPE!!!!!!!!!

Good job Saz. This calls for something festive from down in your neck of the woods...

I come here for support....to vent....to encourage....to listen and speak truths. I will continue to come here for my first year, because whoever I made this pledge to originally kinda knows what he's talking about.....when people slip away from their supportive community, they often slip away from their commitment to NOPE. I read something the other day that made me ask myself....."Well Julie, why do you come here?" I see, and am experiencing something very similar to recovery from other addictions that I have and have sought treatment for. There is proven power in a community of positive support. I don't come here to 'save' people......not because I don't want to save people, but because I cant save people. As it is with any diagnoses, I can help you treat your cancer, but I cannot save you from your cancer. I can help you treat your addiction.....but I cannot save you from your addiction. But the strange thing is.....and if it weren't so amazing, it would be ridiculous, When I help you, I save myself from my own addiction. Im making the commitment.....Im committing to one year here. (I really feel as if Im just re-committing. Ive already made a pledge to stay with a supportive non-smoking community for one year. In 12 step circles, many of us have something called a 'home group': a place where we commit ourselves to showing up as much for ourselves as for others. Ive done nothing more than change my 'home group'. My committment stands. It just stands here) :)

Subtitle: The Romance Is Dead! This is the time of year when many people quit smoking. Most especially, people who quit before but relapsed are trying again. I think that is wonderful (that they're coming back, not that they relapsed). Reading their posts has made me realize that in very many cases, people relapse because they are still romancing the cigarette. That means that they still WANT to smoke even though they know that smoking does nothing good for them. They still remember those quietly satisfying evenings on the deck smoking. They remember that a-a-a-h-h-h! of satisfaction with the first long draw on a cigarette. And they want that again. And so even if they are weeks or months into a quit-- even though the PHYSICAL addiction is long gone-- they essentially choose to go back to smoking because of the pull of these romantic fantasies about how good smoking was. Well, I was the poster child for romancing the cigarette. Throughout this quit and all my previous quits (of which there were several) I always wanted to smoke. I didn't smoke-- I controlled myself-- but I wanted to smoke. All the time. Almost every day. It seemed to me that after 4 or 5 months quit, almost everybody on the board was way done with smoking and happy about it. I still missed it. And that was frustrating because my rational brain KNEW that the "pleasure" of smoking was vastly over rated and mostly imaginary. I KNEW that I was romancing the cigarette and I really did not want to go back to smoking. But the seductive thoughts were there. Maybe not every day, but often enough to be very annoying. I'm here to tell you that today, more than 9 months after my quit, I realize that I am not desiring a cigarette hardly ever! This is a first for me. And this death of the romance is not just a matter of time-- I quit smoking before for periods of up to a year and still suffered from romancing. I think that the difference this time is that I educated myself about Nicodemon's lies. It's as though my rational brain has told my junkie brain over and over and over again "No, smoking is NOT pleasurable! And such small, brief pleasure as you feel when you smoke comes at way too great a cost! Forget it!" and finally, FINALLY junkie brain is quieting down. What a relief! Now I do admit that during these "romancing episodes" that I'm talking about-- those days when I really, really wanted a cigarette-- I had to remind myself over and over again about why I quit smoking in the first place and remind myself over and over again that I wanted to quit more than I wanted to smoke. I had to FIGHT to keep my quit many, many times over the months. The urge to smoke wasn't constant, but it was frequent. Sometimes it was quite miserable. I'm still jealous of people who seemed to have it easier than I did. I often thought that I was a "special snowflake" and I had it harder than other quitters-- few people admitted that they still wanted to smoke many months after a quit. But whether I had it worse than anyone else or not, I hung in there, reminded myself about why I quit, and that I was DETERMINED not to smoke. Now, at last, I can look back over the last few weeks and realize that the romance is dead. I finally, finally am at the point where I do think about smoking once in a while but it's like a vague thought that is easily dismissed, not a serious desire. I have heard others describe this "vague thought" phenomenon many months after a quit and I finally understand what they are talking about. So I guess I am writing this to say that if you are many weeks or months into a quit and you still want a cigarette, you are not alone. What you are experiencing is real. It does happen to some people (like me, for example). You are romancing the cigarette and you have to use your rational brain, your smoking education, and your strong desire to quit to fight the urge. And eventually, sooner or later, you will turn around one day and realize that the romance is dead. You really don't have to fight to keep your quit anymore-- you just have to remain vigilant and committed. Hang in there, folks! You can DO this!

Not a stormy day here but I made soup. My Mother used to make the best potato soup and since she passed we have not been able to find the recipe. This is around my 10th batch trying to recreate it, Mom never put corn in (usually on the side) but I am going to add some next time. It taste better than it looks, as attested by my kids, as soon a I text them I made potato soup they come over to get some, along with dinner rolls. 5lbs potato's 1lb bacon 1/2 onion 1.5 tbsp butter 12oz evaporated milk salt/pepper next corn......

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Hi Pedro, glad to hear you are ready to quit smoking. As far as whether you are a nonsmoker yet, obviously if you've just had one you're not. But as soon as you commit to never taking another puff you will be That being said, quitting smoking certainly will make your life better. Much better in fact but I personally don't think there's such a thing as a perfect life. We will all always have trials and tribulations imo because that to me is the meaning of life. But quitting smoking is one thing that will get you closer to that perfect life you're looking for.

Hello everyone. I'm quoting this because it seems wise words. Maybe it applies to me. I am about to join the quit train, and so.. These words by @Paul723 seem deep. Life will always be a challenge and as @johnny5 says it is not perfect as a non smoker. Not that I am one, or am I? I would say no since I just had a smoke. But I am wanting to commit to this community. I do think one thing that makes things worse, I notice.. : I am after a perfect life and somehow I reasoned that will be when I stop smoking. There! Right here is a mistaken thought, an error. That said, thanks for the space to post.

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? 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. QTrainers 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

I must have been picking up Sazerac vibes since I made chicken Bomme Femme last night for dinner. Congratulations on nine years of freedom!

Tink Quit Date: 22/11/2013 Posted April 12, 2014 YOU - thats who! no one else no situation you find yourself in however difficult its all down to YOU sometimes you just have to bring your big bad ass self to the surface and say "I am in charge here" - "This is my quit, my life" and nothing and no-one is going to bring me down! (I am not a creative writer, I say it how it is for me - the above statement has saved my quit - I hope it reaches someone else) Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/565-who-is-in-charge-of-this-quit/

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Nope... I got better things to do!!

5. Somebody giving you their unsolicited opinion

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I think I know that guy. Doesn't he work the night desk at the Sleep Inn?

Nobody ever has a clear answer for why we shouldn't swim in Reelfoot Lake. What are they hiding down there?

Resting up from a big day down on the farm. Loaded up the Boo Crew and went to a Fall Festival / Halloween Spookfest. The kids made their public debut in their Halloween costumes. Maddie was a penguin. Jackson was a monkey. The monkey costume has a tail on it that is just long enough for Jackson to gnaw on it...and that's just what he did. Hayrides. Corn mazes. Trick or treating...Good times! Also learned something new about Sugar Britches today: she loves caramel apples. So if I talk my way into trouble in the future, I might be able to bribe my way back into her good graces with a simple caramel apple. These are the things a man needs to know.

@Kris I can relate to your struggles. But keep on fighting the battle Don't throw your quit away like I did and have to start all over. For me this time has been much harder than before. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I know for me sometimes everyone here seems to be doing so well and having a much easier time than myself. I know positivity is important but the struggle is real for all of us. Hang in there my friend.

Great to see you around, Sazerac. Thanks for the update and thanks for all the help you have given others over the years. Congratulations on a great and inspiring quit.

Congratulations saz! Good to see you stop by Hope you have a wonderful anniversary!

Hey ...Good to see you Sister ... Congratulations on your 9 years ....Smoke Free.... The Decade Party is in your sights ... Hugs

Congrats and thanks - it is encouraging to hear from those who have long quits going.

Hey, thanks for stopping by to spread some of your good vibes and inspiration. I enjoyed reading some of your blog posts. Cheers to you on your years of freedom!