Leaderboard

Good morning all, Just checking in - Day 6 is here and I'm doing so much better, today is a really good day I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

Hello Molly. Glad you are on the Quit Train and having a great day. I am still here. too! I am not far along in my quit and the desire to smoke is present lots. Jillar's 'air cigarette' tool really works for me sometimes. I use Chrysallis' 5 more minutes mantra lots of times, then of course it turns into remaining quit. Hoping you find your way through whatever comes up FREE from nicotine slavery today and everyday.

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

Happy your both still here. Stay strong and hang tough. Better days ahead. Just around the corner shortly. Congratulations. Keep it up. Best wishes.

NOPE

Yay @Molly2310 glad you're having a good day And look at you already almost a month quit @darcy, well done

NOPE

nope

Nope

Nope!!!

NOPE

NOPE Not today

NOPE…

You are doing great, Molly. Congratulations on the end of day 4. Everyone's quit is different but each day (hour, etc.) that you go smoke free, the stronger your quit gets. You will still experience urges and thoughts of smoking but stay strong. Things will get better. Keep up the great work.

NOPE!

NOPE!

NOPE!!!!!

yep, quitting isn't glamourous fer sure. you don't quit because it's easy though. you quit because it's necessary.

This reason I've never heard before. It's esoteric and, it could have applied to me. I was chopping wood the other day and I had a log bounce into my leg. The shin to be exact. The pain was significant enough that I heard my drill sergeant from 38 years ago tell me to "walk it off." So after cursing a blue streak, and walking it off, I performed the requisite first aid and got back to work. Next day, yup, serious bone bruise. Not fun. Just to be safe I consulted Dr. Google on bone bruises. Apparently smoking complicates the healing of bone bruises. At the least, smoking extends the time it takes to recover from bone bruising. Thankfully, (drum roll) I DONT SMOKE so it doesn't apply to me!

I remember being hit in the shin while splitting wood many times oh my. It is usually cold out too which helps a lot with the pain! Good for you on looking at the bright side, just another reason to quit smoking.

NOPE!

Congratulations on 7 months

It took me a long time to start doing the daily NOPE pledge: Not One Puff Ever. When I first quit, I was a basket case. I could barely tie my shoes, let alone come up with a whole new life plan. If I had tried to figure out how to stop smoking “forever” at that point, my brain might have exploded. After 42+ years of smoking, I simply couldn’t conceive of life without cigarettes. Truth be told, I didn't want to. And I was very afraid that I’d fail. (Again.) To make it over those starting hurdles, I took things one craving at a time – then one hour, and then one day at a time. That incremental approach worked better for me. It kept things simpler, more attainable. Small steps also disarmed the ambivalence I had about quitting. Part of me still desperately wanted to smoke. If I had waited to quit until I was 100% certain, I would have put off quitting indefinitely. I needed a way to quit anyhow, despite those mixed feelings. No puffing TODAY was that ticket for me. NOPT aint poetic, but it worked. SNOTT (Smoking’s Not on the Table) was helpful, too. My early quitting journey was much more gritty than pretty. There were dark times. Cravings definitely sucked. But they didn’t kill me. Every small victory mattered - minutes, then hours and days that I didn’t smoke. They built my quitting skills. And they helped me find my determination, too. Each moment without smoking was hard-won and precious, something I’d earned that I didn’t want to throw away. I began guarding them. I started to feel just a wee bit fierce. And the days started adding up sooner than I thought they would... It turned out that there was light waiting for me on the other side of withdrawal, light that I couldn’t see before. My addiction to nicotine had spun a story that I was a lost cause, that quitting was impossible for me, that only misery lay ahead if I quit. But that was an illusion, a withdrawal temper tantrum. By taking things one hour and one day at a time, evidence pointing to a different reality began to stack up. Quitting IS possible. Freedom CAN happen. I am gradually coming to believe in a forever quit for myself. These days, the daily NOPE pledge helps me stay committed and accountable. And vigilant. Sometimes I still have a strong longing to smoke. NOPE reminds me not to fall down the “I could have just one cigarette” sinkhole. Because I am an addict, one smoke inevitably leads to more. NOPE keeps me off that merry go round of misery. I’m so grateful to everyone here who does the NOPE pledge. It’s great reinforcement for the importance of actively tending my quit – like watering a garden. It’s a tiny celebration that helps me avoid complacency. And it’s positive reinforcement, reminding me that there are lots of other people walking this path, finding their own ways to freedom. If you’re lurking on the platform of the Quit Train station, unsure about hopping on board, give quitting a try. It’s possible. If NOPE feels beyond reach for any reason, toss in a NOPT or a SNOTT, instead. Whatever works for you. Amazing things can happen one day at a time.

Hiya, can I just say that I’m so very grateful to have found this place, thank you everyone for being so supportive. im nearing the end of day 4 and wanted to ask something. I’ve noticed that today the urges to smoke have been stronger. I thought about it in as analytical way as I could and came to the conclusion that they may feel like that for me because it was nigh on constant in the first few days but now I’m feeling “normal” for periods of time (admittedly not for long) so I’m noticing and feeling the urges more because they feel more noticeable. Does that make sense? Or am I just being overly optimistic? Again, thanks for being here

NOPE

NOPE…

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm no longer a spring chicken so the healing process takes a more leisurely bit of time. I had to walk up to the pump house to install an incandescent light bulb to keep the tank from freezing. I could really feel that minor bone contusion by the time I got back. Ah well, at least I didn't fracture it.

I feel ya pain ... Glad you quit ...hope it heals quick !

Ouch @Sirius, yay for quitting! Hope your leg feels better soon!

NOPE

Those urges to smoke will grow further apart overtime and eventually the actual urge lessens to a mere thought and then as a wisp of a memory come and gone before you name it. You are building a solid foundation for your quit and it will carry you through.

5. I put grape jelly outside in a small mason jar to feed orioles. Works great early in the year before the bees heat up.

We are so glad you found this place too... Your body has been fed poisons for decades ...it's got used to being fed every couple of hours ... I explained my feelings to a toddler learning all about life for the first time .. We have to retrain our brain on how to do everything without our fix ... This is why we call it a journey ...we travel along learning how to live life without our fix .. You fight your battles ... eventually you will win the war .. We have all been where you are ...keep coming here ,we will help you through as best we can

4. Balcony solar lights

Hi @Molly2310. Your days are adding up - woo hoo! I had a similar experience to yours. Even after the first stage of chemical withdrawal, there were still a lot of ritual and emotional associations to rewire. Plus I had a deep body memory of smoking that would slam into me sometimes. My quitting experience was definitely not linear, more of a zig zag. Stay vigilant and stay busy and you will do okay. KTQ - Keep the Quit!

LOL, @Boo… looks like @intoxicated yoda isn’t far behind.

Dear Molly, your Mum died suddenly on 10th February 2013, you were not smoking at the time, it was during your 9 month quit. You quit because your mum was a heavy smoker all of your life as well as an alcoholic. You were so worried about her, even though you were going down the same path. She was self destructive, so were you. You made a decision to stop smoking as the first step down a road of showing both of you that you could change. It wasn’t in time. You should have done it sooner, she might still be here if you had. You started smoking again, you fool. You looked after your Dad, remember? He had stopped in 1998 when he had his leg amputated because of smoking but you carried on. You watched him die from clogged up lungs despite having been quit for 20 years. He was in hospital in 2021. It took 7 days in hospital and 7 minutes in the end. You have scared your brother so much since then, he has lost his parents to smoking too. He didn’t say a word to you at the time but you saw the look in his eyes, you knew how scared he was of losing you too. You know how proud he is of you, how relieved he is that he doesn’t have to watch you kill yourself too. I know that you feel so alone sometimes, I know that on bad days you miss people so much that you feel like you don’t care if you die. I know that life feels empty a lot of the time but just think a minute, remember. You have had so many beautiful times lately, you have played with your nephews. You are loved, and you love. You will ALWAYS feel better in the morning, and you ALWAYS will. Remember that every day has the potential for something good: of a smile, of a laugh, of a special kind of happiness. Of a perfect beauty. Of nature, a song, a comedy show, a story, of a new friend, of so many things. There is so much to look forward to, even if you can’t always see it. There are days when you don’t even see the “good” until you go to bed and think, or when you wake up the next morning and recall. Promise yourself that you will always wait until tomorrow before you do anything silly and regretful yours Molly

Hey @Molly2310, yes that does make sense. We've all been there, that's part of the magic of this place. As you go through your day you deal with a lot of triggers, or times you would grab a smoke, and those need to be dealt with one by one. That's why we recommend taking the One Year Pledge that's pinned to the top.We feel that a year gets you through most of the triggers you will have to deal with and we want to help you if you need support. Your addiction is throwing a complete tantrum right now and wants its fix. You just stand your ground and don't give in because with each trigger you go through it'll be easier the next time.

Great gif Boo Thank you. Your words certainly have carried me many a time. Hope all is as well as can be with you, it’s good to see you back on the train.

Pedro, you are doing this because you want to conquer something in your life: your dignity. Your health. Your mental abilities. You want to be a functionable and contributive member of society, you want a magic life, you want money (you do!), you want to believe. Create your own faith, if faith lacks! It's an act of courage to recover from this addiction. You will feel very much better mentally. You will not be bothered with trivial nuisances. Your mind will benefit - keen mind. Remember that breathing fosters remembering and that is something magic you want in your life. You want to do many things. And see the world for what it is. Smoking prevents that. I know you are sensible. Many people are. You want to develop warriors hope and warriorship. Please consider not smoking and taking life in. The way it, be it hell, continue. I know you try to focus on the positive side of not smoking. I know you try to convince yourself that you want this, which is hard because you don't believe in yourself. Be it so. Become a recovering person. Always recovering! Conquer your fears! This mind of yours fears not being fed, that is what it is, all there is to it is this! It is the monkey mind. It will be hard times, good times, recovering times. It's normal your quitting is a mess. But it is the way. Now go about your day, feeling. The coming and going of relaxation and anxiety. Come back here if you need. You will, because you like writing. Now to go to the job interview!

To Me - From Me LORI LISTEN! STOP - DO NOT - I repeat DO NOT SMOKE!!!! You are one cigarette away from a major cardio event and you know what that looks like from sitting by the bedside of someone you love dearly, who was in ICU for a week. Look at the photo if you need a reminder. Your body NEEDS clean air - pay attention to that crave! You will not give any more money to people who supply you with products that kill you. NOPE - never again The only thing smoking does for you is kill you. You want to feel good, look good & smell good. When you smoke - you are none of these. None. Craves get better - they will not last that long and they will not kill you - use your emergency bags - if the bags are empty go to the G-damn store and buy whatever it takes to get through this - just DONT smoke! Adjust your NRT if you cut back or stopped too soon NOPE for this crave, NOPE for this hour, NOPE for today, just NOPE Call the EAP or schedule a TelaDoc if you need more help. Just DO NOT SMOKE! You are strong, even when you feel weak. Smoking does not help you, at all, ever. The withdrawal will get better - I promise. Do a rosary - as many times as needed. Eat, sleep, soak your feet, paint your nails, play a game, clean out the junk drawer, take a walk, take another walk, the possibilities are endless. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN THIS CRAVE.

Patti ...do you want to end up in the hospital again and being so embarrassed that you you had to say you smoked! Do you want to go thruvwhat your own husband went thru with the cancer in his throat...smarten up its been almost 2 weeks , you have done the worst days. .there will be more , but you can do it...please please think of how happy you will be not hacking and being able to sleep without hacking.

So, Shymaid, I know you either really REALLY want one, or you have become too relaxed on the quitting. You might think 'It is just one', but that leads to another and another and another. I know you have problems seeing a bright future now, but no amounts of cigarettes will make that any brighter. On the contrary, it will only make the future bleaker and darker. You hate being a smoker, you start hating and despising yourself for being one, and using that as an excuse to continue instead of doing something about it isn't an option; not anymore! The withdrawal might seem endless, but it isn't. It doesn't really last that long, and when you think it does, it's only in your head. You can do this! Just feel how your body feels now compared when it was drenched in nicotine! Stay the course!

STOP!!! You know you can do this!!! You know you MUST do this!!! Your heart needs you to do this!!! Your toolbox is full. Use it. Smoking a cigarette will be committing suicide. You don't want to die.

You want to smoke, I get it. But the cold hard truth is that if you smoke you will no longer be an ex-smoker. The reason you want to smoke is because you are romancing the cigarette. You think that it will make you feel better about something, it won't, you will feel exactly the same only as a smoker instead of an ex-smoker. So to combat your addict within try some things before you go through with your plan to smoke. 1. Remember that smoking is a lie, it always takes and never gives anything good. 2. Distract yourself with anything handy until the nagging thoughts subside. 3. Go to QuitTrain and read for inspiration and resolve. 4. Make a plan to recommit your quit and remember how you felt on day 1. 5. Remind yourself why you quit, it was a good reason then and it's still a good reason now. 6. Take a nice deep breath and be proud of being an ex-smoker. 7. Going forward can be difficult and scary, but going backward is pathetic and sorrowful. 8. Take some time to respond to others on QuitTrain, get involved in your quit. 9. Realize how lucky you are that you stopped smoking before your body gave out on you. 10. If you get this far and still want to smoke post an SOS on QuitTrain and respond to each person who tries to talk you down. There is no way that you still want to smoke, so congratulations you made it through an urge an remained an ex-smoker!

OPAH over a year now and you still letting Nic challenge you. Remember Physical addiction is gone all the Nic receptors are gone! So it is all in your Mind now, Be the mental magnificent you are and tell Nic to hit the road, beat feet, Don't let the door hit him on the ass on his way out. You have the control, you are in charge. Get up and get busy, If you do not have your hard candies, go get a ding dong and a pop. By the way we really need to avoid the real sugars Bud, but for the now it is OK. Lets do what you need to do, I am here for you, we shatter the silence with our words and our thoughts, Nic has nothing on us, we are in command, send Nic walking off of the POOP deck and give him a big long flush. We are free of Nic now act like it.

so you think 5 years from now you'll look back and say to yourself "Gee, I sure am glad I didn't quit smoking"? Now grow a spine and deal with your emergency. It's not like you can hide behind weaknesses so you might as well be strong. I mean think about how easy modern life really is...you're most difficult task in life is to stop doing something stupid. What if you had to go out and hunt for your next meal, or carry water from a spring that was a mile and half away from the house, what if you lived in a time where toilet paper wasn't a thing??? get some perspective