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

NOPE…

NOPE!

NOPE

NOPE!!

NOPE!

Nope!

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

Nope!

This is going right into my quit relapse prevention library. Many thanks

Nope...

NOPE!!

NOPE!!

NOPE!!

Nope, no taller than it is now but the bloom is growing larger by the day. Once the seeds within the bloom mature, I don't know if the stalk will be able to support it or not - we'll see I suppose! Ther'll be some happy critters around when the seeds mature, that's for sure

NOPE

NOPE…

NOPE!

Nope!

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!

NOPE!!

Good morning, I think this quitnet gem reminds us that we have to change the way we think about our quits. This is an important part of recovering form nicotine addiction. Smoking cigarettes never had anything to do with helping us overcome any anger, depression, anxiety or stress in our lives. So, lets stop giving it that power and change the way we think about living a smoke free life. Keep the quit. Adopt ~ Adapt ~ Improve: Repost From Hart1800 on 11/17/2005 9:02:20 AM As quitters, we are going to experience all kinds of unpleasant symptoms. But like a virus, there is nothing that will take them away; they need to run their course. Therefore, we need to develop ways to handle them. I keep reading posts along the lines of, "I'm not going to smoke, but I really want or need a cigarette right now." This is treading on dangerous ground. By saying this, we're giving cigarettes more power. The reason we want this cigarette is because we still believe that smoking is the cure for what ails us - stress, anger, and depression. We need to change this way of thinking: Adopt Adapt and Improve. ADOPT: “to Accept or Embrace” Adopt a new way of thinking. Smoking is not an option. When we’re feeling anxious, tense and/or depressed, we need to quit thinking it’s our bodies telling us it wants a cigarette. We need to recognize what it really is: Our bodies telling us its anxious, tense and/or depressed. Our bodies do not need a cigarette, nor have they ever "needed" a cigarette. ADAPT: “To change or Familiarize” Now that we recognize what’s really going on with our bodies, we need to adapt new, healthy ways of dealing with how we feel. Change our routines, change our attitude, and familiarize us with the symptoms of quitting. Read, read, and read. Post, post, post. Be prepared. And of course, take a few deep breaths, drink lots of water, and visit our friends at the Q. IMPROVE: “To Get Better” I think this speaks for itself. Every day we don't smoke, we are improving our lives. KTQ ~ Sue

Ack! Where did I get 3 from? It was kind of early here so I was still half asleep...LOL!! 7

Ouuu ... Tenerife Lucky you!

Wow P What a bloomer lol …. The weather here is fabulous .. Im in Tenerife , Sun , Sand and Sangria

Never give up … giving up

OK ... the BIG Sunflower reveal Finally bloomed this past weekend. It didn't get much taller than the first shot I posted but it's at least a 10 footer! The sun was in the wrong place to get a decent shot of the flower so it's a little dark but the seeds are just forming so the birds and squirrels have not invaded it yet but ... the big bumble bee on the right side of the flower seems interested

Nope!

NOPE

Awesome piece of writing, I have sometimes those voices that romantise cigarettes and I always use common sense to explain no I can't smoke one, it's junkie thinking and I'm not going to reply wit lighting up one. Even when I read the article I felt romance coming up. I just say NOPE I don't NEED a cig, I don't like a cig and it's awful. NOPE.

Perfect post. Perfect timing. :)

Can this be pinned?

What I like, very much, about this post is that if someone (like me) had read Allen Carr numerous times but still felt the urge it shows you that you're ok and it can be perfectly normal. I wish I'd have had this post to read many years ago as I would have cracked on, head down, instead of thinking well I must be a special snowflake who can't quit because I still don't feel that peace and excitement that I thought was a given. This deserves to be pinned if you ask me.

This is a wonderful post Chrysalis. I struggled like you did at certain times of my quit but when you hit that point where it becomes a vague, fleeting and easily dismissed thought THAT is a true "a-h-h-h-h-h-h" moment of satisfaction.

Perfect this describes me totally, problem is I thought I was alone now I know I'm not this will work. Thank you

Thanks for this post Chrys!

I really needed to hear this right now. I'm constantly romancing the cigarette and it's what made me relapse a week and a half ago. Everybody said that the cravings will pass but I felt like they just wouldn't! I felt, and sometimes still feel, like I'm fighting every moment of the day to stay quit. The rational mind just goes out the window. I have a huge hurdle this weekend...I'll be alone which is a trigger for me...and your post will hopefully help me through it. It's good to dear that the cravings, or romancing the cigarette, takes a long time to subside for some people but even for those of us who take a while, they WILL go away. Thank you, thank you.

Oh Chrys, You have described my struggle exactly. The promise of light at the end of the tunnel is all that keeps me going some days. Thanks for the light! Karen

This makes me so happy - I am so happy for you Chrys :)

QG 6 Me 7 Chicks getting desperate again.