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

NOPE!!

NOPE!!

NOPE!

Nope.... another round of lake effect snow heading my way. Expecting a foot and a half by Wednesday. 20250120_204502.mp4

NOPE…

NOPE!!

NOPE

Many thanks! My quit is starting to feel like my new normal. I really do appreicate all your support. Kind Regards, Gene

NOPE

Nope!

NOPE! I like myself!

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NOPE!

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NOPE!!

We're on our fourth day of crappy weather here, so I'm inside working on our family history. Unfortunately, all the online resources are also having issues with the weather, so they're frequently going offline. It's been a bit frustrating, but also productive. I've managed to clean out a lot of the tangles and dead weight on the family tree--people that we thought might've been connected but aren't, duplicates, and so on. So far I've pared away 200 names, and finished the second draft of my dad's and my continuation of my grandfather's family book.

Thanks! It happened so fast I didn’t have time to post. I’m back on the train. Hopefully this time sticks.

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

Sorry I missed this @Genecanuck. Congratulations on 5 months quit, you're doing great!

Congrats @Genecanuck! 5 Months is spectacular, almost a half year ... can you believe it? It's been quite a journey and it's not over yet so keep the failth. It will only continue to get easier all the time now. Enjoy the ride buddy; you're on your way!! A little something to warm you up during this Polar Vortex we're suffering now!

Congratulations on 5 months smoke free @Genecanuck You are doing great!

NOPE…

Glad you’re back! Be fierce in protecting your quit this time.

@Genecanuck , we have read all the replies and feel like our members handled his posts appropriately so no further action is needed at this time. In the future instead of tagging you can report the thread (upper three dots on the right of the user reply you're reporting) this will notify the administrator and moderators.

Congrats on your 5 months of freedom from nicotine! Keep rolling and you’ll be dancing on the lido deck in no time!

NOPE!!

3…2…1…. Go

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NOPE NOPE Never

I'm sorry you smoked again @Kdad Please stay close to this forum, as I believe if you come on here every day or at least every other day in the beginning of your quit, you will have more success. We can and will help you when you are in those situations. So please don't smoke any more cigs! They won't help you. Stay close to us! We are the ones who will help.

How’s it going @MLMR? So glad that you have returned here! Drop us a note to let us know how you are doing with your quit.

Hello @MLMR... I do not suffer from clinical depression but I know a thing or two about situational depression. The biggest trigger I believe I have left in my practice to be a smoke free human being is thinking often that smoking can help me when I feel anger or depression. A death in the family or feeling really angry or under pressure always sends my mind racing, thinking that a cigeratte will somehow comfort me or make me feel better. One of the things that helped me is to deeply re-examine my belief system about smoking. As Dan1 says below in his post, " [a] cigarette is not capable of making us think, feel, or experience a single thing, other than a bit of nausea and a somewhat elevated heartbeat". I am still working on ignoring that background stinking thinking noice that pops up once in a while in my head that smoking can help me feel better when I feel depressed. As Dan1 says, that "wanna smoke... fades as the belief that 'smoking helps' fades." The fact that you are still coming here @MLMR says that your desire to to be a non smoker is much stronger than your belief that smoking can do anything to help you. You just have to give yourself more time to allow that false belief that smoking can help to fade into the background. Keep coming here and keep our quit. Kind Regards, Gene Dan1: 2007-03-17 on Quitnet Why is this so hard? It's a question worth asking, and I'm convinced that the usual answers aren't good enough. After all, continuing to smoke is easy - just ask anyone here. And being free of smoking is even easier - just ask anyone who's made it, or anyone who's never smoked, or simply consult your own common sense. So why is the path from 'easy' to 'easier' so hard? Maybe you're taking the wrong path. And no, I'm not engaging in the senseless debate about Cold Turkey vs meds. That has an answer as individual as your personality. How you answer that question is in no way related to how someone else did or should answer it. No, the wrong path is in thinking of this as a battle of will. It simply is not, and making it seem like one is the only thing that makes this difficult. “Will” can only do one thing: follow your own pre-existing values. You can use it to smoke or to not smoke with equal ease. The thing that you can't do for long is turn it against you - to make yourself act against your own self interests. If you struggle, there is one simple reason: You believe that smoking provides you with something you want or need - in short, you value smoking. When you struggle to not smoke, all you are doing is asking your will to act against your values. That is a source of tremendous stress and anxiety, and those in turn cause all of the 'quit symptoms' that make this so hellish. Every failed quit is simply willpower finding it's triumph - by re-aligning your actions to your values. In this state of affairs, smoking is a victory of the will, not a failure, No wonder we find that it feels so good. But it doesn't have to be this way. Instead of fighting against the thought to smoke, get to know it a little. Find out where it came from, what it's real purpose is. Your body and brain don't want to smoke - but they may desire some change that you incorrectly believe smoking can give. A cigarette is not capable of making us think, feel, or experience a single thing, other than a bit of nausea and a somewhat elevated heartbeat. It can't make us happy, contented, or relaxed. All these other things (and a thousand others) are strictly a question of the interpretation of that otherwise meaningless event. But by believing the myth that cigarettes have the power to change our thoughts, fears, wishes, or circumstances, we run from something that we needn't fear, and strengthen the very notions that have us reaching again and again for that little white tube of death. 21 months ago, I quit smoking with the assumption that I would smoke again. It was not that I wanted to, planned to, or thought I would need to. Instead, it was a confidence in my ability to be stupid. I simply assumed that sooner or later I would screw up. This turned out to be a great benefit. Instead of growing tense over an impossibly high-seeming perfection, I could instead think about how to prevent the inevitable stumble from turning into a fall. And on that path I found a signpost to freedom: That the "stumble" wasn't in actually smoking, but in thinking positively about smoking. The "fall" wasn't smoking the pack, not even taking a puff. The "fall" was in holding on to incorrect values. Smoking was simply the most obvious external sign that my beliefs were screwed up. At that point, it could hardly matter if I smoked or not - fighting was in itself a failure. That might sound like I'm setting the bar even higher than not smoking - that you're somehow not allowed to even think of smoking. But that's exactly wrong. I'm inviting you instead to think deeply about smoking, about what it means to you, about why you believe these things that the vast majority of the world can't even understand. Each thought of smoking becomes an opportunity to understand how and where your beliefs and values are wrong, and to realign them to your greater truth - that you do not want to smoke. That's why you started this journey, isn't it? Now, changing beliefs isn't easy, but it's not hard, either. Mostly, it just takes time. And you have plenty of time. Instead of spending time fighting with yourself, spend it understanding that the very thing you are fighting over is a mistake, an error. Suddenly, the fight is gone. Yes, it's still annoying listening to that endless 'wanna smoke?' mental drumbeat. But that fades as the belief that 'smoking helps' fades. And yes, you will from time to time experience symptoms. But as long as you recognize that quitting didn't cause them (at least, not in the sense of 'needing' nicotine) and that smoking has no way to help them (that power resides only in you, and always did), they will pass, and there will be no struggle. Yes, it can be hard. But it doesn't have to be. If you find too much 'hard' between 'easy' and 'easier', check your map. Either you've made a wrong turn, or you're using the wrong map. Dan. 640 days (21 months) smoke free. 12798 cigarettes not smoked. $2,240.00 and 3 months, 7 days, 18 hours of your life saved. "Life is either a great adventure, or it is nothing."

Hello @Kdad.... I hear you. I had many slips in my past. You made the right decison to throw the pack away. Good for you for not giving up on your quit and coming right back here. You've got this @Kdad. Here is what my friend Dan1 had to say about a slip.... RE: See you at a later date From danl1 on 11/5/2004 9:02:23 AM I did the exact same thing. Several times, in fact. Then I tossed that pack, joined up here, and got on with things. That was 487 days ago. It's not about strength, ultimately. It's certainly not about being worthy. It's about understanding that they really don't have anything to offer you. If you will listen to you heart, you will see that you've just learned a big hunk of that. You simply need to pay attention to your higher angels. Yes, there are the times when it seems that we 'just want to.' That is not about being weak, or stupid, or anything like that. It is simply about being confused - on a level and in a way that makes it seem that you don't have control, because it's a non-verbal part of you that feels that way. Maybe you are not in a place to be here for a while. But still, be quit. If things go the wrong way, don't be disappointed, be constructive. A diet group I sat in on once had a phrase: "There is no failure, only feedback." It's a tough way to find things out, and I don't believe that it's necessary to smoke in order to learn how not to, but while you are in that place, you may as well look around and see what there is to see. -Didn’t do much for you, did it? -Made you feel pretty crappy physically, didn't it? -Didn’t make you feel all that great about yourself, either. And so on. Bottom line, smoking simply isn't worth it. There is not a single thing to be had from smoking that can't be had better, simpler, safer, faster, and cheaper in another way. There are just a few parts of our brains that take a little more convincing than others. All it takes is patience. It doesn't take strength, willpower or perseverance. In fact, those are the exact qualities that find you back smoking after you have already decided to quit. The amount of energy we expend fighting with ourselves to smoke after we have quit is simply amazing. That's right - you haven't been fighting to quit these past weeks - that, you had already done. You've been fighting to smoke. Stop that. Be kind to yourself, and pay attention to what's really going on in and around you. There's no bit of life that smoking can improve. You know it, now you need to work on believing it.

I’m gutted …. Gutted because you never posted a SOS How can we help , if you don’t give us that chance to get you through the rough time . Was that one cancer stick worth it , to lose your fabulous Quit … @Kdad we can give you all the tools we can , but the work has to come from you You have to ask yourself , do you want to remain a smoker or truly want to rid yourself of this killer addiction .

Congratulations @Genecanuck 5 months is amazing and time is sure flying for you!!! All the best to you and onward to 6 months and the Lido Deck!

Congratulations! That's about the time I really started to feel like I might be free from my addiction forever. It's a time to celebrate, and to be vigilant. You've come this far, so stay on your guard and keep going! Treat yourself to something nice today.

Hey !!! Congratulations G Sorry it’s a bit late , you’re nearly half way to the Lido party … Great Job

Great post G ..

NADA Posted January 10, 2019 I'm not sure if there are others out there who believe that smoking and lying go hand-in-hand, but I found myself lying to people throughout my life about whether I smoked, how much I smoked, and if it was effecting my health. This is a post I wrote a few years ago. Most of us smokers began our years or decades of addiction back when we were teens. We learned to lie about smoking right from the very beginning. Usually it started with our parents asking why we smelled like a rancid ashtray. “Oh, I was at Johnny Picklefork’s house and his mom smokes like a chimney” I nervously responded. “That Bertha Picklefork really needs to cut back” my mom would chuckle. A few months later my mother met me at the door with a pack of reds in her hand as I returned from school. “Young man, what was this doing in your sock drawer?” I let out a small sigh of relief knowing that it was only the cigarettes that she found. “Um, Tammy Tamblanadana’s brother was grounded for smoking so Tammy asked if I could hold on to them for a few days”. Sometime later my dad drove by me holding a cigarette in my hand while hanging out with the neighborhood kids. When asked about this at dinner, I effortlessly told him, “I was just holding it for Jin Dong while she tied her shoe”. Once it was second nature to lie to my parents about smoking, it became just as easy to lie to myself about it. I can quit any time I want. I just do it to calm myself down. It relaxes me. It’s just a habit. The list could go on forever. It kept me in the cycle of addiction for decades until one day I called it out for what it was: Pure Bulls&@t! Not only are the health benefits endless when you quit, but it’s incredibly liberating to stop lying to yourself and others. P.S. The names in this story have been changed to protect the innocent. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11725-the-lie/

Genecanuck Quit Date: August 19, 2024 Posted August 23 Do you know him?, Quitnet Repost, 1998 from Billi Peel, on another site in 1998 Hi Everyone, My name is Nicotine. This is my story. For many years no one knew I was a killer. I am very cunning, while looking so innocent. I am dressed in a white wrapper. I think my shape is great. I am long, slender and easy to hold. This is great for the 90's image. I've come a long way baby. Billions of dollars have been spent to keep me looking good. My favorable image is an illusion. My addictive power is reality. My advertising team has worked very hard to continue to present me as a positive influence in daily life. I have been showcased as making men strong, sexy, and full of life. I have been packaged to make women think they are sexy, daring, and provocative. It took longer to get the women to use me, but in time I won them over. I am a liar. I tell you that you can enjoy and be more comfortable in every situation if you use. I am always there for you when you are bored, nervous, or upset. I will tell you how cool you appear while you smoke me, how good I taste. I especially like to tell younger folks how much I can do for them. I lie. I have some friends and associates: Caffeine, Alcohol, cough medicine, and Mouthwash. I make money for a lot of other industries, beyond the tobacco folks. Doctors love me too. Now caffeine, alcohol, and I go way back. We have worked together on almost everyone. You may think you can get rid of us, but we will make your life miserable if you try. I will cause people to leave their homes in the middle of the night in search of me. I am powerful once I have you. I will require a lot of your time. I need to have ashtrays and lighters. I make a mess as my ashes drop on your carpet, car seat, furniture, and loved ones. It delights me to see the little burn marks in your expensive clothes, furniture, counter tops, and carpets. Did I mention how awful I smell? I have a particular aroma that will linger in your hair, clothes, and your furniture. I can turn your car into an ashtray. I will mark you. I am an addiction. I tried for a long time not to let this secret get out. It was bad enough when people said I was a nasty habit. Now everyone knows I am an addiction. Once I get in your grasps, you cannot easily put me down. If you try I will make your stomach crawl, I will give you bad headaches, the shakes, and make you nervous. Once you are addicted to me I own you. I have no conscience. Loyalty is important to everyone. I certainly enjoy your loyalty to me. Do not ever be confused that you have mine. I will have you standing outside in the rain or bitter cold for a few precious puffs while others enjoy the comforts of staying indoors. I am demanding. You will walk away from loved ones to get your fix. You will try to hold babies in one hand while grasping me in the other. I will make you uncomfortable with people who do not smoke. I am a killer. I will take your breath away. I will eat your lungs. I will render you voiceless. I will cause you bad sinus problems. I will embarrass you with the ugly cough I give you. I will make you unable to walk up a flight of stairs without having a hard time breathing. I will hurt your loved ones around you who don't even use me or have a choice. My name is Nicotine. I am an addictive and powerful DRUG!!! Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/26599-the-quitnet-lounge/?do=findComment&comment=526773

Go Go… you can do it Stay close … Read all the information and watch Joel’s videos they all will help

First off, thanks for taking the time and making such effort to respond. It means a lot to me, more than I can find the words for. English is not my language and sometimes I’m having a hard time to find the words and that makes me embarassed. Sorry in advance if I say strange things. @DenaliBlues thanks so much for your answer. It brought me to tears yesterday evening, because what you said about being real about the proces meant a lot to me. My fear of depression is a realistic one: ive been there too often. It can be a litteral matter of life and death when that happens. Nicotine does make depression worse. Thanks for saying I belong. That is the essence of where things go wrong in my head/heart. @Paul723 avoiding depression is really only partially ‘choice’. I agree with you that to some extend it is a matter of doing things that are beneficial (sports, eating healthy, etc etc. My toolkit is there). But: It would be too simple to state that it is ultimately up to me wether I get depressed or not. It just doesnt work like that and it implies a sense of ‘its your own fault’.. maybe Im not totally getting your response, would you care to explain then? @Christian99 Your approach is definitely worth concidering. I think I need to add two or three things to my weekly schedule, as to enrich my life. To shift my focus from quitting, to adding good stuff. I am seeing a friend tomorrow morning, will ask her to think with me in that. @intoxicated yoda your words are of help. I will read them again at some point.

hey MLMR...i really don't know if anything i'm about to write here will be relevant to your situation or not but take it for what it's worth. not long ago I had some issues that vexed me greatly. i was at the point i was about to say screw it and go get a carton of smokes and try to make up for lost time. my world was crashing down around me and i was powerless to stop it. doing nothing was torture but doing anything only made things exponentially worse. no where to run and no where to hide. so in desperation i decided to try gratitude and prayer. at the time i couldn't think of much to be grateful for because all i could see was the disaster in front of me so i decided i would be grateful for that. sounds stupid i know, to be grateful for the circumstances that i'm hoping the gratitude will abate but i never claimed to be an intellect. Then I branched out and started being grateful for my next breath, the sunshine, the rain, the water i was drinking. then i called out to my Creator and thanked it for watching out for me and those i cherish. I wasn't perfect. I had days I wouldn't think about gratitude and sometimes i'd even shake a fist at that Creator. But as the days and weeks went on I came into some wisdom and that's what changed the game and here it is. Your thoughts are not yours. none of them. we think they are cause it seems like we can control them but we can't. once you understand that concept any guilt you have crushing you should start to fade. now, we do have freewill in that we can give power to those thoughts through our attention and our actions or we can ignore them. this is what connects or disconnects those thoughts to our emotions. If you've been giving power to the wrong thoughts the disconnection process will be unpleasant. That process is simple but not easy. you must not act on the thoughts that hurt you and you must act on the thoughts that lift you up. use your discernment. good judgement comes from wisdom. wisdom comes from bad judgement. pray and be grateful. smile at your Creator and it will smile back. put this to the test. you don't need to join any religion or cult and no special postures or hand signs are necessary. the gratitude and prayers you need are already inside you. just give them some attention and let them stir your emotions and keep it between you and whatever power you choose to honor. i hope this will be of some help to you.

My best advice, and it may not apply to you, would be to live for life, not be lived by life. Engage yourself in your life, both good and bad. Quitting is just one aspect and there are many positives you can make yourself connect with (as you know!). The dark place will be there weather you smoke or not; not smoking is not what takes you there. Avoiding depression take a conscious and continuous effort just like quitting smoking. Denali has given you excellent advice.

Hey @MLMR. Thanks so much for this post. It’s important to be real. Quitting is hard enough physiologically and cognitively, but I’m not sure we have enough honest talk about the emotional and mental health aspects of addiction and recovery - bleak bits and all. When I first quit I was most terrified of despair. Terrified that I would never be happy or whole without smoking. I was wrong. That was not an accurate assessment of my mental health - it was addict mind panicking about losing control. Those moments that feel like you MUST smoke (or that there is nothing to lose) cannot actually be trusted. In fact, I think nicotine makes depression worse… I won’t lie - it was gnarly. I was messy a lot. But it did not destroy me. In fact, it fortified me… to be free of the shame, the shackles of compulsion. My advice for what it’s worth: get a good therapist and try again. You belong here, my dear.

Sazerac Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free. Posted July 24, 2016 Some quitters may have trouble with the never/ever part of NOPE (Not One Puff Ever). To tell you the truth, in the nascence of my quit, I bluffed my way through never/ever land. I remember Cristobal and Stuart qualifying never/ever with the caveat, 'just for today' and that was the truth too, it is just about here and now. As days and weeks passed, I absorbed the truth about addiction. Once I clearly understood addiction is forever and the brain's neuro pathways immediately re-connect to addiction after one puff, I embraced never/ever/forever. If addiction was in my brain for the long haul, well dammit...I was too and I was going to Win ! I want to include our friend, Joel Spitzer's video (and a link to resources) about this subject. He uses the phrase, 'Never Take Another Puff' as we use Not One Puff Ever Never Take Another Puff (resources) and the video Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7334-nope~nevereverforever/