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Showing content with the highest reputation since 10/24/24 in all areas

  1. I'm gutted hearing this terrible news She was always so passionate about helping others rid themselves of this nasty addiction and she in fact did so much for others here. It is our collective great loss. R.I.P. dear Jillar. As Henry Van Dyke once penned ... Gone From My Sight I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone." Gone where? Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me -- not in her. And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone," there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!" And that is dying...
    13 points
  2. Yesterday, I celebrated 10 years since I quit smoking. Except celebrated is a bit of an exaggeration on what I actually did. I remembered the anniversary at around 7pm, promptly texted my eldest son to say “hey it's been 10 years” - he congratulated me - and logged onto Quit Train to log my 10 years on a little section in my profile. I’ve done that almost every year (usually a couple of days late and my 6th year anniversary I totally missed and didn't realise until the following year) since quitting for reasons I struggle to articulate other than it feels important to do so. Anyway, that was the extent of my ‘celebration’, other than the thought of “what shall I have/get as my reward?” And that started a little trip down memory lane. Sort of … This wasn’t my first quit attempt by any stretch of the imagination. I struggled for a few years, cold turkey or with aids, always finding a reason to abandon the ‘attempt’. Eventually a mix of hypnotherapy and Champix did the trick. I had planned to quit on the 20th but on the morning of the 18th I had run out and made the decision to not buy any more, bringing forward my quit day. Still, it wasn’t easy and there were some really hard days. What did I do to get through those hard days? I honestly don’t remember, I don’t have any words of wisdom, but I think I did the 4 second breathing thing through craves, after meals I would have fruit flavoured chewing gum and I found rewards to be really important in those early days, weeks, months. Things I would buy with the money saved. Never anything extravagant and honestly I don't even remember what they were - maybe a chocolate bar or a donut? I think for my 6 month and 1 year anniversary I bought some jewellery. Maybe a ring and a necklace? Ooh maybe perfume! Are you sensing a theme here yet? I also rewarded myself on my 2 year anniversary - I think I bought a kindle or a tablet? I also made the decision that I would next reward myself when I got to 5 years. But when I got there I didn't feel the need for a reward. Smoking was no longer part of who I was that would need rewarding for not partaking. So my almost immediate thought of “what shall I have/get as my reward?” at 10 years made me chuckle. I think I just wanted an excuse to treat myself! The only ‘reward’ I have these days is a square of chocolate after a meal but that’s more a reward for doing the clean up than anything else. Sometimes I’ll have grapes. My point is, ‘smoking’ is just something other people do and has nothing to do with me. I know quitting was hard but I don’t remember it, even the once so important rewards. I barely remember the anniversary. If you are down in the trenches of your quit and holding on for dear life, I salute you and I congratulate you. You will find that one day, almost without realising, you can do everything without needing the crutch of a cigarette. I have lived celebrations, deaths, vacations, going for a walk, writing a letter, drinking a beer, drinking coffee, reading a book, watching a movie, eating a meal, waking up, going to bed, and everything in between, all without smoking and it was absolutely fine. (I actually struggled to come up with this list of what I previously couldn’t do without a smoke because … you guessed it … I don't remember!) I implore you to keep the faith, keep your quit. Because one day, you will not remember this stage of your life that clearly or with the focus it currently has. Congratulations to all, wherever you are in your quit, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, 1 decade … wow, time sure does fly.
    13 points
  3. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    12 points
  4. Tomorrow will be my quit day! I had quit for 10 years and then divorced and took up smoking again for the past 20 years, this time needs to be my last time quitting ever, my health depends on it and I’m going to be a grandma in March, and want to be around to enjoy my grandkids! Will be needing support and tips from others too! I live in Portland Maine, 59 years old,
    12 points
  5. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    12 points
  6. Nope! I was in Amhurst last Monday for a few hours. No snow there then thank goodness!
    12 points
  7. Nope... A foot of snow on the ground and more coming... Go Bills
    12 points
  8. Congratulations @Cbdave on 10 years smoke free! What a huge accomplishment that is!! Thank you for giving your support to all our quitters and thank you for posting the Daily Nope pledge! Treat yourself today!
    11 points
  9. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    11 points
  10. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    11 points
  11. Oh my. This is awful news. Jill’s strong and warm presence was such important glue in this quitting family. She helped me so much, and I’m missing her a lot. But every one of us who stays quit honors her with each breath we take. And now we have our very own angel bunny watching over us. Rest in peace dearest Jill.
    11 points
  12. Goodbye Jillar RIP Thanks for the help you gave to us quitters
    11 points
  13. Gday I'm pretty shocked. She was such a little power house. She will be missed around here. Rest in peace Jillar
    11 points
  14. Rest in Peace. She was a wonderful help to this forum and the new quitters.
    11 points
  15. So sad ... darn cigarettes. "You helped so many find their Freedom from nicotine addiction. A life well lived; breathe easy; rest now."
    11 points
  16. I am truly saddened by Jillar's passing. She was one the few I leaned on and learned from hear on the train. You were a sweet and caring person. You will be missed greatly. RIP Jillar.
    11 points
  17. She was a great person. I will miss her.
    11 points
  18. I’m so very sad to hear this about Jillar, what a wonderful lady she was, always helping and encouraging others. A great loss to her family, and to all her family here too. RIP Jillar
    11 points
  19. Rest in Peace, dear Jillar. You worked so hard to help the members of this board. You will certainly live on in our memories.
    11 points
  20. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    11 points
  21. Thank you! It seems like forever ago but I will always remember those early days. The key(s) for me were to hang tight to the main reason I wanted to quit and to commit to NOPE every day for the first year, then I added another year for good measure. And I know without a doubt, the folks on the Quit Train were instrumental to my success. Thank you all so very much.
    11 points
  22. I know I’ve been really bad about checking in here. I’m a couple months past my 4 year anniversary and felt compelled to touch base and if I can help anyone struggling, to do so. If you told me 14 years ago, when I first quit, or any of the 10 years between then and when I actually did quit that I’d be here right now, I wouldn’t believe you. My journey started on the old message board, the one that shall not be named, and I recall reading SO much information. Posts, celebrations, failures, advice, tricks, tips. I remember getting compassion and tough love with every relapse. Every relapse that I would eventually tuck my tail between my legs and come back looking for some commiseration and a new plan of attack. There were also long bouts of staying away, while I was smoking, of course. It’s the normal cycle of a relapse. After enough times, you sort of even stop feeling sorry for yourself. At least I did. At this point though, I feel that I’ve gone from “I used to smoke” to “No, I don’t smoke.” Like, it was a part of my life for about 15 years but where I am now people are surprised to hear that I used to smoke, they would never guess if I hadn’t told them. And for me, that’s a good feeling. The battle with nicotine was mine, and mine alone, but as far as anyone else is concerned, it makes me so happy that I have severed that connection with the cigarette. I don’t have any tips, tricks, or other advice that made this quit stick when the many, many others did not. I just knew, my body knew, my mind knew…I was done. It was like I had never smoked before at all. No withdrawal, no cravings, no triggers…I was free. And that’s where I am today. I am as free as I will allow myself to be, which is honestly why I DO make an effort to come back. To celebrate and to remind myself that I got lucky. To remind myself that before this quit, I struggled countless times. And to remind myself that I can NEVER go back, no matter what. Because it’s easy to go back to it. And it’s easy to stay quit for good…as long as you NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF! If you’re struggling, on the brink of relapse, don’t give up. Speak up, reach out, don’t give in, don’t give up. This to shall pass. Stay the course, shipmates.
    11 points
  23. Thanks everyone, couldn't have done it without you.
    11 points
  24. Wow! That time of the year again! It’s hard to imagine a cigarette in my hand now but we were inseparable 8 years ago. I would like to thank all my fellow quitters for all their support and encouragement along all these years. It was not easy at first but after a short while, it became much easier, mostly thanks to the support I received from the amazing people I met here. Thank you ver much everyone and Class of 2016 ROCKS!!!!!!
    11 points
  25. 10 points
  26. I'm really sad to hear this. Jillar was a great person who helped so many in quitting smoking and was a great friend to many here. Rest in peace Jillar, you are definitely missed.
    10 points
  27. This is my forever quit!
    10 points
  28. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    10 points
  29. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    10 points
  30. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required.)
    10 points
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QuitTrain®, a quit smoking support community, was created by former smokers who have a deep desire to help people quit smoking and to help keep those quits intact.  This place should be a safe haven to escape the daily grind and focus on protecting our quits.  We don't believe that there is a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to quitting smoking.  Each of us has our own unique set of circumstances which contributes to how we go about quitting and more importantly, how we keep our quits.

 

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