Abby

Not today .

I will, Abby. I am getting over the shame of asking for help. No shame in asking for help at all , its not wéak to ask for help it shows strength . Quitting is not easy . We are all here to help each other when it gets too hard . Glad you got right back on the horse. You've chucked the cigs , drowned em I hope . Get angry at those darn things . They keep stealing your freedom , but gaurenteed they won't this time cause we all got your back when you post .

Try posting before you smoke then wait for three responses, if you are still craving wait for three more . Give everyone an opportunity to help you through .

I need to learn how to post gifs ... but until then know that I am sending you huge Congratulations ! Well it was suppose to be huge but everytime I click on the size I want my print I get booted out .. trust me it was huge ........ number 72 huge lol. Have a super five month day quit Linda . Keep going . There are no reasons good enough to puff. None .

No smoking today here . I don't do that anymore .

Thats right @reciprocity a very good point . Yes @Lilley I've not heard that term here .

Glad you were able to get your second @reciprocity I've had mine a while but still nothing much has changed . My recent strep , I still had to go through all the same protocol as before the vaccine , go get tested etc , so please don't be overly confident . I was told by the professionals that I can still get covid even if I've been vaccinated both doses , and with my medical conditions they don't even know yet without more research that I'm protected at all . Just still be careful .

Awesome @jillar for the info . Will definitely check it out . Grateful someone else also wants to see the truth be told , and like me wants to take action .

I was grateful someone mentioned to read the Tobacco wars documentary . Yes , I had seen it before . I've also done much research especially in the last fiive six years and it's given me a passion to help others quit and an even bigger passion to to expose the truth about big T . Instead of smoking start researching . Here is one I read this morning https://www.lung.org/research/sotc/by-the-numbers/10-appalling-tobacco-facts Instead of smoking research politics and smoking . Really dig deep into it . I want you to do the research , it will distract you from smoking , I can give you link upon link and boy I'd like to but I want you to be drawn to what interests you and what you'd like to learn about big T and vaping . Your curiosity will reveal to you some very important things to help you quit and maybe even take it further to another level . I'm a bit of an investigator and once I start I want answers . I think we should share our findings and start a thread devoted to unveiling the lies . Politics and religion are two things on quit smoking sites frowned upon . Do you suppose Big T likes that . I do and know they do . What a bunch of .... ok I'll keep my cool lol . l think they are the sneakiest most threatening people we need worry about big time in this day and age and in this world . Only research will open your eyes . Research where the money you spend on cigarettes is donated to or who are they supporting ? Politicians ? Why politicians ? Research it . What other things do they own ? Do your research it's very very very important! Don't smoke and be a part of their lies . Do they own other big food corporations , big liquor names ? Perhaps coffee ? There are some things I just won't buy now because of the ties . How did they lure us into smoking , how are they luring kids in today ? For every smoker quitting how many are starting with their safer way of smoking their products and how many in the future will die a younger age . The information out there will astound you . Bring up Old and new court documents , research the history , don't smoke. Be a part by Speaking up with the truth , not just quitting smoking but really speaking out . Unveil the lies ! I am curious what have others read during their quits that did or did not surprise them about big T .

Looks like a lot really care about you here Linda , the responses are amazing , how are you doing today ? Still thinking about ya . Hope you never made smoking an option and looked after you .

No smoking here , nope .

I'm sorry to hear that Linda . My niece was 40 when she was diagnosed and had two little youngins at home . She has good days and bad , seizures of course too .. a lot of them . Its ok to feel the way you do. I know you are hurting , but don't hurt yourself to make the pain go away , do you know what I mean ? Use this time maybe to do something for her family , be strong , maybe make some freezers meals so her husband and fam can be with her at the hospital and have quick meals when they get home . Make something to comfort your friend there in the hospital maybe write a friendship book with all the good and fun things you've done together and laughed about over the years . I don't know if you will have the opportunity to see her but if not maybe one day you can share that with her family just how special she was . You can get through this smoke free and by doing something for others you'll get through feeling better .

You can change it ... just a matter of doing it my friend. You can find positive even in the worst of times and pass those thoughts on to your friend and her family . I don't think she would want you to hear you are feeling like sh blankety blank or see you sad in her last days either . Sometimes life isn't fair I agree and we don't have the answers . We can still however try to help you keep your quit . Losing good friends or family is painful but let their lives be a reason for you to stay quit not give up . My niece has a brain tumour as well . It's only a matter of time because they couldn't remove it all . She is the most positive young women I know and I bet your friend is too . Dont grieve long before it's time . One day at a time . Keep the quit as a pact between you ? She'll be so proud of you , as you are her . Don't give away your quit ok she would feel so bad on top of everything else . I have not read previous posts , I'm just wondering is your friend terminal ? Is their a chance a second surgery will help ?

So cool ! its like you are in the future we are the past , so can we celebrate today and tomorrow lol . I think we should . Quit train and I Congratulate you on two months quit . You are definitly on the right track . WTG . You are the little engine that can do this . I have no doubt about it . You are doing FAN tastic . @Robbie

Ha - this was all I needed .Tx again . Pup needs her walk and they were shorter last week . I couldn't disappoint her so I put on my mask and did a forty min walk .. sweating bullets oh wow maybe thats a good thing And I do feel better for doing it . She's tired now and happy so am I .

It might just be my body got run down from this . Unfortunatly because of covid it took longer to get on antibiotics . Most colds or illnesses always hit me like a ton of bricks anyway so I think resting is something I need to do to gain that strength back . I just hate being a couch potato Good advise and encouragement . Thanks . I hope you are right though . I can stay in a comfort zone too long and sometimes need a shove @Katgirl

Banana split with three choices of ice cream , caramel , chocolate and strawberry toppings , banana and cherries on top here please lol .

Good day for remembering events ztbag

Need help , fell off the wagon for weeks . I feel so much better when I excersise and walk and yet lately no motivation . Need a kick in the rear I dunno but gotta get moving . One more day for the antibiotics and I won't be contagious, praying I can get back into my routine , need to get back into my routine , but wow this kicked me to the curb . Any advise welcomed . Maybe I'll try commitment ? Walk don't sit ? You guys and gals are doing awesome . Putting one foot in front of the other seems like work to me these days easier to lie on the couch , now that's gotta stop ! Am I feeling sorry for myself , doing it to myself lol hmmmm . No excuses , heck I have a stationary , I will be on it today walk tomorrow .

Huffnpuffnomore

@Lilley I needed both as well , even had to be tough on myself and use my own stubbornness to refuse to lose to get through some days . Every day was different for a long time and there were days I couldn't handle what I thought was judgement or criticism at all , but I always knew in my heart that for some reason it was always given with my best interest and my quit in mind . I still remember everyone who played a role in my quit from the comedian , to the lecturer , to the drill master , to the hugger . To the one who offered hope and the one who repeatedly said nope and the one that never thought they even contributed , but did . All supported me over ten years and I'm ever so grateful to all . It took a village to raise this addict out of the ashes . This was one who thought for the longest time that I was different and no one could make a quitter outta me . Guess I was wrong .

@Boo love that meme . Thanks for posting .

Hang in there @Gus, you are doing great , always go back to the basics if it gets too hard . Remember the Ds discuss , delay , drink water , take deep breathes , and distract . Remember halt , ask yourself if you are hungry angry lonely or tired . It's not a cigarette you want , maybe you've overworked yourself , maybe you are tired maybe you skipped dinner , maybe you are just angry it's been a rough day or Covid is still in the way ie . Take some deep breathes. You have done excellent , you are doing this with hard work put into it . Your effort will pay off . That hurt that gut wrenching hurt too Gus , I promise you that too will go away and be replaced with utmost joy and peace . One day at a time , one moment if need be , just for today . You are awesone ! . You can do this. Dear Friends The decision to quit, Wasn’t easy I know The fear that entrapped us, We had to let go. We really weren’t sure, Of what lie ahead, This addiction consumed us, And messed with our head . But within we found the courage, To battle each crave and strife And the chains that held us captive No longer consume our life ! Lets rise with brightened spirit! Rise UP! Yes, Greater still! Rise UP! and shout with joy ! The FREEDOM that you feel. For you have risen to the challenge! Each day one, by one! Quitting is “NOT” impossible! It truly CAN BE DONE! Love Abby

Beginning your quit ? Be prepared to be uncomfortable a while . There will mostly likely be days ya wanna scream or tears will flow like a river that never runs dry . You may want to take a hammer and pound nails into a piece of wood for every time you got angry at what someone said or did . Stock up on them you are going to need a lot of nails lol . Spouses beware ! Friends beware ! In the beginning it's normal to not want to accept the things that might be the truth and it's also common to gaurd our feelings . A cigarette protected us so we believed . We stuffed in many of our feelings instead blowing our top or dealing with them . The good news is you will learn that you can deal with the things you thought you couldn't and it won't take work , it just happens . Its a funny and a scary feeling to feel that our emotions are so exposed to everyone , but trust me everyone who has quit or quitting along with you understands . When you first quit there will be many things you might not want to hear . It's the way of addiction . Addiction is cunnning . We all come to realize in our own journeys just how cunning it is . You may even feel personally attacked and think no one understands or be defensive like I was , but for some reason I stuck around because deep down I knew they were speaking to my truth . Deep down I knew It was something I needed to hear to stop with the denial that was holding me bound to addiction. One day we will all think of someone in this community or another forum who either liked us or not because truth is not all will like me or you but regardless we will take something away from the experience that was helpful . We think supportive means seeing eye to eye . We think supportive is being kind ( even overly kind ) but while that's nice every child needs good guidance and so do we adults sometimes . How hard we worked to make our excuse to smoke convincing to others and how hard we worked to believe our excuse was rational and legitimate . If someone saw through it they became a threat and attack on our character .How hard we worked for acceptance . Acceptance to come back to the community promising ourselves and others that we got it , we will do better . This was going to be the quit ! We worked at being convincing didn't we ? It was a job for many of us ! Addicts are good at creativity but addiction is also good at being creative . It knows you , what weakness you have and what makes you tick. The only way to beat addiction is with the truth , the whole truth , and nothing but the truth . Face the things that hurt . The moment things get hard isn't it true we start searching for the best feasible , most believable reason to convince you and ourselves why we gave up yet again ? I don't think I was the only one was I ? I can't tell you how many times elders saw through me and each elder in their own unique way tried to help me see my mistakes before I took the next puff . Theyb knew one puff is all it takes to start a battle of the mind and only one mistake restarts the quit smoke cycle . Some of those elders which was ( my stinkin thinkin ) wanted to push me off the edge but had I taken the step forward I gaurentee you somehow they would have been at the bottom to catch me . Be prepared to hear things you might not like in the beginning , be prepared that your addict self will still want to win , it will want you to debate , retaliate and fight and the harder you pull away or defend yourself , the harder it pull you in too . Think of it as a tug of war . If you want a tug of war and you want to constantly struggle with your quit and romance smoking it's happy to play the game . Keep fighting to hold on or surrender and let it go . You will be ok . Drop the rope and see what will happen to Nikodemon . Let him fall on his a$$ . You are a very important part of addictions plan and a very important part of yours . The ball is truly in your court . It might feel like an uncomfortable place to be being your own boss when cigarettes dictated your day for years but it's only for a while and you'll be comfortable in your new role . You can never have another cigarette again if that's truly what you want ... no more fear , less anxiety and happy . Your choice.

Pledge is a promise . I don't break promises therefore for today I pledge . Keeping my quit safe one day at a time. Have a great weekend everyone .