Boo

Absolutely! The best workout is one you will actually do.

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I got here late. Was there a party? Oh well, happy belated birthday TAC.

Not only will exercise increase your odds of living longer, you will begin reaping immediate benefits. Since quitting smoking and taking up daily exercise, I feel remarkably better than I did three months ago. If someone is reading this who is contemplating taking up exercise, please know this: you don't have to kill yourself in the gym six-days a week to feel the benefits. Even just walking around more yields benefits that will improve your life. If you are just starting out, don't hesitate to be a beginner.

NOPE!

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Good to hear from you again Daphne. You're doing great. Smokefree and curvy...that's a fine combination right there.

NOPE!

NOPE!

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Brandy, you are embracing the process of quitting and setting yourself up for success. This is great news and it gets better. Quitting smoking sets off a chain of events. When we free ourselves from the slavery of cigarettes, we inevitably begin to improve other areas of our life. Success begets success. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Enjoy the ride.

That's how it's done. I'm stating the obvious here, but all you have to do to quit is refrain from putting a cigarette in your mouth and lighting it on fire. I complicated things in the beginning and then the simplicity of quitting hit me. I realized that my addiction could only produce thoughts not actions. Addiction only has the power we give it. There is nothing to fight and we don't have to do anything. We only have to quit doing one thing: smoking. Once I accepted that, the smoking thoughts have been easy to dismiss. The Quit Train is something I am sincerely thankful for and am always glad to see new members climb aboard. You're starting out very well and we look forward to celebrating your newfound freedom along the way. Once again, congratulations.

NOPE!

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Welcome aboard Brandy. We worry ourselves unnecessarily about quitting only to find that in a relatively short time the only regret we have about making the commitment to quit is that we didn't do it sooner. It's a challenge, but a worthwhile challenge. Withdrawal symptoms go away, they always do. Every time you resist the urge to light a cigarette, you are creating new pathways in your brain. Eventually, nicotine addiction loses its voice. Freedom from nicotine is attainable. Education about nicotine addiction allows you to dispel the myths and lies of the cigarette. Information and support are readily available here at QT. As for smokers who attempt to derail your effort...that is the crab mentality in action. If you've ever seen crabs in a barrel, the ones on the bottom will expend more energy pulling other crabs back in than they will attempting to escape themselves. Most smokers secretly want to quit but are paralyzed by unreasonable fear of the process. A successful quitter from their inner circle challenges the status quo, forces them to reevaluate their relation with cigarettes, and frankly is driven in part by jealousy. There is no need for you to disown anyone, but you must take a stand for yourself. Congratulations on making a great decision to quit. Quitting is simple and freedom is a great payoff. Enjoy the ride.

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Excellent post Beacon. Getting started on the path seems to be more arduous than the actual climb. Once you get going, continuous forward progress becomes momentum and what once seemed impossible becomes habitual. If you just get started, eventually you'll get there.

Some mornings the coffee needs to be a little bit stronger and the 1970s arena rock a little bit louder.

NOPE!

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I was asked once before why I didn't post an SOS when I was struggling. This was back during my first week, and it was a good question. I've typically posted when things were going well. When I get agitated and irritable, I tend to go into isolation. I never intended to be disingenuous, but I may have sent the signal that my quit has been without some struggle. For the record: the good has far outweighed the bad in this quit, but it hasn't all been s**ts and giggles. However, every moment of irritability and slight mental discomfort have been worth it. Thanks.

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