Boo

5

3 A sticks win and the return of Joe...The boys are back in town.

Celebrate good times, COME ON!

Quack, BOOM! 20!

18

16 I'm smelling the fresh breath of victory.

14

12 The momentum...

10

8

6 I like where this is going. Welcome back Duck!

4

2

It's a funny thing. I thought being around people smoking would be a major trigger, but even in the first few days it really didn't bother me. I observed, made my decision, and moved on. Right on track.

That's the thing right there. So much of what we learn in the process of quitting smoking is applicable to so many more aspects of life. When I decided to quit and really commit to the process, my primary focus was on simply freeing myself from cigarettes. I had no idea the process would lead me to become interested in mindfulness and consciousness expansion and neuroscience. Quitting is awesome. I hope y'all will pardon my tendency to geek out over all this. It's still new to me.

-7

The first time I read Allen Carr's Easyway, I remember reading the bit about waking up in the morning and saying "Yippee! I am a nonsmoker!" and thinking it was just plain goofy. I was wrong. Last night I listened to a podcast featuring Dave Asprey interviewing neuroscientist Robert Cooper. Cooper spoke of the importance of "tripping the switch" in your brain during the first twenty-two minutes of the day. This time is vital as it marks the most significant shift from the subconscious to the conscious during the day. What you think and how you think during the first twenty-two minutes in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. Thought processes change throughout the day and it is impossible to plan for all the external factors that affect our mindset. However, "aiming the brain" in the right direction first thing in the morning sets a positive path for the rest of the day. This goes against my nature, but out of respect to Mr. Carr...YIPPEE!

So...with just one cigarette I can reignite my addiction and feel the need to smoke at regular intervals throughout the day, everyday, for the rest of my life? Let me think about that for a sec... NOPE!

-8

-9

Happy Birthday Bakon!

NOPE!

That's the happy place I go to. When things get heavy and people start driving me crazy, I fantasize about loading up the bare essentials and setting off on some Kerouac style roadtrip across America. Realistically it may never happen, but having it as an option keeps me sane.

Welcome aboard the train michshea. Your track to freedom starts here. You have already received some great advice here and there's more where that came from. You are starting down a path to freedom, a path where there is no need to hide. This journey is going to benefit you in more ways than I can mention in one post. That's cause for celebration. Enjoy the ride.

Thanks to each and every one of you. This last month provided some challenges, but far more opportunities. I am thankful that I finally got it together and freed myself from cigarettes and equally grateful that I found an awesome bunch of people to take that ride with here on the train. With one month in the rearview there is only one course: onward.