Still winning

awww nuff love leanna, I can't believe these timescales. We cool af!

Awww Mel, great job. xx

I am in! So humid, man I was not ready for this with my pasty Viking hues of pearly white skin. Imma burn today anyway, I am available for consultation Monday/Tuesday, day or evening so shout with best timings for you guys.

Amazing, I'm hoping to sort my phone to roving, so we can stay in touch on Facebook.

I'm still going to Florida!! I arrive on Friday 28th, I have Mouselands booked if you wanna meet there...for Saturday (animal kingdom) and Sunday (magic kingdom). No plans on Monday/Tuesday yet...more then welcome to come see me at my sisters house, she has a pool and I can do munch..or the girls and I can probably get my sister to drop me to a disney park on the Tuesday to meet up, she said she could drop and dump me at one before she goes to work lol. She's having a party on 4th July, which is also her 10 year wedding anniversary...you guys are more than welcome to that, she has other friends coming I think and my family is all sociable and friendly. So pick your best New luggage is lovely!! I'm so frigging excited!!!!!

I like Boss Orange and Boss Nuit Chanel number 19 I struggle to find affordable ones that I like.

Let's get this party started shall we .... When I bought my new phone a year ago I pretended it was problematic so I could end any calls I didn't want to have, or not answer them saying "this phone has never been right?", the phone is fine. My sister messaged me last year asking if I could have her kids and maybe keep them overnight but I'd already worked out she'd heard an advert for a concert and they are absolute brats...so I said I can't, I'm going to this concert with the kids and then had to spend £400 on tickets lol. It was a great day out though. My boyfriend and I split in January for about 2 weeks, I messaged and lined up meeting 3 ex's and he was messaging one woman but when I found his I was so mad I put laxatives in his lunch for work for 3 days straight. Then we got back together. I can't really be mad as we both did the same but I never told him I messaged anyone and still talk about that odd stomach ach he had hahahaha. No regrets lol. I'll need to think of some more, there's loads lol.

Wine and stealing the kids easter egg chocolate! Living my best life

Oh a March quitter like I was and uk based!! Look at you go and heading for your month, not long now Mind you I was March cause I screwed up the new year quit lol. I digress though. The fog is a real thing huh. I seem to recall feeling better, getting the odd bitch slap but better after 6 weeks. Much clearer after month 3 and although that sounds like a world away it really isn't if you just put one foot in front of the other for a while and start to educate yourself on the reality of what smoking does to us. Although everyone is different I seem to remember folks on my level reporting about the same. Try having a run though, even if you don't run...it's fab how much further you can get already (I got about 500 yards but prior to that I would have had to massively cough and regroup now run 3k comfortably without any training). You may feel cranky and grumpy, but what you are giving yourself is a real gift. Not just the quitting but the self respect and the ability to trust yourself to dig deep in future - the unexpected gains from quitting. Keep going. xx

Hey wait, our faces are not meant to look like a slapped arse daily....??? Are you sure??? Jokes aside, massive congrats on your almost 1 month. The habit is harder than the nicotine withdrawal I think so I would suggest no matter what, it is you facing this down and winning. Such an amazing milestone!! Chin up, chest out and onwards, you got this chick! xx

I'm late to the party but I can feel my tears coming on for how you felt. Sneaky bas**rd craves. But please please know, if you just shoot them down one by one they do go away and with each win, your mindset raises a little higher, your pride feels a little stronger and before you know where you are a solid quit is carrying you through. I absolutely promise this!!

I dunno how it worked? Tres odd! But was ever so greatful! The car however needed selling so there's that lol.

100% smoked in my house...vinegar in a bowl extracted the smell. Scrubbing all the shiz in my house gave me a new lease of life. Both

You got this!!! This step that step and that's how we roll. Change up your patterns...what was smoke and coffee....now wipe a work surface and coffee....

Pleased to see you ready to roll. Attitude is everything when we can sometimes feel like we are arguing with ourself. Keep talking, reading, posting. Grab all the support you need! There are never too many times to post an ask for support. Sending strength and self belief for you, you got this!

Ahhh the inevitable "voice of doom" in the background who is a know it all jerk, we've all seen them! I had it, from people online and in person because I was on champix. I will repeat my learnings, it takes 72 hours, yes just 3 days for nicotine to clear your body. It is the mental discomfort that is the fight really, not the getting rid of what the patch is replacing. I wil say though, I found the patch harder than not after a short while, but I know a lot of people who have quit in multiple ways. The key is educating yourself on the hows and why's you got addicted and why that means you need to break free now....then not putting anything in your mouth and setting fire to it. Ps, I'm not above a little laxative powder in their coffee or lunch if they need teaching a little lesson

Fantastic work on day 1. It does sound like that patch is a bit much but they really do aggravate you I think. Can still work though and if you like the idea then why not. I'd maybe step down a patch though if you think it's too much. Keep talking too. It's the information and education that stops us relapsing. I'm sorry to say it but we have a junkies brain and we have to get past it, so dig in and we've got you. Failure is not an option and all that. If you can do anything except smoke, that's a mighty big list of things to do. Maybe create an actual "distract my brain" list. Things you can do to swerve the thoughts. They are only thoughts. You already said you don't want to smoke and I know that's the truth of it. We all do. The problem is short term the nicotine addiction but that passes so quickly, like 72 hours without nicotine in your body (although using patches prolongs that but creates a safety feeling elsewhere-each to their own). But your bigger issue is your own junkie mind...telling you, we would smoke here.....hello...hello...we would smoke here. It's mentally uncomfortable but not damaging to tell your brain, hey thanks for the reminder but we quit, we don't smoke now. This message eventually replaces the old message and voila! I know I'm further down the road but I don't ever forget the journey it took to get me here and I want you toknow 100%, there is nothing that would make me want to smoke now or ever, nothing. It controlled me and I never signed up to that. You will feel the same, I promise. Just persevere. Much love. x

I had a count up yesterday and nearly died! Throwing my 73,000 on, burn bright suckers

I msut admit to doing a double take but when I read, well I get it. I came close after losing my mama last year, my sister threw away a 10 year quit for a short time and it simply wasn't worth it. I'm sending some healing for you and your family, I'm sorry to hear things are tough. Big hugs. x

Thanks guys. The first time I didn't celebrate, I didn't seem to need it. But I always remember and I'm so proud of myself and greatful to all of you, new and old for helping me to never forget the journey. xx

-1

Sharing my blog post here too because I feel in a "new year, new start" sort of mentality that it may speak to even one person. I've umm'ed and ahh'ed about writing another blog entry, I don't like to be rushed I guess. I thought I was in a new year and heading for my 4th year quit but on perusing the site, transpires I'm heading for my 5th lol. Smoking is an enigma to me now but those who knew my habit 2+ packs a day for years can't believe I have stayed quit *cough, this site* and new friends can't imagine me as a smoker! The latter is a compliment for sure. However when I quit it was with two others. My Mum and my then boyfriend, now just one of my best friends. Both relapsed. Chris, my friend, smokes heavily again and has done for 4 years, no quit in sight. Sadly my Mum damaged herself too heavily and last May, 1 day before her 70th birthday, I stood at her bedside after the awful news she wouldn't make it - to talk her over to the other side. Our relationship had been fairly strained but I'm pleased we had marginally reconnected for a few months before she died of multiple organ failure - drinking and smoking were at the heart of it all, quite literally. I have the most awful memories and photographic evidence of me holding her hand and cuddling in as I was telling her to look for our loved ones...when we should have been preparing for her birthday. If you have children and are on the fence then please consider that it isn't just you who suffers. Get educated and be real. The quit itself is effortless now. I remember at times that I would have smoked here and smile that it means absolutely nothing, it simply a memory. My children are level 4 and 5 (red and green belt) at mixed martial arts where I used the money from quitting to put them in a club to train. I should really go to that gym I pay for more, oops, but I can still run faaarrrr better than I ever could as a smoker, even with the gaps in training haha. The quit bought me strength, joy and healthier finances....I have never looked back. I completely retrained myself with a new career and am happily teaching both Reiki healing and Tarot Cards that I trained in. My point is the quit bought me nothing but good and joy. Those who didn't commit have a painful story attached. Love to all. Marti. xx

I've umm'ed and ahh'ed about writing another blog entry, I don't like to be rushed I guess. I thought I was in a new year and heading for my 4th year quit but on perusing the site, transpires I'm heading for my 5th lol. Smoking is an enigma to me now but those who knew my habit 2+ packs a day for years can't believe I have stayed quit *cough, this site* and new friends can't imagine me as a smoker! The latter is a compliment for sure. However when I quit it was with two others. My Mum and my then boyfriend, now just one of my best friends. Both relapsed. Chris, my friend, smokes heavily again and has done for 4 years, no quit in sight. Sadly my Mum damaged herself too heavily and last May, 1 day before her 70th birthday, I stood at her bedside after the awful news she wouldn't make it - to talk her over to the other side. Our relationship had been fairly strained but I'm pleased we had marginally reconnected for a few months before she died of multiple organ failure - drinking and smoking were at the heart of it all, quite literally. I have the most awful memories and photographic evidence of me holding her hand and cuddling in as I was telling her to look for our loved ones...when we should have been preparing for her birthday. If you have children and are on the fence then please consider that it isn't just you who suffers. Get educated and be real. The quit itself is effortless now. I remember at times that I would have smoked here and smile that it means absolutely nothing, it simply a memory. My children are level 4 and 5 (red and green belt) at mixed martial arts where I used the money from quitting to put them in a club to train. I should really go to that gym I pay for more, oops, but I can still run faaarrrr better than I ever could as a smoker, even with the gaps in training haha. The quit bought me strength, joy and healthier finances....I have never looked back. I completely retrained myself with a new career and am happily teaching both Reiki healing and Tarot Cards that I trained in. My point is the quit bought me nothing but good and joy. Those who didn't commit have a painful story attached. Love to all. Marti. xx

I love this, includes swearing!

I found that in the end, my failures contributed to my understanding of how I was going to just need to "dig in" and wade through the feelings. After 3 days, the nicotine is out of your system. Then you're into a battle of habit. So don't be downhearted by your failures but use them to reinforce your current mindset. You need to switch up your inner chit chat too - try, guess...these words are not a quitters friend because we mentally give ourself "an out". So change you self pep talk and you'll gain a lot more power over your mind, which is ultimately the only thing stopping or starting you smoking. Remember always, we have a choice, we make the choice to smoke or not smoke. So I won't wish you luck, I'll do better than that for you - I'll wish you the mental strength to beat this addiction. xx