Still winning

Shocked and stunned...*learning all the time*

^^^ What she said :D You are relearning to live your life without part of it there. You wouldn't be human if the thoughts didn't come in - the fact that you over rode them with NOPE will give you a new normal soon enough. It helps to remember the good days, the ones that feel easier so that when a whackload of thoughts come knocking you remember there are good non smoking times too. We are addicted to nicotine. Don't forget this. You are not having thoughts that smoking is great - it is your addiction being triggered by a memory or a time when you would previously have smoked. Replace it with a healthy action or shout it down, whatever your thing is but that is how we learn to become a non smoker. I occassionally remember that "oh I would have smoked here" but do not want to be a smoker and each hurdle crossed or smoking trigger faced down will take you closer to that - but every smoker I see has a pale colour, or is ill and that cough and smell are horrific...no way do we want that again. x

Same as that. Cheers :drinks: x

Awww sweetie, really, I'm so sorry! Hold the f on darling girl, it was always that simple and that hard. Sending angels and reiki and maybe a smack upside the head too but only because I love you and want this for you. Much love. x

Strangely I was only talking about this last night as I discussed with a smoker how no, it wasn't about "the right time" or anything like that and how it's easier not to smoke anyway as you actually don't need to do anything other then not set fire to anything near your face! That wasn't my quit story though. In no particular order I used... -Champix -Blogging and quit forum -Guilt from children -Dalmation Jasper crystal necklace and palm stone -The energy of a full moon (5 days out but the closest I could get without waiting) -The nope shuffle which includes switching from foot to foot while shouting nope -A ton of cleaning products -A ton of tissues It was a crazy time as I tried to go from up to 40 per day (normal day for me) to nothing while everyone around me continued to puff away. Many relapses under my belt and many quit attempts with NRT. 5 days into my quit I abandoned the champix too and freestyled the cold turkey route. I made it pretty tough on myself for about 7 weeks until I "got it" and realized that all I needed to do was just not smoke. I love hearing others quit journeys, no two ever seem to be identical but there are so many eureka moments and education is the crucial key for sure. Wish I had of realized I could do this much sooner so I could have limited the damage a bit more but greatful every day for the freedom from smoking. x

Chilling here for a bit. Missed this place where I've been in the really real world - hide, it's pants out there!

Orlando doesn't do Indian either, my sister lives there and gets us to post packet stuff regularly. Or Nandos, how do they eat Chicken I wonder?? I love the pub in the English bit, they get super excited if you talk with a proper accent too ;) I ate somewhere else though, can't beat chippy from home! I would love to try an authentic Chinese, bet it's completely different! Marathons and Opal Fruits, those were the days :)

Hiya, Late to the party but see you're going well, great work!! I quit around smokers and actually you can use it to your advantage. Watch and listen to the chest rattle/the catch just before they cough and when they try and laugh how it sends their chest into spasm. Not in a horrible way but really SEE what smoking does to you and vow that it can't have you anymore. A number of us have been around the smokers who just want us back in the fold. Terrible but true. Don't let anyone influence this brilliant choice you have made for yourself. And welcome :) x

I don't think I was there long enough to be known, I did see your posts. So nice to meet you. x

Oh I did chuckle at the glittery panted sausage... PP, I am utterly delighted for you my lovely, how wonderful to have 7 months free. Agree, you simply seemed to have moved into being a non smoker without much drama. Good for you. Much love. xx

Really, wow! I hope those god awful messages are still allowed on the packaging though, they used to really creep me out!

and treats! Lots and lots of treats with the money you save so that there are things to look forward to for completing each stage. x

3 months can give you a shake up. Don't be frightened of it though, just addictions way of sucking you back in with thoughts of "just one", "too hard" thought I'd be over it" etc etc. Just keep plodding through all those treacle thoughts. So so pleased you jumped back on. My relapse story lasted 14 years!! It's more common then you'd think. The excuses seem so plausible!! But they are all lies. It hurts you and it's simply addiction, no more and no less - YOU deserve better. Post, talk, don't smoke sweetie. We'll help talk you down if you SOS too, give yourself every chance you can to get this done and dusted. Much love. x

Always in my thoughts and heart you guys. xx

I had to be utterly brutal with myself. The fleeting thoughts I dealt with via distraction. But the biggies sent me flying to whyquit to read a story of a smoker who'd died, Id try and think how I would tell everyone around me if that were me and how stupid I'd feel for poisoning myself. I'd replace the visualisation with those I cared for (mainly my kids) smoking, how would I really feel if I made that seem ok?! At times I went into battle in my own brain but I was as tough as I needed to be to quench the stupid thoughts that would lead me back down that path. Sharing as you asked. x

No waiting. No creating "relapse stories". You don't smoke, so don't smoke love. Simple. x

Wow, they never fail to P me right off these jokers! It's like saying if I cut my leg off, I'll lose a stone or something, like we could promote that as a diet with no thought to the after effects. I just really want to take the jack a++es who write this poop and put em in a COPD clinic, or with someone dying of lung cancer etc etc. I wonder how they sleep at night?!! I too wonder how we never really got the opportunity to "see" this addiction for what it was until we'd stopped. Sad times for those still there.

About time chick, delighted to welcome you home!! Let's get er done shall we. x

I think you should celebrate every month, stuff waiting till 6 months! Lovin the new attitude :) x

Scenic route ey! x

Well thank goodness :)

Hey hey buddy, where is our smart quitter at?

Today is the time we celebrate you, your birthday!! I hope there is cake and wine and maybe even a scotch in your future! Have the most wonderful day, which you richly deserve. Happy birthday my friend. x

Hmm, I got bored and went to bed about 3/4 way through it...

This made me smile like this for you :D Hope it's fabulous my lovely. x