Still winning

Hi Tom, I think it's great you've posted now. We can help you prepare some stuff too. Bakon said about fruit juice. That's a biggie. Those blood sugars jump around a lot and it can make you feel like your craving when it's actually messed up internal levels as your body tries to clean itself, heal and reset. Also helpful to have a plan on what you are going to do instead, like when you would smoke. For instance, first morning coffee, maybe log on here rather then pick up a smoke, or wander round the garden etc. In essence the quicker you re-train your brain, the easier it is...so a plan when those "triggers" hit is good news! 3 kids is a great motivator!! There will be awesome unexpected benefits for the children and from them too. I get more hugs from my eldest now as I don't smell!! I never knew I did smell that bad :( But we play a whole game without me trying to sneak away for a smoke, we have more money to do more things and eat more ice creams :) It really is great now. Smoking is only ever a fleeting thought. Try to hold onto that if a day feels tricky or plain hard. Good days always come behind a bad one. A crave is nothing to be worried or afraid of, it causes no physical pain and it passes - unlike smoking which can cause some real damage! whyquit.com is a brilliant site to read up on as well. I read for the early days and it really helped to put some clarity around the term addiction and help me want to not smoke even more. Allen Carr is a well read book round here too. How are you planning to quit tom? Are you just going cold turkey, or gum, or patches?? It sometimes helps to know. Welcome!!

That bottle bird feeder trick is genius!! Cats and pidgeons kept jumping on my pretty wrought iron one and broke it :( The path will look fab too, how clever is that tool. 3 digit weather sounds a bit grim to even a sun worshipper like me. How do you get anything done??

Iced tea does not "count" eugh! Wrongun :)

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I enjoy reading what you write tiff. Somehow your words always strike a chord. You are just getting there and things are dropping into place in a way they didn't before. I am happy for you but equally I feel for you too. These are tough adjustments to mindset and personality times, literally do it one day at a time chick - like you said. This feels like a massive leap forward for you. x

Happy to help :)

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tetley tea in the round shaped tea bag - tea for poor whores as it takes abouta year to get some actual tea flavouring out PG tips, in the posher pyramid shaped tea bag (as ordered via online shopping) - your working class tea bag, sturdy and flavoursome Yorkshire tea - Posh tea You guys in the big place seem more particular about coffee but you can't get tea wrong if you're english. Sure my now super american sister said you guys have to go and do the shopping (groceries?), whereas if you live on a small island you can choose to do it on line and some nice man or lady brings your shopping to your front door for you.

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Nothing tastes better then freedom and coffee my friend :) Go Sandy!! I think it's like that when it's time. You sound like you're just done and that's amazingly good and how it should feel in my humble opinion. It's time! we will walk with you!

Totally saved my ass at 1 1/2 months quit, only time I ever needed to SOS. Having my own words quoted back at me really stopped me in my tracks, defo get your response so it will hit you hard if you need it too Sandy. x

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The silly people who picked my shopping think that a substitution for pg tips pyramid tea bags is the cruddy round tetley tea bag?!?! I don't even know what to say to that, and I had to have them as I didn't have any left :( It's just not a sub is it...silly billy's. Tetley tea bags are moving to the back of the cupboard as emergency only teabags after tomorrow. Might even treat myself to yorkshire tea as compensation :)

congrats rez, 3/4 of a year is fabulous!!

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This really made me smile - fitting you got to do the birthday NOPE!! So delighted for the freedom birthday gift for you, nope and happy birthday!! x

nice dinner may well be in order :) Happy birthday Paul! xx

I kinda trust in these guys, great news you believed me and even better you're storming through day 2!! Every day done is a day you never have to do again :) No need to rush, take each day as it comes. If it's a bad one, then we dig deep and post, we will carry/drag you through. If it's a good one then fab, everyone loves a win of a day and it compensates. Every day is different. Your personality has to change, smoking was very tied in to how you managed your life, but it will be ok. Find emergency things that make you happy/get you through when you need something extra. Exercise, cleaning, singing a rousing version of your favourite song, bust some moves, click your fingers, suck air through a straw, sip water, walk....do anything else. Vent, bitch, celebrate - all are great and I for one LOVE to hear how people are doing because it means I can pay back all the help I needed/got and reinforces my quit as a wonderful default setting :) Those that post the good the bad and the ugly fare better in my humble opinion! xx

Heck week done and dusted!! And a whole heap of grief and triggers faced and overcome!! So excited for your brilliant mindset Susana, even if it sometimes feels hard! xx

Woohoo, quit already!! The weird thing about educating yourself is, you now know too much and don't want to smoke. But the addiction is still there. It's a very surreal feeling and is a mental game. When you feel weird, sad, angry, whatever then post, honestly, we all do here. The help and support is at your fingertips and we genuinely want to help. Won't go on but excited to see you here and look forward to helping you get your quit tools strong to get this quitting business done and dusted. xx

Yep!! Not even ashamed about it ;) However I'm intrigued...what reasons/excuses?? I think a planned date is a good thing though!!

Imagine this. There is a life out there where you just live and craves are a thought that makes you smile and think, why would I?? Money is strangely more abundant, yet nothing has changed. Boredom means you find something of interest to do, you have more time to fill and it makes you happy. You start to clean something, and you do it and move on - no need for breaks. Who needs breaks when you have this much more energy right? You run a few feet, and it's all good, you might even do that shizzle for fun because you can. Someone questions your self worth and you smile and dismiss them - you know how strong you are and your inner depth is apparent to all who have spoken to you on the quit train. There's some smokers around you, what you feel is pity!! And if you are "good people" (hint, I know you are), you hint and guide them to places to help and respect their choices. And shhhhh - I didn't think I could quit.... and hey, guess what I did!!! Fear is normal, I say again, it's ok to be afraid. That fear makes you hold the f on!! ((Amy)), we have your back, we always had your back and you just need to let go and trust us. No hiding etc. xx

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