Still winning

ah we just want it done. We get it. As a smoker, we get used to an immediate fix... as a non smoker to start, we have to work harder and we're not used to it. .... and there's loads of free time... just run with it and it passes. It's much better after a while and you start to use your time more wisely. x

Nah, it's not dangerous, it's the life affirming month :) It is the rinse and repeat month where you make sure you're serious...you're already serious so you'll be fine. Some don't even notice it. Some do, we're all different. My advice for what it's worth, is always focus on the end game. Some days feel tough, some fabulous...ultimately you're already a non smoker...how great is that! End result, you'll be a calmer non smoker :) Every trigger is a lesson, is a chance to teach yourself you are stronger until you don't notice the battle anymore because it's done. xx

Aww love it, fabulous work getting through there Kristin!! massive congrats on 3 months. x

congrats on 2 years Jimmy. You rock!! x

You beauty Jackie!! 1 month down, chin up chest out and march :) Right besides you. x

BOOM!! i love insanity too, he's bat shizzle that shawn T! Let me know how slimming world goes for you too. I always think it sounds tricky to stick too, so would honestly be interested in the feedback. And on the workouts let us know how it's going with updates! Inspiring for others too :) Go Laura!!

nope

oh yey!! 9 Now :)

I think it would be good to take a moment to not only remind ourselves why we quit but what we have gained. Sometimes in a the middle of a struggle the words, "it gets better, hold on" are great but we need to see more. This is where both long and short term quits come into their own...from the very first day there are benefits.... I will start for you: When I quit I expected to be able to breath a little better and not be financially struggling every month. I am both of those and more! From about 3 weeks I slept better than I ever had, for a shorter time and felt more refreshed. The way my whole chest feels is amazing, a deep breath is so deep it's nuts! My ability to exercise has gone off the chart, sadly I still look like a blueberry in colour but I can keep going long after I would have. I rarely get close to running out of money, I'm not loaded but I finally have a bit of breathing room and have not struggled to pay a bill since I quit! Big news! Unexpectedly, my self worth rose massively! A belief system was set up where I believed if I gave it everything I had, I could achieve anything. I believe this is a direct result of facing and conquering triggers. It set up a precedent where if I believed in my mind I could overcome it, then I could. This continues to grow and despite always being confident, now I am also confident of my ability to achieve things, whereas before I feared failure in a big way. I want to say it gets much easier later and the benefits are bigger and better than you could ever imagine. What have you found?

COOEEEEE Here I am :) and last double digits day till the big one!!

RF, I struggled in month 3, you know, it probably the last month I gripped on with bare knuckles...month 4 was SWWWEEEEETTT a proper break and I got a full day of not thinking about smoking once, was pretty odd after the rinse and repeat of month 3. Do not engage with other fails, they are not you, engage with other wins. I get it, I do, but it's always about you my lovely Runfree and anyone else and you are utterly worth this amazing feeling that comes later. All good, no windows to lick here, move along the bus :) Bugsy vanilla haha.

Hey kit kat and welcome :) i think you already know the basics...and the "before" you jump bit is often the worst! It was the same for many of us here so can we maybe set a quit date and something to work towards...unless today is your quit date? x

i basically used to say, you don't want to smoke, so if you smoke now we'll have to do this all over again.

Yoga yesterday 20 minute power walk each way to my course today and 1 hour insanity class tonight.

nope

No hating on the sunshine ladies.. Poor you guys over there tho, it looks really mental and I hate snow. Sympathies.

I am weirded out by all the smoking dreams. Awake I know I'm not at risk...if only my subconscious would catch up!! Posted and asked for if others felt it. Awake, I am feeling stronger. Like the quit is strengthening me. I will celebrate my 1 year this time and I will stay quit, because it is different now. I don't actually want to be a smoker, so the other option is non smoker isn't it. Simple really. Would I smoke if the end of the world was nigh. No, I'd have people to be with and be too busy to waste the time. If I was terminal. No, I would want to feel as well as I could - I felt lousy as a smoker, no breath, no energy, lousy. I smile now because there isn't a situation that could make me want to smoke anymore. It wasn't always so. I was the epitomy of fake it till you make it. Still no idea on a treat. Maybe I'll save for a holiday I will actually enjoy this time. With the right people.

I should add, I'm not craving at all awake so have no idea what's going on.

I am approaching 2 milestones, one is of my longest quit of 364 and the other is of a year. I've asked my buddy but he must be busy and it's freaking me out. Do you think it's normal that my dreams would ramp up? I keep dreaming that I've cheated and carry on pretending I'm quit but can feel the addiction taking me back over and am not sure how long I'll last until I'm full out smoking again...it's so odd...I keep waking up wondering momentarily if I did or didn't!! I get the dreams although that's been rare for me but this is the same dream, night after night...no other points I can remember to google search so I'm wondering if it's just milestone related...thus the ask, has it happened to anyone else like this? I'm knackered and just want to sleep a whole night.

Sorry Laura, Only just seen this. When I got to a serious wobble I'd scare myself witless...go onto whyquit.com and read one of the stories and imagine it's you. How would you tell your kids about a smoking related illness, could you deal with the steps needed to treat it...or worse. A short time of cosying up with that feeling would kill a trigger stone dead! My emergency help tactic. xx

Jackie I totally missed this, am so so pleased you came out the other side. It passes, it always passes and for a moment...we kinda forget that...just a thought...a bad thought but they all fall away and leave a beautiful sense of freedom and you deserve that! Pleased you fought, pleased you let people carry you, that's amazing... Much love to you beauty. x

So happy for you and your quit Lace. Isn't it quite amazing what perfect strangers who can understand can do to support you, stuns us all I think but the beauty of this network is exactly that. Well done beautiful lady. xx

How we doing this morning Rob?

nope

There's no actual bumps? lol.