cpk

Thank you, PJ, for helping me put in the cornerstone of my quit....PATIENCE. Let's give patience the big shout out!!!

SweetasTwix!, but remember, you have so many here who care about you, so always, always throw out that rope. Twix for Evelyn, you're funny and your quit is strong!

tyme posted about insomnia so hope she reads your comment, Jackie.

Thank you, and will remember. Thank you for your constancy. I've greatly appreciated it.

Thank you all. My toolbox is so full I need to start weight lifting so I have the strength to drag it around! I now know I have the tools to deal with whatever comes up. There's always an option. That's what I've learned here. The quit journey can be exciting because of all the creativity that can go into it. On this site there is a flood of creative suggestions. I'll be checking back in. xox Two Months Solid and Sound Happy Easter and Passover... And as the boss says, let's keep grinding this shit out...

:yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

nope (cuz rope's got 60 knots...now working towards 90...roping the nope!)

"Fortune Telling" is a cognitive distortion. This and other boards are always available for someone to pop into. However, as Markus has said, repeatedly, one needs to establish accountability for one's own quit, and this board, and all the various smoking cessation sites online, are for support. What is or isn't dangerous to one's quit is relative. For me it would be dangerous to have family, many of my friends, coworkers or a partner smoking around me all the time. I've had this in the past, and it weakened my resolve to not smoke. Not in a day, or a week, or a month. But eventually it had an impact on my quit. I am fortunate that I don't have that now. (Unfortunate for the family smokers, many who have died.) Drinking isn't something I want to mix with a new quit. I recently had a beer without smoking just to see how it would go, and it was fine. However, that was just an experiment. I'm not in a drinking culture now, but in the past, drinking has ruined a quit. Not in a day, or a week, or a month. But eventually it impacted my quit. For me, in the past, drinking + stress + flip flops = relapse. (Okay, maybe not the flip flops...) I can't tell someone else what would be dangerous to their quit. Everyone is different. People do things I could never do. Certain things work for me in this quit that haven't in the past. For instance, I have found coffee and smoking are separated for me in this quit, much to my great happiness, as I love my espresso. On the other hand, I haven't been listening to much music, because for some reason, with this quit, music is a heavy trigger for me. I had a successful 7 year quit, and then went back to smoking during a stressful period in my life. So all I really know for certain, is that once addicted to this demonic thing...one must remain ever vigilant, even when enjoying the beautiful freedom of not smoking. No quit is ever 100% secure. It haunts me to remember how easily I threw away a perfectly peaceful 7 year quit during a stressful time. That is why I love N.O.P.E. so much. My downfall was to think I could have just one. I love the N.O.P.E. philosophy because nope is key. Accountability, vigilance, and education is what keeps a quit from becoming dangerous. Then...just N.O.P.E. Nope is the main shield and protection, and I love nope with all my heart.

HAPPY EASTER WEEKEND!

nope (cuz i ain't the pope)

:yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

Thank you all.

Jackie, I relate to what you wrote...very much. We can and will do this...because we already are doing this. N.O.P.E. is key.

This is No Gonnae Do That Land, Jackie!!! You're entering No Man's Land a step ahead of me... Let's walk in joy. There's nothing to be afraid of, dear one. We are free.

Well, I guess I am in No Man's Land...month three. This is when the "excitement" of the new quit wears off. Looking back, I see moments of elation surrounded by a lot of drama. If month three is the month with less drama, I welcome it. Now, thoughts of smoking are tied up with grief. My old toxic friend is surely gone. It's confusing to grieve for something that was altogether bad. All of us have had that one harmful romantic relationship in the past that almost did us in. Yet, we still remember it in detail. This is similar. However, in the stages of grieving, there is a point where you just can't hold on any longer. You have to let go. You have to cry, and mourn, integrate loss, and move on. If you don't, you will become neurotic. (A fence sitting non-smoker is a neurotic non-smoker.) I am not yet 100% free. I still have a lot of quit symptoms. My lungs feel tight, I have insomnia, fatigue, restlessness, mood swings etc. I'm still in recovery from the worst, most abusive relationship of my life. But I also feel ready to let go, and move on. I welcome the idea of No Man's Land. Quitting has destabilized my entire life. It has taken up space, dominated my thoughts, and mental energy. It has made me act crazy. That's exactly what grieving is like. If No Man's Land is the stage of acceptance of loss, I welcome it. I don't want pats on the back for not smoking. I think from week 3 until now they were essential. But I'm ready to move into the grown up world of attending to all the loose strings left undone because I was so focused on getting from one day to the next...and to here, and now. I can see where boredom and stress could lead to relapse. But most of all...I can see where attachment could lead to relapse. If we think smoking was a good thing on any level, we'll stay attached to the idea of it. We can even stay attached to it knowing it was bad. Not me. I hate cigarettes, and smoking, with a passionate hatred. Cigarettes hurt I'm not saying this from any lofty mental place. My lungs hurt as I write this. I am still in physical pain from cigarettes' abuse. If No Man's Land is that place where smoking starts becoming an echo...where the future whispers, "Come to me, and be fully free," -- If No Man's Land is where I am walking the forest path towards the sunny glen...I am content to travel through this stage, quietly, without fanfare, and in peace. Thank you for allowing me to express myself at this milestone of my journey. Best wishes to all those walking along with me at this stage.

Didn't mean to put down person trying to bum smoke. Don't like strangers coming up to me when I'm out at night, and thought now that I don't smoke wouldn't have to deal with that. There's been couple of car thefts in my neighborhood and guess I was just on edge about the stranger approaching me thing.

to the birds*... *haven't asked any lately, but am pretty sure they hate tobacco smoke stench...

One of the newbies asked a question about insomnia. Perhaps others on here have something to say? I'm not much help. I use melatonin, War and Peace, and posting. As none of these are very effective I'm going to be pulling out the big guns of swimming, sauna, and the dreaded treadmill in the evening. I don't care what's thrown at me, I will stay with not smoking forever. Still, these side effects of quitting can be a drag, and for some, a real problem. Please help this newbie out. It's on another thread...

Sorry, messing up here. Has someone (anyone) sent you PM? Hope so...

sometimes when i try to edit or rewrite i end up looking like i'm quoting myself...well, actually, i get set up quoting myself however, i am not, i repeat, i am not quoting myself as others have suggested (okay, just bakon...) i'm just fighting with the computer software...and basically not paying attention to what i'm doing i'm going to ride my bike to the next town for fish this weekend...sounds like fun okay...maybe just down the road to buy fish...for first ride of season...

i'm doing sound today...

nope (cuz am off the slippery slope)

tony robbins claimed he could get someone to drop smoking habit in something like a minute....forever think he got a lot of flack for this... i just take what i can from wherever i can and leave the rest beware....i'm "liking" all your posts haha :)