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Thank you for your honest answer, Action. In one dream I was in the bedroom I lived in as a teenager, smoking by the open window, as I did then. I am sorry to say that in the dream I didn't feel guilty. Of course, when I wake up I am so RELIEVED AND HAPPY I am still a nonsmoker. I will trust that this is a temporary phenomenon of quitting that will pass...hopefully, soon. So sorry if this causes you to have a smoker's dream. But it has been so long, no doubt, you may find it interesting if it does occur.

You are really creative with your quit. It's very inspiring.

I think I understand this. While all the suggestions are very good, it isn't the same as the addiction. Smoking may be dangerous and not relaxing in the long term, but in the short term it was a fixed habit, with psychological and physical aspects that felt good. I am going to suggest to you...to just bite the bullet. The great thing about these quit forums is you can hear people tell you it gets better. If you are dedicated and committed to your quit you must always remember your motivation for quitting. Do you have your reasons for quitting written down??? What helped me the most was all of Marti's suggestions. Her suggestions mostly include getting up and MOVING AROUND. It is a fact that MOVING AROUND increases dopamine in the brain, and you WANT DOPAMINE, because that was what smoking did for you...it gave you (among other things) a jolt of dopamine. Yesterday I was feeling kind of depressed and I did two hours of vigorous house cleaning (just like Marti has suggested here) and I was amazed at how better I felt. MOVEMENT is the game changer, and the new way to "relax" - believe it or not. I suggest...believe it. Thanks to Marti because she helped me believe this until I saw for myself that it really works.

I am at month 5, and in the past month had TWO smoking dreams. This sucks. I have tried to just laugh it off. I am wondering how long it will take before my subconscious gets the message that I am a conscious nonsmoker. Full disclosure: In the dreams it appeared as if I was enjoying myself while smoking. Up until this point I have not remembered dreaming about smoking. Because it's summer??? I am wondering if maybe I dreamed about smoking because it's summer and when people walk by my place and are smoking the smell drifts in the windows when I am sleeping??? Since month 2 my ability to smell has returned full-force. I can smell cigarette smoke even when the smoker is apparently a couple blacks away. Consciously, I hate the smell of cigarette smoke. It smells chemical and deadly. What the hell is going on, then, in my dreams??? Does Joel have a video on this???

Thinking of you, and sending good wishes to you in your new life. Stay strong, lady!

hmmm...

During month 4 into 5 I quieted anxiety and insomnia with a glass of wine in the evening. As of this weekend I've left the wine habit behind. (I never drank wine before quitting, and it didn't trigger any cravings. But it didn't seem like a healthy habit to pick up, so I dropped it.) I am now feeling less anxious, and sleeping better. I don't know what drowned out the anxiety...wine...or time! I hope the next months usher in healthier life changes. I guess the quit journey is about experimenting, and staying flexible.

When I first quit smoking (almost five months ago) I missed the smoke I would have before doing a task or going out, and the reward smoke after completing a task. Today I realized these triggers are completely gone. I cannot believe I lived by punctuating every action with a smoke. Was there a certain situation in which you had to have a smoke that now you think is really weird?

Okay, but here is what is good about it. If I was still smoking I'd immediately spend any found money on extra packs of cigarettes which I'd stash in my freezer. Any extra money automatically went for more cancer sticks. Since posting this I've been walking around with that 20 dollar bill unbroken..until today finally decided to have an espresso at my favorite cafe. In general, money just seems to hang around longer. Also, when I smoked I kept company with other smokers more often, and everyone bummed cigarettes off of me, costing me more money. As a smoker I certainly didn't have the patience to read books on astronomy, cosmology, and physics. It all feels a little magical to me...and I am even starting to "forget" what exactly I did as a smoker besides smoking...it seems like a dark chapter without much fun or magic.

I borrowed a book on astronomy from the library, and when I opened it a $20 bill fell out of it. This never happened to me when I was a smoker. This isn't the first time I've attracted surprise amounts of money since I've quit smoking. It's weird.

Swim pass at local Recreation Center

The sanity of not smoking is relaxing. I haven't fully adjusted to the new normal and there are a lot of things I have yet to experience as a nonsmoker, but some days just breathing is sexy. I saw a woman smoking yesterday and suddenly she just hauled off and spit a big glob on the sidewalk. Then she wiped her mouth with the back or her hand and kept smoking. That's insane and gross to the point of insanity. I remember that feeling of my whole head feeling clogged up with smoker's congestion. I love breathing. It's a miracle my chest doesn't feel tight, I don't have allergies, or a cough, and can smell EVERYTHING. Breathing has become very relaxing.

Congrats, sweetie, well done!!! I bet your son is so proud of you. And now, no one can ask you, "Are you quitting now or smoking now?" because you are a solid nonsmoker with a year under your belt. I hope you inspire some of your still smoking friends to follow in your footsteps. Can you believe you are stepping into Year Two??? I feel so inspired! Thank you, Gabriellawesomelady!

What if you are such an inspiration that one by one all the other smokers start to quit? What if you inspire others to enjoy all the beautiful benefits of not smoking? You don't have to judge others who are still smoking. Not at all. But you CAN share your story. That's all. Be yourself. Fill your room with lemon candles. Walk around not naked, but NAKEDLY FREE OF SMOKING. I am not saying you should make it a goal to convert others. I am saying...be powerful. You love not smoking more than you ever loved smoking. That's you. Maybe...just maybe...you will be the inspiration for others. Dream new dreams, new stories. That's who you are. You are the Queen of Nope, and your dreams come true. xox PS Love your new place, and all those around you, then watch magic happen, sweetheart!

I have gone on the "white wine" diet. This mellows me out in the evenings. I had my first "smoking dream" last night. That totally sucks. I think Bakon is right. If you try too hard you make the quit harder than it needs to be. Dealing with stress has become a main issue. Despite the stupid, stupid smoking dream (a big joke put on by my reptilian brain) I don't consciously crave smoking, and when I smell smoke it reminds me of burnt blood. Going through a lot of life changes. In the wine diet phase, but when I get into a healthier place such as the swimming phase I'll be back. xox. :wub: Keep the faith, all lovely and hardy nonsmokers.

Quitting smoking is easy...just nope. Don't take even one puff. However, quitting smoking is complicated. The evil demon manufacturers of cigarettes are working hard to keep addicts addicted...with thousands of chemicals introduced into cigarettes. You may not choose to see this as a political war, or as a socioeconomic war...but it is. You were unable to quit in the past because the cigarette barons were winning the war. They didn't care if they stepped over your dead body, as long as you gave them 40 to 50 years of daily payment. This is about money. So your freedom is not only about the preciousness of your human life...if is a political act of defiance against those who counted on your weakness to extort money from you. Do you understand the importance of this victory? It is BIG. Stand tall, be joyful. Realize the battle you have won is a huge victory. You have gone up against Big Demons, and you have won. That makes you a hero. You didn't simply give up. You gained your life...you came back, and you fought and won this battle. This is possibly the most important year of your life. Yes, it's that BIG. Well done, you.

Wow, I love this story. I like the "Nope, no discussion possible." I felt a little wobbly too this week after having one beer on my birthday. Early in my quit I could have a beer and not feel wobbly, but it seems that has changed, so for now, no Guinness, boohoo, but I am dieting so it's for the best. No Guinness, No KitKats, No smoking. Nope. Nope. Nope. More stories, please, Queen Nope!

Thanks sweetie...I mean queenie! :)

Four months of not smoking (as of today) has given me a thirst for truth and beauty. Smoking was tied up with a lot that wasn't beautiful. And a lot that wasn't truthful. Sometimes it's hard to avoid ugly stuff. But we have more control than we think. We can't change or control what others choose to do, how they act, or speak. But frequently we can move away from situations that don't bring us peace and tranquility, or don't feel safe, just like we can say nope. We have more control than we think we do. Living in a fresh new world isn't only about not smoking. It's about who we are, what we stand for, how we wish to be treated, and our choice of wholesome environments that will influence and nourish us. We have so much more power as nonsmokers than we did as smokers. We can transform our world. It's empowering to have the right to choose and to have the courage of our convictions...and to exercise it. This way we grow into free and beautiful and truthful people.

:)

nope

:)

Sincere congratulations

What does a smober's happy face look like? :) I elect Stuart. Some don't smoke but miss it and mental romancing sours their personality. Others become addicted to the recovery process and get stuck in co-dependency mode. A sad few prey on the vulnerable and get a snorty little high from putting others down. Finally, there are the rare smobers who become extraordinarily well-balanced, like Stuart. These are the smobers who find all kinds of new ways to be in their world. They fashion their own ongoing, unique recoveries. They return, from time to time, to say hello and share their insights. They don't get caught up in drama because they know it doesn't serve them. They upgrade their profile pix to show that they have changed physically, as well as emotionally and smoberly, and their face glows with health and vitality. I move to elect Stuart, aka El Bandito, as King of Nope. Stuart is the Smober's Face Par Excellence. He embodies the best of what it looks like to be a happy nonsmoker. He visits the site to support, uplift, and cheer on. When he briefly talks about his own quit, it is not as an expert, but as a humble marcher. Most of all, he loves his quit. He laughs down triggers. He's strong. And he's handsome, which a king should be! He's well-balanced and healthy, and it shines forth from his happy smober's face. Thank you, Stu.