Rain Forest

LB, awesome post!!! And I'm happy to inform you that it's been approved by Tony the Tiger because it's GRRREEEEEAAAAATTTTTT! yes, sometimes I am very pathetic... lol

Yep, that 9-year-old is definitely smarter than I was... I started experimenting with cigs when I was somewhere around 11 or 12, and I never even thought of how bad they were for me... how sad to hear that kids are already addicted at such a young age. :(

What a powerful, honest post! I especially like this:

Evelyn, this is when you decide what you're gonna do BEFORE it happens. You got some great advice in this thread. If it were me, I would have a few cig-size plastic straws with me so I could "smoke" them when I leave therapy... you'll have the feeling of smoking, the ritual, all of that... give it a try. You can do it! :)

leah... girl!!! You got this... you're almost 6 months quit and you know you're not gonna throw that away. Remember, most of the time nowadays is without craves... the problem is that when you get one, it completely takes over your mind. If you feel you could be in danger, write that short list of quit reasons and keep it with you. Truth to tell though, I don't think you need it... you are doing beautifully!

Marti, you did the right thing by posting an SOS and fighting hard... it paid off because you beat this crave to the curb. No matter what happens in life (and I do not say this lightly, I have lived thru a number of terrible things since my quit), never ever never give in to the ugly cig. I can promise you this: the more you scream (and cry) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to the crave, each time will become just a little bit easier... before you know it, you will be completely free from the ugly grasp of the cig. Good job, well done, keep up the awesome fight! Rain :)

Oooooh!!! I'm really late to the party, but my congrats are still just as sincere! Good job, Wye!!! CONGRATS!!!

hahaha!!! That's my kind of exercise! :P

Jonny, you're one of those people that when I first saw you at a quit smoking forum, I knew instantly you were gonna be a winner and own your quit... and you sure did not disappoint! It's amazing how soon you became comfortable with your quit... 18 days is nothing when you look back, huh? I remember you were always trying to help others, some would listen, some would get mad, but one thing was constant: you have always spoken the truth, and you have my respect for that! Suz :)

Daisy, I understand exactly what you're saying... I was gonna answer you, but Jonny did it for me and he said it better than I could have. Also, you said since you quit, you know 3 people who have died of cancer... since I quit, I've known over 10, a mixture of people in quit smoking forums and in my family... it sucks, but here is how I see it nowadays: we can spend all of our time worrying and therefore never be happy, or we can decide to not worry and enjoy life while we're here... I go for the second option, and I have a feeling you will too... The fact that you are so anxious about this means you have a good heart and you care for people, so bless you! :)

lol... that's all!

Looking forward to it!

Yes, please do join us! I'm with the Bandito: if I can quit, anyone can! :)

ksmedic, it's good to see you! Welcome to the quittrain, we freakin rock over here!

I just now saw it... I loved it!

lol!!! I'm sitting here smiling! Thank you so much, all of you are just too And I wish you all: and

I was just getting started reading away and answering a few posts... and I now have to go do a few things out in the (what we call) real world... it drives me nuts when I get interrupted... by me! haha!!! Be back later! :P Why did I just type this nonsense? lord knows... lol

You might find that having secrets are no longer gonna be an issue... once you've chosen to be a non-smoker and have won the battle, the rest of your life also wins: you will have a new, can-do-anything attitude and won't be afraid to show it! I'm glad for ya :)

Amy, I'm glad you're back on the quit train!

action, your post actually brought a happy tear to my eye... what I saw was someone who, without a doubt, is a winner! You did it, you won!!! Not even thinking about a cig during very stressful times, how awesome is that! I'm really happy for you. :)

My fave milestone was 3 months... when I think about it, I actually have reasons! When you've been quit a month or two, it's still fairly new, but by 3 months, you're much more solid and have a much better understanding of how to keep this quit. At just a few days after 3 months, I also had my realization that "this is it, I will never again, under no circumstances whatsoever, will I ever smoke." Now I've been quit long enuf that I don't even remember my annies, and that's the best feeling of all: like it never even happened! lol

Oh Evelyn… here’s the truth: you have had so many relapses in the short time that I’ve known you that I can’t keep up with you. Did you know that if you put as much effort into keeping your quit as you do in finding ways to choose to relapse, you’d have been a non-smoker for weeks now? I really feel bad for you because you’re in a yo-yo right now and the string isn’t stopping. I would not wish this on my worst enemy because the guilt of constant relapse, starting over, wash, rinse, repeat, must be a horrible feeling. I hope you figure out what you’re doing soon. I will tell you this: if you choose to be a non-smoker, you will be one. This time around I’m not gonna give advice because I have given that to you many many times now… I’ll just ask you a question: what is it that YOU think you are doing wrong? I hope you get the answer soon, I truly do. I would love to see you happy… and I hope to see you back here soon with a true kick-ash attitude. Rain

Ok Amy, you can be a non-smoker, I guarantee it. You just gave us your reasons to quit... I think you should write down these reasons and keep that list with you at all times, bring it out when you crave a cig, remind yourself of why you quit. Take control of yourself... do not let yourself continue this horrible abusive relationship... kick it to the curb, you have the power to do this, you really do. Get some plastic straws, cut them to cig-size and "pretend smoke" them... you will get the ritual but won't get anything in you except fresh air. Hell, I even used to flick the "pretend ashes"... and nuts as it sounds, it works. In other words, have a backup plan, you need one. Here's another one you can do, along with the list: have little pictures of those you love with you at all times... you want a cig? Look at the pictures... do you want to die sooner than need by and let these people suffer because of it? I haven't read all these replies, but I hope our greenlover said something because she had to quit too... she'd had a heart attack. It took her a while, but she finally did it. This means that you can quit too! :)

Anna, I love it when people as young as you choose to quit smoking... I wish I had been so smart at your age. I'm really happy you found us, and a big WELCOME to you! Nice to meet'cha!

I'm really glad to meet'cha, laura! You want to be a non-smoker? You came to the right place! :)